Error Message When Installing Windows 98 Second Edition Updates

ID: Q231928

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to upgrade to Windows 98 Second Edition, you may receive the following error message:

Windows 98 Setup:
The required Windows 98 files could not be found on your computer. You must install a complete version of Windows 98 before proceeding. Setup will now exit.


CAUSE

This problem can occur when you attempt to run Setup after an unsuccessful installation of the Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition Update. If Setup is unsuccessful during the file copying portion of Setup, and you try to install Windows 98 Second Edition Update again, you may have mismatched Windows files on your computer. If this occurs, Setup may not pass the compliance checking process.


RESOLUTION

To work around this issue:

  1. Restart your computer to verify that Windows 98 starts properly.
    If Windows 98 does not start properly, skip to step 4.
    If Windows 98 starts properly, insert your original Windows 98 media in the appropriate drive, and then run Windows 98 Setup.
    For example, insert your original Windows 98 CD-ROM in the appropriate drive, switch to the CD-ROM drive in Windows Explorer, and then double-click Setup.exe.


  2. Follow the instructions on your screen until Setup finishes.


  3. Restart your computer to verify that Windows 98 starts properly. If Windows 98 starts properly, start Windows 98 Second Edition Update Setup again. If Setup finishes successfully and the issue is resolved, do not continue with the remaining steps. If the issue is not resolved, continue with step 4.


  4. Insert your Windows 98 Startup disk in the appropriate drive, and then restart your computer.


  5. From the startup menu, choose "Start computer with CD-ROM support", and then press ENTER if you are installing Windows 98 from a CD-ROM.


  6. At the command prompt, switch to your CD-ROM drive if needed, and then run Windows 98 Setup (Setup.exe).

    For example, at the command prompt type drive:, where drive is your CD-ROM drive, press ENTER, type setup, and then press ENTER.


  7. Follow the instructions on the screen until Setup finishes.


  8. After Windows 98 Setup has finished successfully, run Setup for Windows 98 Second Edition Updates. If the issue is not resolved, continue with the remaining steps.


  9. Restart your computer, press and hold CTRL until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, choose Command Prompt Only, and then press ENTER.


  10. From the command prompt, type uninstall, and then press ENTER.

    NOTE: If you receive the error message "Bad command or file name", search the \Windows\Command folder for the uninstal.exe file. If the Uninstal.exe file is not present, you can extract it manually from the original Windows 98 cab files:
    1. Place your Windows 98 Startup disk in the appropriate drive and then restart your computer.


    2. From the startup menu, choose "Start computer with CD-ROM support", and then press ENTER.


    3. Verify that your Windows 98 CD-ROM is in the appropriate drive, and then switch to the CD-ROM drive.


    4. From the command prompt, type the following command: extract /a base5.cab uninstal.exe /l c:\windows\command, and then press ENTER.


    NOTE: In this scenario, if you have Internet Explorer 5 installed, it needs to be uninstalled PRIOR to reinstalling the Windows 98 operating system. It should also be noted that following the reinstallation of Windows 98, you will have to reinstall any Windows Updates.


  11. Follow the instructions on the screen until the uninstallation finishes.


  12. Click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

    NOTE: After you have successfully restored Windows 98, you should be able to run Setup for Windows 98 Second Edition without failing the compliance check.



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.


MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to successfully install Windows 98 Second Edition Updates, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q232681 Windows 98 Second Edition Updates Setup.txt file

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : kberrmsg kbsetup win98se 
Version           : WINDOWS:98 Second Edition
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: August 8, 1999