IBM Laptop 760E Registry checker problem.

[SamAlem]

Problem:- My IBM 760E (laptop) fails to reboot past the MS registry checker.

Details;- When the machine is started, it comes up with the Microsoft registry checker that rolls for some seconds and finally generates the following (error) notification and instruction:-
"You have restored a good registry. Windows found an error in your system files and retrieved a recent backup of the files to fix the problem. Press Enter to restart your computer."
When that is done, the same thing happens all over again. How can I get the machine out of this 'vicious' loop? Help!

Some info about the machine:-
--4 GB harddisk
-- 80 MB ram
--Windows 98 SE
(Does not reboot from its floppy disk drive-- a problem I did not mind to fix and which might have helped in case of last resort--to reinstall the OS all over again).

[Rick]

While you boot the system
Press F8 till you get the menu
Select Command Prompt
at the command prompt type "scanreg/restore"
Select an another restore point to a working reg and reboot.

This should step your system back to a working config.

[SamAlem]

Hi Ricky:-
Thanks for your readiness to help, but a point I should have added in the details is that when either the F8 or the Del key is pressed while rebooting, the machine spits out an error number 301 and proceeds (when the Enter key is pressed to take further) directly to its test feature (window) where one can check out the systems board, memory and the rest of the hardware. (BTW, everything checks out OK even now). This test-window was accessed normally with Del key only and the F8
should taken the to the start-up options (Normal, safe mode,etc.) Hence, I am unable to access the said menu to try what is suuggested by you above. Is there a way around this problem?

[Rick]

Try SHIFT F5
to boot to command prompt

[SamAlem]

Hi Ricky;-
Sorry for the delay in responding; I was away on business from my usual place.
To come to your most recent suggestion, I am afraid it too does not seem to work. It appears that if ever an F key takes the machine somewhere then it is only to the test window and nowhere else. And pressing Shift F5 ends up there too. There is something odd happening here and I may need to take the last resort of trying to reinstall Windows 98 all over again. But even to do this, I may need to find a way of making the machine reboot from its floppy disk drive (a problem that existed before the one under discussion and still remain not fixed). I wonder if you have any further suggestion or advice including on the problem of rebooting from the flopy disk drive?

[Rick]

The first place to look is in the Bios setup.
The boot order.
The floppy seak.

Inspect the drive itself for objects inside and or damage
Does it lite during boot?
Does or did it allow disk access before scandisk error?

[SamAlem]

On:-- "the Bios setup (the boot order)":-
In addition to the test window, I have finally managed to access the Easy-setup window as well (by pressing and holding on F1 until it takes me there) where the startup sequence and other functions are displayed. Unfortunately, however, the 'startup' option is deactivated (grayed) therefore I am not able to choose the boot sequence, for example for the machine to boot from the floppy disk drive. Does this suggest a need to update the BIOS? (BTW, I have visited the IBM laptop drivers site, and noted that the link that is supposed to lead to the page on how to go about the BIOS updating process is a dead-link.?).
--"The floppy seak"(?); If you mean the floppy disk drive, it appears to have been working well until the problem under discussion unfolded.
In fact even under the current situation, it lites up (and goes off) when the machine starts altho the computer does not reboot from it if a start disk is loaded to it.
--The harddrive is clean. No access to any of the drives under the current status.
--------------Having replied to some of your enquiries as above, I am inclined to go for the BIOS update. If you agree with me, I wonder if you know of a useful link to an instruction on how to go about it since the "Additional information" on the following IBM support page does not seem to respond at all;-
http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=DSHY-3PGTDY#Utility
Thanks for staying engaged.