Windows 95 Registry Problem

[mlb32001]

I am attempting to get my old Windows 95 Lap Top working. But for some odd reason it will not let me. Every time I turn on the Computer, it goes to the Windows Start Up Menu. I have tried every option in that start up menu, and none of them work. When I go to Normal, it will send me to a screen that tells me that I have a registry problem, and registry must be restored. I then go into Safe Mode, and it gives me a message saying that they cannot repair the registry. Any ideas of what I should do? Thanks in advance

[harry12]

No expert, but it sounds like the registry is beyond fixing - it might be the start of a HDD issue....presume is it old hardware?
If you have the original Win95 discs and have done yr backups as you should (or can "slave the drive" to get at any useful data-files) - Then reinstall it once you have formatted the disc and done those scans etc (to mark any bad areas). However, if the HDD is starting to fail, you may as well replace the HDD. Check if you'll have a capacity limit - maybe the BIOS will restrict you....if you can get one the same capacity that's the best solution - but unfortunately Discs keep getting more capacious!
Does the Laptop run to a CD? You could try a "live" CD instalation (ie does not use the HDD for OS)< such as Ubuntu - the Desktop is similar to Windows and then you could peek at the files, copy data etc.....
An old PC maybe has had its day - as much as we like to keep them running.
[[I have an old DOS-5 PC which still works - I use it for engineerng drawings, but one day the HDD will croak and I don't know the capacity limit on the MB or under DOS-5 - I'm guessing it's well under 1G. as I had to get a funny program to extend the HDD when I upgraded about 12 years ago! Happy days -

Not sure if that helps - whatever you do, perform back-ups on any valuable data before something else fails completely.

[thegamer381]

Wow some people still use windows 95? that stuff is outdated O.o don't think many games or software even use windows 95 XD. Pretty much all computers nowadays use at least windows XP or i-macs or a little bit of windows 2000 and NT. I have only seen a windows 98 when i was 6 O.o

[sanmiguel]

you can reinstall win95 without formating the drive just install on the same drive and it will over write the old windows file