What am I meant to do?! (Windows 98 user problem)

[SteveB_NI]

A dept in my school is equipped with legacy low spec Windows 98 workstations, with a printer accessible to all workstations via printer sharing. They all have internet access.


I have just received a call from the teacher telling me that no workstation can print to the printer.... they are all locked down using Winlock etc which unfortunately has been built onto the build disks (don't ask ... ) so I can't check the printer configuration settings, or even re-allocate the printer.


The pupils have been saving their work onto the workstation individual hard drives, and due to the printer issue cannot print this work. Floppy disks apparently don't work (I don't see why not, as I have seen the drives in action earlier this year), and they cannot email work home as the network connection is slow enough!


There is not enough licences available on our Windows XP disk to allow upgrading to Windows XP throughout the entire lab (regardless of whether we can find enough extra RAM sticks). The coursework (put on all the machines in Word documents) is due to be completed within the next month.

I have no idea what would be the best solution for this room, could anyone give me some ideas?

[SteveB_NI]

I forgot to mention, I'm tempted to install a fresh copy of Windows 98 on all the machines, and pretty much return the lab to the original state (not using the daft image CDs).

But.... I lose all the pupils work on the hard drives. I can't install my zip drive / CD RW due to the winlock

[Geoff]

External USB Hard Drive + Linux boot CD will allow you to get the work off the drives.

[Mr_T]

Take the drives out of the pc's and put them in another machine as a secondary drive and copy the work across. I suspect Geoff's method would be quicker though.

[SteveB_NI]

Good idea - I was tempted to go down the second pc and secondary hard drive route but the linux boot CD would be a good time saving option, especially as I have a boot cd right beside me.

I'll give it a go after lunch today, and hopefully be able to fully re-install Windows 98 before the end of the week. I'll not be able to lock down the pcs in that time as much as I'd like but it would be a short term solution.

[OutToLunch]

Nuke Winlock? Haven't come across a decent Win 9x security app yet that you can't remove with a swift slap from DOS/Regedit...

Alternatively if you go the Linux boot disk route, you should find Damn Small Linux boots stupidly fast and you may be able to load it into memory if the machines have 128mb - this means you can quickly run round the lab, load it on all PCs, choose one to use as a server, fire up an FTP or samba on it then zap the work from all the others on and copy only from that PC to the USB HD - saves unplugging and plugging it and having to wait for each PC before going on to the next one...

[witch]

Er
Don't know if I am misunderstanding, but as a Win 98 specialist (not by choice, believe me) maybe I can help.
Unlike XP, you can install Win 98 over the top of a current install and files, programs etc will not be affected.
Will this solve your problem as it would overwrite and sort out settings etc

[SteveB_NI]

I decided to concentrate my time yesterday on repairiing the shared printer server - got that booting up ok, and tested the printer from all workstations and it's all ok. (So far).

A fresh copy of Windows 98 would be ideal - I have had to put off further work until the higher priority tasks are complete, but is it just a case of boot disk in, and install Windows? or is there a repair option?

[phreak]

Does Winlock completely lock you out of safe mode? If not drop to safe mode, nuke Winlock and see where that takes you from there.

[witch]

Don't need boot disk if not reformatting
Just put the CD in and set to boot from CD

[Halfmad]

I had to remove winlock off about 60 PCs here. Make up a floppy disk with poledit and some configs for poledit on it, boot to safe mode and unlock the computers. Once that's done it's fairly straight forward. You're best using your time to ditch winlock as it'll just keep coming back to bite you.

I can't really go into more detail as I don't have it on any PCs here anymore but I do still have my famous luminous yellow floppy disk!