Puzzling problem...

Ok, I have a major problem with the computer I had been using.

Quick stats:

Systemax Ascent
850 MHz AMD Athlon
128 MB SDRAM
20 GB Hard Drive
Windows ME

A bit of the background:

A few years earlier, it was hit by a loveletter virus; system had to be taken to a repair shop and completely restored; found out there was a hardware device or something that was missing that helps contribute to the settings (I don't remember what).

After being sporadically used, I started to use this again, because I was tired of using my sister's computer. So, I started to use it again.

Weak security had plagued the machine, and so had frustrating problems, such as the sound not working (Device installed properly, Driver working properly according to settings, speakers ok, no sound), and Internet Explorer problems. I had been using Firefox since then.

Today I went through the system with Spybot and RegSeeker to get rid of annoying spyware and crap; took me around an hour to do it all.

As I was looking through the Add/Remove programs, I saw a program called "KGhost (uninstall only)" So natrually, I tried uninstalling it, because it was a program I had not installed myself. Well, the system froze, screen went black, keyboard and mouse stopped responding, etc. I pressed the restart button on the computer, and now, it will not load Windows.

Every time it starts to load, I come to the choice of running in Normal Mode, Logged Mode, Safe Mode, or Step-by-step Confirmation. Every time I choose anything but Safe Mode, the system restarts and comes to the same spot, never continuing. Every time I try safe mode, Windows starts to load, but then stops and goes to a blue screen with the dialouge:

"Windows protection error. You must restart your system. System halted."

So... any ideas? We are not going to put any more money into this machine if possible, so I would want to know if it is salvageable with the current data on it.

I've never heard of the program you tried to uninstall, but a quick googling of it reveals no information other than some guy's screenname and a couple other forums with folks having the same problem, and no fixes.

This being the case, I believe you should first try to do a repair install with your win98 cd, then if you're able to get it up and running again, go into safe mode and backup your data, then try to remove kghost from there. My best guess says that Kghost for one reason or another called on a windows dll file that's integral to the system. For whatever reason, your attempt to uninstall it wiped that dll file, and screwed win98. Ultimately I'm betting that every time you try to remove this program this will occur - therefore you'll most likely need to refdisk and fresh install win98.

Sorry I wasn't more help than that.

[edit] Went to www.whatis.techtarget.com and checked there for kghost as well. No luck. Perhaps this is a day one? [/edit]

Idea: get a copy of a Win98 boot disk and run FDISK and FORMAT, then either reinstall your Me or I would suggest upgradeing to Windows 2000 or XP. If you are desperate to keep the copy you have on there now, you could try fixing the mbr (FDISK/mbr). but I dont think this is going to help. My online search tells me FGHOST is a FGII code or other name for program is Friendly Ghost. If you need your personnal data off that HD remove and install it as a slave on another computer and go in and remove what is Data you need then FDISK it.

That's what I was afraid of... it's gone beyond repair....

Well, I'll try installing that Hard D drive as a slave on a second computer.

Also... this is going to sound extremely stupid... but could you explain how to go through FDISK?