Registry Errors

Q:

Dear Kate and Team,
When I start either Windows 95 or 98 on my PC, I get a message saying there is an error in the registry and the
computer will have to restart to correct it. I get round this by Ctrl+Alt+Del and end tasking the problem. I have
reinstalled everything several times and even FDISKed the hard drive, to no avail - how can I cure this problem?
Yours,Stuart

A:

If this keeps coming up, then I'd say there's a problem with some hardware. Looks like we need more information
like what bit of the registry is causing the hassles. Have you any odd cards in the system? Tried taking them
out? Does it happen right away, or after the system's been used a bit? Go to the Microsoft Knowledge base and
type in the error string to find where the problem lays.Also, with Win98 there is a program called ScanReg,
which should sort out the registry problem. You can run this from the 'Start' > 'Run' prompt. Useful Links:
http://www.microsoft.com

Changing Icons

Q:

Hi Kate and Gang,
Recently I have found that some of my files have changed the way they appear on the desktop.
All my MP3 files now look like movie files, and all my Zip files look like Word files, although they still work as
MP3 and Zip files. I don't know if I should change them back or just leave them alone. Keep up the excellent work,
Maurice

A:

This is just the icon, which you can change using View Preferences in Explorer. It's not anything to worry
about - except find out how it happened. Did someone do it as a practical joke?

Strange ScanDisk

Q:

Dear Kate and Team,
I have Windows 95 ORS2 and recently set up multi-users via the User setting in the Control Panel. Since then,
when I boot up, instead of getting the Windows log-in box after Windows has started, my PC automatically runs
ScanDisk. This wastes a lot of time and is very annoying - please help! Thank-you,
Darren

A:
When Windows isn't shut down properly, ScanDisk will kick in next time you boot-up. Sounds like people aren't
shutting the system down properly - that's what usually causes the ScanDisk thing. You need to choose shut-down
when closing your computer down.

Making Boot Disks

Q:

Dear Kate and Team,
The experts on the show often mention that when you make a boot disk you should load the CD-ROM drivers. Please
could you tell me how to do this!Thank-you,
Glenville Carless

A:

Exact details vary from one drive to another. But you need two things - a drive and MSCDEX, which is in the
windows\command directory. You should be able to find all the necessary drivers on you CD-ROM installation
disk. The drive is something like idecd.sys and is installed in config.sys, and then autoexec calls mscdex.
These file should be put onto the boot disk as these will be needed. You can create the autoexec.bat and the
config.sys files using 'Edit' or WordPad (remember to save them as text only). The config.sys file needs a
line that contains the following: device=a:/ (and whatever the name of the driver is) /d: (then the name
for the driver. It could be cd01)Then you need an autoexec.bat file that contains the following:
Mscdex/d: (and whatever you put on the same parameter in the config.sys file)