Dead PC - the suspect "an old man"

[mr_tango]

OK, here is the problem. I have been asked to fix a PC, but I have run out of ideas. My girlfriends granddad decided to free up some space on his PC, by removeing an application called US Robotics. Unfortunately this seems to be all of the driver details etc for his modem. Whilst it was uninstalling the PC froze and he had to restart it, (possibly buggering up the registry entry for the modem - unconfirmed). Now the PC refuses to start, going only to a green liney screen.

I have managed to get into the PC via safe mode but can do little else. The modem is and old ISA modem. I have tried the following:

1. Removing the modem - no difference
2. Removing the modem and his USB ports (recently installed) - no difference
3. Unistalling the modem in safe mode - no difference
4. Installing the modem from safe mode - will not istall in safe mode
5. Installing from command prompt - needs windows

If it was a PCI modem, then there is a chance that windows could just pick it up and install it, but as it is an old ISA thing, windows doesn't see it until its told to......and I can't tell it to! Has anyone got any ideas, either how I can get the software in, or how I can get the modem fully out, (all sw has been removed, I just think it hasn't been removed from the registry, or something funny like that)

Any and all suggestions will be met with much love and affection.


Cheers

p.s. he is running an old AMD K62 with windows 98 se

[DiGiTaIErRoR]

Format, install win2k.

[Lightning]

Creat a boot-disk with CD-support, then install W98 (SE). That might solve your problem

[Pc_Madness]

Can't do a search in the registry for the modem and delete any mentions of it? (risky, but sounds like its dead already)

[Ideas Man]

Like lightning said, just install Windows 98 over the top of itself, it will fix the registry and all those annoying problems and you shouldn't loose any data or program settings etc. That would be your best bet short of a format.

[mr_tango]

so by reinstalling windows, all of the original progs etc would remain...but hopefully the problem would go away? Sounds like the best option...if that fails format c: here we come.

Cheers for the help, I will update on progress...when I get hold of the PC again.

[alex_read]

Re-installing windows over the top of itself is asking for trouble & you always get problems, if you're going down thisroad do it properly & do a complete re-install.

Have you removed the modem entry from the windows device manager in safe mode, removed the modem itself & restarted?

[Ideas Man]

What are you talking about? I've done it heaps of times with no problems.

I'd still do a format after though, at least you'd be able to do a backup if you have the equiptment.