Hangs on boot up - Windows Protection error.

[purplehayes]

I'm getting an error when I try to boot into Windows 98SE. After the Windows 98 splash screen I'm getting this message "While initializing device IOS: Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer."

I restart and the vicious cycle starts all over again.

Any suggestions on what might clear this up?

Thanks in advance.

PH

 

[edblor]

I think it may be your vid card! R u running a Nvidia type card?

If so, try uninstalling the vid card drivers and re-boot with generic 256 drivers for a few re-boots. That should clear any old drivers bits from Windows! Than load up Nvidia's Det3 drivers and retry!

I had similar probs with my Geforce! And I'v had similar probs with ATI Drivers. A uninstall and several reboots with the generic drivers did the trick for me!!

Good luck bud,

Edblor

 

[saturnine]

you know, it always helps to read the forum before you post.

i was just getting ready to post the SAME question. the only diff i have is my error says "Windows Protection Error. You need to restart your computer." im running an older agp diamond firepro 1000. im going to remove it and try using a generic pci card and see if my problem goes away.

 

[saturnine]

well that didnt work. still have the same problem.


EDIT - 12.59am 1/23/01

ok just finished fdisking, formating, reinstalling and only having the one card (generic pci vid). no problems.

i then installed the agp card and made sure i had the latest drivers from the manufacture. everything works.


try these steps if all else fails !!!

 

[edblor]

Your rig says you run a GeForce!!

R U??

If so, keep it in, but uninstall the vid card drivers!!

If that don't work, I also heard it may be your SBLive!!

this may help

Good luck...I'm tired and going to bed...

Edblor

 

[BadThad]

Nobody mentioned, you will obviously have to use "safe mode" to install the standard pci drivers. hehehehe, just making sure you know.

 

[slatt01]

To nuke windows without doing a re-install try the following.

1) Delete everything in the c:\windows\inf\others directory. NB this directory is normally hidden.

2) In the registry delete the ENUM key under Local_machine.

3) From the control panel use add/remove programs to remove any driver programs.

4) When you reboot windows will re-install all the drivers from scratch. You will get duplicates in device manager causing resource conflicts, usually DMA controller and keyboards, and you make a note of which ones are conflicting and remove them in safe both. The conflicting one and the same one which is not conflicting or it will reoccur.

5) If the machine is stable add the devices that windows does not recognise and you should be sorted.


However this process takes almost as long and doing a clean install and be aware that windows protection errors are usually caused by broken hardware, usually mobo cpu or memory. Slockets are a number 1 cause in my experience.

 

[Lucas]

protection erros also occur after adding devices that contain other system format...for example...adding an hdd with a linux partition or incomplete low level format to a win9x boot sequence