Helping Windows survive a mobo upgrade

[steve2000x]

as per the Anandtech FAQ - I followed the procedure for Win95b which failed to boot showing " Initializing Device IOS: Windows Protection Error - you need to restart you comp." I could get into safe mode most times of multiple reboots.

old system: abit bx6r2 pIII 600e, tnt2 ultra, 256 meg ram, samsung 40x cdrom, western digital caviar hdd

new sys : asus P4s533 P4 1.6ghz with 512k cache, 512 meg ddr ram, tnt2 ultra, same drives

What could the problem be? Is Win95 inherently incompatible with P4 and newer mobos?

I want to avoid a re-format for the usual reasons ( old files and games ) even though I've purchased WinXP Home.

 

[Buz2b]

If you can get into safe mode, that's a good thing. Try to go in to Device Manager and see what you can find for conflicts. You can also load drivers while you are in there which would be my next move.
Win95??:Q

 

[AndyHui]

Windows 95 has an issue with Pentium 4 processors, and AMD processors faster than 350MHz, that prevents Win95 from booting properly due to a timing loop error.

Please read this.

 

[steve2000x]

Thanx for quick response Buz! So you think there is hope I can get this thing to run with W95? That there is not an inherent incompatibility with the faster cpu/mobo combo?

Device Manager shows only "Computer" with no devices listed beneath (this is in safe mode).

(On the few occasions I've gotten to Desktop in 'normal' mode the machine freezes as I go into Control Panel - no response to cursor or keyboard not even ctrl-alt-del.)


Win95 because, well, I guess I'm just lazy but I really want to compare performance from old to new system before I install my XP...

 

[steve2000x]

Originally posted by: AndyHui
Windows 95 has an issue with Pentium 4 processors, and AMD processors faster than 350MHz, that prevents Win95 from booting properly due to a timing loop error.

Please read this.

Ahhhhh, ok looks like this is what I need! I'll try the update with fingers crossed. Thanks Andy!

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: steve2000x
I want to avoid a re-format for the usual reasons ( old files and games ) even though I've purchased WinXP Home.

Why not try an upgrade to XP? I have done it on 6 machines and have never had a problem. There's no compelling reason to do a fresh install other than a lot of fancy mixed with some fact. It does work and work well if you prep your Win95b ahead of time.

If you want to creep upward - go next to 98SE.

 

[gnef]

sorry for the off topic statement, but i find this thread to be hilarious. Absolutely hilarious.

How have you survived all this time with windows 95? it was (er, for you, is) so terrible! no offense, but didn't you notice massive slow downs, not being able to use any current software, etc?

oh well... this is not meant as durragatory at all, i am just... very surprised that you have stuck with windows 95 for... seven years?

-Mel

 

[steve2000x]

Just a quick thanks to respondents who helped with tips and links - I do indeed have win95 running on the new mobo and all seems ok - next step overclock, and then later an install of xp on its own partition. Thanks!

 

[Thor86]

And I though I was retro, still using Win98SE. :Q

 

[steve2000x]

Our story thus far:

Well I got my win95 partitions running with old sound/vid cards (new drivers) - it's interesting to see the old games running perfectly at 1.7 ghz - a lot more fun than piii 450 mhz days. Online is fast and usually smooth.

But win95 doesn't seem to like overclock past 2.0 ghz ("failure to initialize FSB") even with the timing error fix that got it past 1 ghz.

WinXP runs well at 2.2 ghz (of course) but the interesting thing is that winxp windows folder is almost 700 mb in size. While win95 is only about 285 mb.

WHY is xp so much larger? What is all that extra code doing for me?

 

[JesseKnows]

Look it up in Microsoft's feature list for Win95 vs. WinXP. It really does do more things for you, and it does them more reliably, too.

 

[Nothinman]

WHY is xp so much larger? What is all that extra code doing for me?

Giving you an OS worth using, as opposed to Win9X which I would rather not own a computer than be forced to use again.

(Not that I really like XP, but it's so much better than Win9X I can't believe anyone still uses it.)

 

[azkiwi]

Originally posted by: steve2000x

What is all that extra code doing for me?

God love him, he's the last of the purists! His four cylinder Morris has crank windows no air and no power assist for the brakes. He makes it through rush hour at just the same speed as the rest of us - what would all that extra horsepower and goodies do for him?
Leave him be - you're forgetting the Prime Directive!

Just kidding mate. Anyone who can persevere with that pile of crap for 7 years gets the prize for tenacity. But you might as well ditch it now and do a clean install, we can never go back...

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: steve2000x
as per the Anandtech FAQ - I followed the procedure for Win95b which failed to boot showing " Initializing Device IOS: Windows Protection Error - you need to restart you comp." I could get into safe mode most times of multiple reboots.

old system: abit bx6r2 pIII 600e, tnt2 ultra, 256 meg ram, samsung 40x cdrom, western digital caviar hdd

new sys : asus P4s533 P4 1.6ghz with 512k cache, 512 meg ddr ram, tnt2 ultra, same drives

What could the problem be? Is Win95 inherently incompatible with P4 and newer mobos?

