Windows 98 problem etc.

An old lady, whom I know, has an ancient Win98 computer that has crashed on her. She tried to reload Win98 by herself and now the system is in serious trouble. When it tries to boot it gets to the place where it says:
ATAPI CD-ROM: SANYO CRD-820P
and follows that with:
ERROR
Invalid System Configuration Data - run configuration utility
ERROR
Warning: IRQ not configured-PCI Display Controller
Bus:00, Device:14. Function:00

Press <F1> to resume, <F10> to Setup

Going to setup shows everything pretty much OK. I tried restoring system defaults and switching some things off and on--no difference. It still boots the same. I'm missing something...

If you press F1 it boots to the initial Win98 screen then goes into user information screen, asking for name and company, then the Windows Product Key. She has the original disk, but when we type in the product key it tells us the product key is invalid and forces shut down. Plus the mouse isn't working and you have to tab everywhere.
Anyway, I made a boot disk and can boot to DOS, but she needs Windows. Can't load XP, computer doesn't have enough RAM (32MB). I tried swapping in some older RAM that I have but it doesn't recognize it (older, but not old enough). I told her she needs a new computer, but she has no $$$. Barely pays her utilities, uses dial-up, etc.
Any Win98 experts out there anymore?
Keith

 

is this at the BOIS's POST screen?

 

The problems that drive you to <F1> or <F10> are. The product key problem isn't.
Keith

 

Pictures?


plus that it says Press <F1> to resume, <F10> to Setup

sounds like the motherboard

does it happen at the black screen with the energy starlogo

 

This sounds like at least one driver and possibly more have thrown their legs in the air. As an attempt has already been made at re-loading windows I would suggest booting to DOS and reformatting the C drive and then attempt to load Windows afresh.

If you require a bootable floppy go to http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm and download one onto a floppy.

 

Best proceedure, but you need to get hold of drivers first, for sound, graphics, modem etc.

 

Thanks for the advice. What I did was to bypass the problem. I found an old hard drive (only 2Gig, but it was free) that had Windows ME (remember that? Shorter lived than Win98 or Win95) already on it. It was buried in a box in the basement, but I scrounged around until I found it. I have several old drives, but most didn't have an operating system on them. This one did. I installed the ME drive as the primary and the old 98 drive as the slave. Works fine now. Well, I also put a newer MB in with more RAM... and a different case.... all junk I had laying around. Sorta like the hatchet George Washington used to chop down the cherry tree. It was sold at auction recently, so the story goes. The owner swore it was the same hatchet. Of course the head had been changed twice and the handle changed three times, but it was the same hatchet... This is the same computer...
In any case, thanks again.
Keith