Windows 98 USB Drivers

[nhandy007]

Hello, I was wondering if I could get some help for a USB problem with my computer. Lately, I have been trying to get my USB printer to work, and I found out that USB isn't installed on my computer. When I go to the Device Manager, it isn't listed anywhere. I thought my Windows 98 installation CD should have automatically installed the USB drivers, but it didn't, and reinstalling hasn't got me the drivers either. I was wanting to know where could I get the required USB drivers and install them so I can use my printer.
I have a home built computer running Windows 98 FE, I believe. In the my computer properties, the OS doesn't say that it's the second edition and I tried the Windows 98 SE USB patch and it didn't work. I would appreciate any advice, thanks.

[versello]

Check the computer's BIOS and see if USB is enabled. If not then Win98 won't recognize USB at all.

[nhandy007]

Crap, before I read versello's post, I tried using some USB drivers from the internet and putting them in the Windows folder. It has caused my computer to crash. When it tries to boot Windows the computer lists a bunch of device files the registry refers to and it can't find. Then it says that the Windows configuration is invalid and to run Windows Setup again. I have tried reinstalling Windows over itself twice and neither time has worked at all. I have some valuable files on my computer that I would really like to recover. Is there any way I can get the computer to boot so I can get my files? Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

[versello]

Boot to DOS, run

scanreg /restore

or

scanreg /fix

It'll restore/fix your registry. If those don't work, I'd reccomend nuking your registry (C:\windows\system.dat and c:\windows\user.dat ... just type del c:\windows\*.dat at the prompt).

Then install windows.

[kryyst]

Ok I'm pretty sure if I remember my old OS schoolin' USB doesn't work under win98 and only works under win98se and up.

Since your system properties isn't listing your OS as second edition I'm guess that you are running win98 1st ed and no matter of downloads and tweaks will get USB to work on it.

[nhandy007]

It turns out that my USB was disabled in the Bios, all I had to do was enable it. I have no idea how it became disabled but thank you kryyst and versello for your help.