I want to avoid a re-format for the usual reasons ( old files and games ) even though I've purchased WinXP Home.

The IOS error is caused by the speed of the CPU, and timing delay loops that simply go by too fast at those speeds. There are some patches available. However, I would upgrade to Win98se, at least. Win95 has problems with HDs above 30GB or so, and doesn't support USB, AGP, etc. If you upgrade over your existing OS, you can keep all of your stuff installed. I do recommend a full system backup before doing an in-place OS upgrade though.

PS. What do you plan to do with your old BX6-r2 board? I had one that recently died, and I would like to acquire another one, if it is in excellent condition. I recently upgraded myself to an ECS P6S5AT w/Tualatin Celly 1.2Ghz, and although it's fast, the ECS mobo is a bare-bones POS with a brain-dead board layout. Oh yeah, the reset jumper pins don't work either. I checked the case switch with a DVM and it's fine. No ISA slots either. I wish I hadn't killed my BX6-r2 trying the 440BX Tully mod.

 

[steve2000x]

Originally posted by: azkiwi

Originally posted by: steve2000x


God love him, he's the last of the purists! His four cylinder Morris has crank windows no air and no power assist for the brakes. He makes it through rush hour at just the same speed as the rest of us - what would all that extra horsepower and goodies do for him?
Leave him be - you're forgetting the Prime Directive!

Just kidding mate. Anyone who can persevere with that pile of crap for 7 years gets the prize for tenacity. But you might as well ditch it now and do a clean install, we can never go back...

Hey, how'd you know??? Actually, I wish - would be cool to tool around in one of those. I use my old Fiesta to haul our mountain bikes to the local parks - it's a lot more fun than our Camry or Voyager.

Some of you might be missing the point of this EXPERIMENT - ie is it necessary to follow the lemmings on the upgrade path? Conclusion: No. or, does Mechwarrior 3 play well at 1.6ghz? you bet - it's a new game.

My system and games have been pretty solid and stable over the past 4 years - very few lockups and ctd's (which occured because of some 3rd party software required by online squadmates). My philosophy is keep it simple and clean - however I've witnessed others frequently re-formatting because they've created problems, even though they're running the latest, bestest os or hardware. Mainly because so often they don't really seem to know what they're doing.

XP: I bought it for a new game unsupported on Win95 - and to satisfy my curiosity. Very cheap with my mobo/cpu purchase. It's pro'lly everything you guys say but MS saw fit to exclude certain audio codec formerly included with older os's. Creating a HUGE headache for me (one that I'll fix after some unwanted aggravation). Ah, the arrogance!

And XP apparently phones home when I boot - msmsgs.exe and svchost.exe - sure, sure I know just run services and turn off what you don't want. But from my point of view yet another irritation, separating the necessary from the extraneous.

I really feel like so much of the 'progress' in the comp world is akin to that of the American automoble industry - planned obsolescence, superficial improvements, gadgetry and gimcrackery, not to mention thieving business practices and incompetence.

Consider this - more people like me would mean fewer billion$ for Gates and co. (smarta** anticipation: "More people like you? We'd be living in caves!")

Sorry i'm keeping my bx6 - now i just need to find my old redhat cd's.

And a salvage Zetec for my Fiesta.

 

[Nothinman]

Some of you might be missing the point of this EXPERIMENT - ie is it necessary to follow the lemmings on the upgrade path?

The lemmings upgraded to Win98 and WinME, the rest who wanted a semi-reliable version of Windows went to NT, 2K and XP. I upgraded past both to Linux, but still keep 2K around for a game or two.

I really feel like so much of the 'progress' in the comp world is akin to that of the American automoble industry - planned obsolescence, superficial improvements, gadgetry and gimcrackery, not to mention thieving business practices and incompetence.

Duh, it's the 'American Way'.

 

[tRaptor]

Ok, well for the record here at school i had a similar prob arise when one of my friends tried to upgrade his Mobo. He was running winXP. We tried the boot off CD thing and did the "install" i was going to set it to Repair but it didnt see our other install as XP and we couldent do REPAIR. SO we jsut ended up reinstalling.


After having this happen i began to panic because i have to do the same thing nce my ram arives today! SO went up to my room and tried to get to the point where it asked me to "repair" Luckily i was able to get there.

As of know i have only 1 idea as to why mine "worked" it sounds a little hokey to me but my drive is formated as NTFS and his was fat32. Thats the only differance i can find.


I'm going to try this method when my ram arives (prob today) and then i'll keep you guy's posted.

~tyler

PS. if yu have any recomendations, Other than reinstalling. I'd really appreciate it.