W98 help please
 

Can any Windows 'gurus' help me with a
troublesome keyboard/screen freeze problem?
W98SE, PII processor. Problem ONLY occurs
when in IE5.5 OR OE5, either on or off-line, and results in random lock-ups of keyboard and screen, normally when either typing or mail-merging an email or moving around in IE. Sometimes causes complete computer reset. It would help to know which part of the OS is common to keyboard and screen?

I have re-installed both programmes, run 'repair', improved air-flow inside the box and am stuck!

Interesting! Now, I don't claim to be a real guru, but I will offer the following thought as a start; excuse me if this is a granny/eggs answer.

Do the Ctrl/Alt/Del routine to see what Applications and TSRs are running in the background. Disable the less important ones one-at-a-time and go back to your work each time and see if the problem disappears.

By less important I mean printer managers, Textbridge Instant Access Program, Virus Protection and Firewall (But only if Off-Line!!) etc.

If you get down to Explorer and Systray (the minimum 98SE must have) and starting IE/OE still causes the problem, then you probably have a Windows *.DLL mismatch caused when you installed a third-party program that over-wrote the original Windows version.

Check by looking at the dates of the Windows files; they should all be the same or similar. A glaring difference will suggest that getting an original version of the offending DLL or SYS file might fix the problem.

Otherwise, re-install Windows! Yuk.

[ 08 August 2001: Message edited by: fobotcso ]

In addition to the above, go to System File Checker: (Start - Run -type "sfc"). But use with caution.

Check what version of 98 and IE you are running. If you haven't got 98 Second edition then think about upgrading.

There's a service pack for IE available - try that. You'll find it all at www.microsoft.com and look for the support/download link.

Have fun.

Thanks y'all. I'll work through those ideas.