Boot Problem!

[pudgy]

While I was running Win 98, I put in the Windows 2000 cd and started the setup. I clicked in the advanced options for the Windows 2000 setup to ask me which drive to install the OS to. (I have 2 hdds: first w/ Win 98, second w/ 2 partitions, one w/ nothing and one w/ backup stuff.) It started copying the files, to where I do not know. It started to reboot and after it shows the screen showing all the devices/hard drives, it then goes to a black screen and stays like that forever. Is there anyway I can boot my system? If I can't boot it, what would I have to do to get the files (I didn't backup everything that day.) from the first hdd w/ Win 98 and transfer some files to my other computer (w/ Win 98)? (Would there be any boot issues on my second computer, so I could boot my other computer and just view the unbootable Win 98 hdd?) Thank You.

Here are my system specs, if it might help:
-'Enlight' ATX Case
-AMD Athlon Thunderbird 950 Mhz
-Asus K7V-T (Mainboard)-- KX133 Chipset
-256 MB SDRAM PC-133 (Kingston Value Ram)
-Western Digital 30 GB, 7200 rpm, ATA66 hard drive (master)
-IBM 20 GB, 7200 rpm, ATA66 hard drive (Slave)
-AccuDrive 50x CD-Rom
-Samsung CDRW (6*4*24)
-Hercules 3D Prophet II MX
-Sound Blaster Live! X-Gamer 5.1
-'Single Point' 56K V.90 Modem
-Floppy Drive (Sony)
-HDD Cooler Fan (in 5.25" bay)
-Logitech Optical Mouse
-Multi-Function Keyboard
-4 USB's
-2 PS/2's
-1 Printer Port
-2 Serial Ports

 

[xyz]

Is there anyway I can boot my system? If I can't boot it, what would I have to do to get the files (I didn't backup everything that day.)

First of all don't be panic!
Boot your computer using Win98 Startup disk (if you don't have one, you can make it now on your second computer with win98). Startup disk won't let you boot into windows GUI but it would rather take you to dos command prompt. You can then copy all the important files to your second HDD. After you have backed up all the important stuff, format your Hard Drive and re-install the OS.

(Would there be any boot issues on my second computer, so I could boot my other computer and just view the unbootable Win 98 hdd?)

If you have another computer in bootable condition, then you can attach your 'affected' HDD to it, but don't try to boot from it.In this way you can not only look inside the 'affected' HDD but can also back up any thing from it to the other HDD.

<b><font color=red><i>"All delays are dangerous in war."</b></font color=red></i>

 

[pudgy]

I connected my bad hard drive to my second computer and got all the files I wanted off of it. I formatted it and reinstalled Windows 98SE. After that I installed Windows 2000. I used the boot disks this time, just to be safe. I am now dual booting Win98SE and Win2k. THANKS!!!