Hi - I have an ex-network Windows 98 computer (Research Machines Connect 2.4 - does not function as pure Windows) which I want to make standalone without REFORMATTING the hard drive and REINSTALLING windows (it has lots of registered programs as part of my school's site licence, which I cannot replace individually - the server is now dead and gone and many of the disks, too).

I cannot log on since the machine is not connected to the network. I have been given some registry tweeks to make the the machine funcion as a standalone, however, safe mode seems to been disabled so I can't get in to install them - i.e. I cannot use F8, non-bootable disk METHOD, DOS command etc.. How can I either re-enable safe mode, or install the registry fragments in DOS (am a total novice with DOS)? I was given a route using "edit C:msdos.sys", adding ";" before two entries, but the file is "read only" and I don't know how to change that in DOS. Any help gratefully received. PeterThe msdos.sys file has the read only, hidden, and SYSTEM attributes set. You will need to  remove them to edit the file. At the dos prompt: ATTRIB -h -r -s to remove them. After the edit and save, add them back with attrib +h +r +s.