Try replacing the Wininit.exe file from the Windows CD. It may be
corrupt or replaced with a virus.

Boot to Dos with your Win98 Startup diskette with CDrom support and
enter:
EXT
Follow the instructions, I have filled in what you should enter.

Microsoft(R) Extract Command Line Helper
----------------------------------------

Please enter the path to the Windows CAB files (a:) : D:\Win98
(note, where D: is your CDrom. It may be temporarily E:, or F:)

Please enter the name(s) of the file(s) you want to extract:
wininit.exe

Please enter the path to extract to ("Enter" for current directory):
C:\Windows

Also see this article:
Verifying DMI Pool Data:
http://www.soyousa.com/kb/kbdesc.php?id=133

Regards,

Bill Watt  
Computer Help and Information  http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/

After trying Bill's suggestions, here is something I picked up many moons
ago.

A few years ago, I picked up the information below from the Maxtor web site.
If you do not know about making changes in the BIOS, I would advise that you
get help.

DiamondMax : Tech Support : General Information Bulletin : 15007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject:  Troubleshooting System Hangs caused by a Computer's DMI Pool Data
Summary:   Tips for resolving hangs generated via a system's DMI Pool Data
Document #:  15007

Disclaimer:  This Document is provided as is without any warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied. In no event will MAXTOR CORPORATION be
liable to you for any damages, including any loss of profit or savings,
arising out of the use or inability to use the information contained in this
document. Maxtor Corporation makes no representations or warranties with
respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied
warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose.

Overview:

The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is a new method of managing computers
in an enterprise. The main component of DMI is the Management Information
Format Database, or MIFD (the DMI Pool Data). This database contains all the
information about the computing system and its components.

At times, some systems may experience hang conditions after partitioning,
formatting and initial bootup of a hard drive. The message, "Verifying DMI
Pool Data" appears and the system hangs. This condition may continue after
the drive has been removed.

! WARNING ! ALL SUGGESTIONS LISTED IN THIS INFORMATION BULLETIN ARE BIOS
RELATED. FOR A PERMANENT SOLUTION, MAXTOR RECOMMENDS THAT USERS CONSULT
THEIR SYSTEM OR MOTHERBOARD MANUFACTURER FOR BIOS UPGRADES.

Suggestions to Resolve the Condition:

Apply power to the computer.
Access the system BIOS.
Set the drive type as None or Not Installed.
Load BIOS Defaults
Load SETUP Defaults
Save the BIOS changes and reboot the PC to a System Boot Diskette.
Shut down the PC after the memory count is displayed.
Reconnect the power and interface cables to the hard drive.
Access the System BIOS.
Auto-Detect the hard drive. Ensure that the LBA Mode option is enabled.
Save the BIOS changes and boot the PC with a System Diskette.
Partition and format the hard drive via the operating system.
Reboot the system. On bootup, the screen should read:
Verifying DMI Pool Data
Update Successful
The system should continue booting normally.

Other Possible Solutions:

Apply power to the computer.
Access the System BIOS.
Disable both the Internal and External CPU Cache. These features are located
in either the "BIOS Features" or "Advanced Settings" options of the BIOS
Setup.
NOTE: Consult the System or Motherboard User's Manual for exact location of
the Internal and External CPU Cache settings.
Save the BIOS changes and reboot the PC to a System Boot Diskette. On
bootup, the screen should read:
Verifying DMI Pool Data
Update Successful
The system should continue booting normally.

After the system successfully boots, re-start the PC and access the system
BIOS.
Enable the External CPU Cache. This feature is located in the "BIOS
Features" or "Advanced Settings".
NOTE: Consult the System or Motherboard User's Manual for exact location of
the External CPU Cache setting.
! WARNING ! User's MUST re-enable this feature for optimal system
performance.
Save the BIOS changes and reboot the PC to a System Boot Diskette. On
bootup, the screen should read:
Verifying DMI Pool Data
Update Successful
The system should continue booting normally.

NOTE: If the aforementioned suggestions fail to resolve the issue, contact
the system or motherboard manufacturer to:

Remove the "Clear CMOS" Jumper and reset the system BIOS
Obtain a Flash BIOS Upgrade