my opinion is if it is not causing any problems then I would leave them alone, there is no way anyone of us could say because we have no way of knowing what the files might be so anything we say would just be a guess. If it ain't broke ...

Okay...I did something really stupid...I was bored. If I get out of this one, I promise I will try not to do stupid things. I deleted those Windows '98 things...then I thought that I probably shouldn't have done that and did a system restore...but, they didn't go back to where they were...they stayed in the recyle bin...and some of them aren't even in there....I WILL NOT DO ANYTHING STUPID AGAIN...what do you recommend? everything seems to be working all right so far....

I think if you searched 'Windows 98' you're in trouble if you delete those files/folders because you just searched the word windows and 98 seperatly. Theres a whole slug of folders/files that will have a name something along the line of ;;; x86_microsoft_windows_etc_long############### that will have 98 in the number.

You really really dont want to delete those.

Why wouldn't the system restore put things back the way they were? And...it must have put some of it back because there were 43 files and now there are 23 in the recycle bin....these are '98 wallpaper and wavs. Would my computer have put back the important things and left the stuff that didn't matter?

Have you tried the "restore to the original location" feature of the Recycle Bin?

Might be a good time to try the free application Recuva if needed.

Not speaking negatively of you personally Maybee, but I hope members learn from your unfortunate experience. With a computer system when you don't know or when in doubt, don't do it. Unless of course you are prepared for the resulting consequences.

DA

*sigh*..I know...won't do something like this again...everything seems to be working with no adverse affects...

DA,
Thank you for the 'head's up' about "Recuva".
Great little program!
:)

txKen

Maybee-
FYI: System Restore does not undo all changes you make to a computer. Far from it: it simply restores some key settings of the system to what they were before certain changes were made, and only if there is a restore point that corresponds to the period you're interested in. If you delete individual files or programs, System restore will not save you. Next time you're tempted to do something on your computer where you don't know the consequences, remember the old saying: "If it ain't broken, don't try to fix it."

Fortunately, things seem to be working normally...yep, I learned a lesson for sure....

Hopefully windows protected what you absolutely need so it automatically replaces some things.
But you might find something like future installs dont work windows cant compile them.

Is there any way I can check to see if things are all right?

With xp, if you can...You might run SFC /ScanOnce
and it will try at the next boot a System File Checker scan.

Vista SFC /ScanNow ,scans within windows.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310747

Thank you all for all the help...this is a great place! I will run that scan when I have time to think...I do stupid things when I'm not "thinking"

Your welcome Ken, old friend. I have had both successes and failures with it so it is no panacea to recovering files. Just a good option.

DA

Okay..I've read that page, but I don't see how to run the scan....do I type that into start/run on my computer or is there a place on that page to start it? I didn't see that option...can you walk me through this?

you can run it from a cmd prompt or the run line.. the run like will just flash a window you will probably not see ... and then when you reboot it will run during the boot process.

It might ask for you XP CD to be inserted into the cd drive.

What exactly do I type into the run line....above you have: SFC /ScanOnce..is that correct? There's a space after SFC?

I can't do it now...we've got a huge storm to the west of us heading our way.....I'll have to shut down and uplug my high speed and computer :o(

But...if we don't get blown away, I can do this in the morning if I have that correct....I know where the run line is, but I don't know what you are saying when you say, "command prompt"....

Run line will work.. yes a SFC then a space b4 /ScanOnce

Command prompt you type CMD in the run line and it opens that black window that might say something like;
C:\Windows\Sysem32>

I was reading up on command prompts....I found it in "start" "all programs" "accessories" I'll give this a try sometime today....will probably go with "run" though...thanks for the help...I'll let you know what happens if you're interested :o) Thanks again

Maybee, yes we are always interested in the final outcome. That is how we learn
Janette