Alright...so i am on vacation in Glocester. A family rented their house out to us. They have an old computer with Windows 98. I was using it and ah!!-- BSOD!!! So i start it up again and now it's stuck on 16 colors (not 16 bit) and 640 by 480 resolution... somebody please help! Its not my computer

find drivers!

Throw it through the window(s)

(Get it ? :P)

All of the drivers are up to date :/ now what?

Or if you can, burn a linux live CD/usbkey. It will make it boot, you'll retrieve your files and you'll be able to work.

(Without touching the hard drive or existing config)

retrieve what files? I have a linux CD and it won't boot-- i think this computer is REALLY old

How long you're staying there Danny?

One week. If i don't have it fixed by then...i might be in trouble

It's not exactly unusual for Windows 98 to get a BSOD.

Just deny all knowledge.

lol... yeah..

Say you're not related to that.
(If you ask me, stay away from the computer as much as you can, and eliminate others who've witnessed you're using it. :P)

Well....i alreayd put on OpenOffice.org, Pidgin.im, VLC, and ClamWin...and cleaned up their desktop...but i guess the fact that their desktop is now the smallest resolution possible and only has 16 kinda covers that up...

What should i say if we get a call from them? I don't think my parents would let me lie...

It has " System Restore "?

(Or this feature was created with XP? :|)

Guess not..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Restore

Yeah, no system restore

Well, i'm sure your parents made some changes with the house. Tell them you did some changes in their computer.. :P

They know i broke it-- i'm just worried about my parents getting a call from the family who owns the house after we leave

If you were just using it as normal and you got a BSOD, you didn't break it. It broke itself. These things happen.

Yeah. After all, as you said, it is OLD.

<< They know i broke it >>
I meant the family who owns the house..

> These things happen.
Especially on Windows 98, I mean, it even BSODed on its product demonstration.

I remember getting this issue on 98 before, can't remember what I did, the only BSODs I see now are from Vista's kernel being idiotic and it deciding that it knows best.

Found this in Google, might help you, might not:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1044606998

David ohh...i don't think they would like that :P

Martin thanks for the link-- i'll check it out

<<I meant the family who owns the house..>>
Worst case scenario: They read this blog/forum. :)

lollllllll

Nice one Haochi! :D

Going out of the jokes, right-click in the desktop -> properties; then go to the last tab (configuration) where you set the screen resolution and color depth, and then click the "advanced options" button. There you'll see some tabs, including one "adapter" and other called "monitor". Check those names. If it has the "default adapter" or something similar, you must google the drivers for that OS. Some monitors don't need drivers, specially on old operating systems, but the graphics adapter may be causing trouble if you haven't the right driver.
Good luck

Zim thanks but i tried that and it was no hope

Martin: your link worked! Thanks for saving my ass!

Nice :D

Upgrade to Windows CemeNT

Did it perhaps switch to "Safe mode" during boot due to the crash?