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This page links to various problem solutions and How To guides.

Graphic Thumbnail Preview in Windows 98 (IE5)
Unwanted DUN Connection Requests
Windows 95/98 Takes Ages to Shutdown, or Just Doesn't!
Guidelines for Running Windows Utilities

System File Editor
Registration Database Editor

How to add the contents list of one help file to another's

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Graphic Thumbnail Preview in Windows 98 (IE5)

By default Windows 98 (IE5) doesn't display thumbnail images of a selected graphics file in Windows Explorer. It is possible to turn on thumbnail view for all images, but in Web view it's also possible to see a thumbnail to the left of the files list.

To enable the thumbnail image you need to edit the folder HTML (.htt) file, as follows:

Using Explorer browse to the folder where you store your image files.
Right-click in the files pane and select Customize this folder... from the pop-up menu.
From the three choices select Create or edit an HTML document and click Next.
Click Next again.
NotePad will open with the default HTML configuration file. Select Search|Find...
Type wantmedia into the Find what box and then click the Find Next button.
The line: var wantMedia = false; // cool, but may hinder media file manipulation will be selected. Change the word false to read true. Make sure you don't delete the semi-colon following the word!
Select File|Save
Select File|Exit
Click Finish on the Customize this folder... dialog.
Make sure the folder you just customised is set to Web View (use the folder view icon).
Select a graphics file (*.jpg, *.gif, *.avi, etc.) and it should be displayed to the left of the file list.

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On booting Windows 95/98 a dial-up networking connection confirmation dialog appears.

This has probably started following installation of new software. Uninstalling may not clear the problem.

The connection could be a result of a registration program trying to log you onto a software company's Web site to record your registration details.

Possible Solutions

Look in the Start menu under Programs | StartUp for any icons that have just appeared. You did know what was there before, didn't you?

Failing that, check win.ini for any programs in the run line (Start | Run... type sysedit then Click OK) . The start of the file will normally look like the example below.

[windows]
load=
run=

You may of course have some legitimate programs listed here. Back up win.ini and then remove any listed programs from these lines one at a time to see if the problem goes away. Restore any that didn't have an effect.

System.ini, autoexec.bat, or config.sys if you have them may also be implicated. Look for anything out of the ordinary, or, if you've just installed some new software, other files with the same name but a diferent extension created about the time you installed the software. Check for any suspect diferences. How do I find these files? Click Start | Run... type sysedit then Click OK. How do I compare them for differences?

The Windows Registry is next. Check the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run or Runonce keys. The first lists programs that should run every time you start Windows, the second, ones that should be run only once and then removed from the list (I think!). How do you see this? Click Start | Run... type regedit then Click OK. In Regedit browse the folder list just as in Explorer until you reach the Run (folder). Any programs to be run will appear in the right-hand pane. If there are any you're not expecting you need to export this registry key and then delete the value. If it doesn't fix the problem you can reimport the key. How do I do that?

In my case, none of this helped, nor did any of the suggestions on Microsoft's Knowledge Base Web site. The solution was in another registry key which you could also check. The key is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\OLE where there are two keys: EnableDCOM, and EnableremoteConnect. The problem was that the second of these had been changed to a 'Y' on the assumption that I was connected to a network and wanted to reconnect on boot-up - I didn't, of course. The first value was correctly set to 'Y'. How do I change an incorrect value? Click on the key Name in the right-hand pane of RegEdit. Right-Click and chose Modify. Enter the new value in the value data box and Click OK. The change takes place immediately - there is no undo! If in doubt, export the key first so you can reimport it if it goes wrong.

One more Win98 ghost exorcised?

Check Microsoft's Knowledge Base for further help: http://search.microsoft.com/default.asp?

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Windows Takes Ages to Shutdown - or Just Doesn't!

Try CTRL+ALT+DEL and kill off mdm or Rnaapp if they're running - it's more than likely some comms utility holding it up.

The other option is to:

Right-Click on the desktop and select New Shortcut from the pop-up menu.
In the Create Shortcut form that will appear, type the following in the Command Line box: RUNDLL32 user,ExitWindows Or copy and paste it from here.
Click Next Enter a name for the shortcut, perhaps "Shutdown"? (no quotes).
Click Finish.

You'll now have a new icon (the Windows flag) on your desktop.

Double-Click that and Windows will shutdown.

What's the downside of using this method of shutting down?

Lose all information in unsaved apps, I suppose. I'd recommend closing all programs first. Then click the Shutdown icon. It's cleaner than a double CTRL+ALT+DEL.

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SysEdit

SysEdit is the System File Editor and can be used to view and edit several basic system files - the actual list depending on the software installed. In its most basic form it allows access to the following four files: win.ini, system.ini, autoexec.bat, and command.com.

To run SysEdit under Windows 3.x double click its icon in the Accessories group. Under Windows 9x and NT4 you need to click Start | Run..., then type sysedit and Click OK. You could add it to your Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools menu.

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RegEdit

RegEdit is the Registration Database Editor. The registration database is used to store details of the systems hardware and installed software. Modifying the Windows Registry can cause the system to stop functioning!

To run RegEdit under Windows 9x and NT4 you need to click Start | Run..., then type regedit and Click OK. You could add it to your Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools menu.

Exporting a Registry Key

In RegEdit click the key, or branch, to be exported. Click Registry | Export Registry File... Ensure the Export range is set to Selected branch, then type a filename and chose the directory (folder) in which to save it. Click Save.

You can use Explorer to find the saved file and view it in Notepad.

Importing a Registry Key

Double-Click the reg file that contains the key. BEWARE! any existing key values with the same name will be overwritten without warning!

Changing a Registry Key Value

Click on the key Name in the right-hand pane of RegEdit. Right-Click and chose Modify. Enter the new value in the value data box and Click OK. The change takes place immediately - there is no undo! If in doubt, export the key first so you can reimport it if it goes wrong.

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