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keep getting an error message when trying to load win98 on a 2 year old compaq presario

E

ECHO

Senior member
I'm trying to load windows98 on a 2 year old Compaq Presario 4660 that my father in law just gave to my daughter. I've reformatted the HD and have gone through the installation process but after being prompted to restart the computer I got (and keep getting) the following error message:

WINDOWS PROTECTION ERROR. YOU NEED TO RESTART YOUR COMPUTER
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vmm32.vxd : MISSING OR UNABLE TO LOAD.

At this point I can't turn the system off and have to actually unplug the machine to turn it off. I am able to load windows in safe mode and have gone into the system folder and can't find the vmm32.vxd file so I am assuming that it didn't get copied over. I could just copy it onto a floppy from another machine that I have but, in safe mode, I can't see the floppy drive, or the CD-ROM drive for that matter. I guess I can copy the file in DOS but I can't remember how to do this...it's been a long time :Q

I've installed many OS's but have never received this type of error message. Can anyone enlighten me as to what this means and how I can get past the problem?
 
Most likely, that file got corrupted during installation.

Try simply reinstalling Windows.

To copy a file, type this at the command prompt:

COPY c:\SomeDir\SomeFile.txt d:\AnotherDir\*.*

Assuming the AnotherDir exists, it will copy the file into it.
 
I would just take the HDD out. Set it to slave and dump it in another computer where you can get the file (either from the internet or wherever). Then just copy the file to the HDD that's missing it (ie the one you just made a slave). Turn off the other computer. Remove HDD.. replace in the compaq. Turn compaq on. Pray.
 
VBboy
I've actually reinstalled windows twice now with no success. I'm going to try to copy the file over in DOS and see if that works. Thanks for jogging my memory a little on the COPY command, how does this look:

COPY A:\vmm32.vxd C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\*.*

BlinderBomber
I don't want to crack any cases open if I don't have to. The box that I would have to stick the HDD from the Compaq into is a pain in the ass to access and work on. If all else fails with the file transfer, then I'll have no alternative than to follow your advice 🙂
 
Seen this problem once before. You need to format your drive with 0's and whatever. Download a copy of Format Secure from ZDNET or your favorite site for cool downloads. This will cure your problem.
 
You need to format your drive with 0's and whatever

Slatz, I'm not sure what that means...a little more info would be greatly appriciated 🙂 Also I checked both CNET and ZDNET and couldn't find the Format Secure Proggy...

Semper_Fi, I don't know what the CPU is. My father in law said that he thought it was about 400 MHz so I'm gussing a P2 400 but I'm not certain.
 
bacillus,
thanks but not really. I don't think that the UMAX Scanner Software can be an issue (not even sure that one was ever installed) because I reformatted the HD and should have wiped out any remnants of Umaxis11.386 file being loaded into System.ini file that the article refers to. I may be wrong about this but I don't think so.
 


<< how does this look:

COPY A:\vmm32.vxd C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\*.* >>


I'd use this:

copy a:\vmm32.vxd c:\windows\system\

🙂
 
The problem i seen was on a diff system and belive me when i say i tried everything. The only thing that worked was formatting the HDD with XXXX OOO, which explained in simplier language, just puts things back to the way the drive was when you first got it from the factory. It earases anything and everything that was ever on the drive. No trace left whatsoever of any data ever being there. Great tool for using after you have experienced a virii. Anyway its called format secure and can be found here. East Tec Format Secure
 
Now things have gone completely HaYwiRe...(this is not the way I intended to spend my Saturday afternoon at all)

For some reason my floppy drive is no longer designated as the "A" drive but rather the "B" drive. I have no idea how this happened. I know that it was the "A" drive this morning when I started out on this hellish journey but now, when I do a A:\>DIR I get a list of the files that are on the boot disc that I used earlier and I have to do a B:\>DIR to list the files on a floppy disc. The boot disc files must have somehow been copied to the HD onto a logical drive A, I'm guessing, forcing the floppy to become B (???) I've gone into FDISK and listed the drives but I only see the C so who knows what the heck is going on here. This is the strangest damn thing that I have ever seen.

Whats worse, now when I try to reformat the C drive ( FORMAT C: ) I get an error message starting that it is a "bad command"

I'm not sure what to do at this point (other than to drop in another HD) but one thing is for sure, I've got a 6 pack of imported beer and the first beer is going to be opened within 30 seconds.

- - h e l p - -
 
I've had the same problem before, with AMD processors. Now that I think about it, I believe it's only for Windows 95, not 98. 😕
 
get ibm's Wipe utility it will write zeros to the drive. Then you repartition it and format it. you should be able to install windows now. Many times it is necessary to write zeros to the drive. A simple reformat doesn't always get rid of everything and can cause all manner of strange unexplained problems. Writing zeros will in effect let you start with the clean slate. If that utility won't work then you can try western digitals diagnostic utility. It also can write zeros to the drive. Good luck.
 
Now I'm really confused. I disconnected the HD that came with the system and installed another one that I had laying around and I'm still getting the same error message:

WINDOWS PROTECTION ERROR. YOU NEED TO RESTART YOUR COMPUTER
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vmm32.vxd : MISSING OR UNABLE TO LOAD.

Also, when I do a DIR on the A drive, the boot disc files are still there even though I don't have a floppy disc in the drive and the floppy drive is labled as "B." How can those files still be shown if I disconnected the original HD? Could they be loaded into the BIOS somehow? Which brings up another point. With this compaq I have no idea how to get into the BIOS so I can look at the settings. I keep being asked to provide a password when I boot the system up...which I know has to be in the BIOS but there isn't any way that I have found to get in. I've tried F8 and the DEL key throughout the boot up process but nothing has worked.

I've never owned, nor worked on, a compaq computer before but I'm really starting to dislike they are put together. What a piece of sh!t!!!
 
Something else to consider. The orginal owner of the PC may be able to order a replacement 'compaq quick restore disk' by calling a 800 number. They have it on their web site under the support/forum faq section I believe. You might have to claim that you lost your original quick restore disk. You will need the Serial number off the back of the PC. That way you can at least install and restore the PC like it was when new, and includes all the needed drivers and any softare that came with the PC.
 
#1 - vmm32.vxd is not a file that can be copied from another source. Windows builds this file during the OS installation, it gets modified when you add or remove hardware and is specific to one system only.
#2 - Some OEM system hard drives have a hidden partition used to quickly restore a blown system.
FDISK will not see the partition. You can either use a zero fill utility as suggested or hook the drive up in a system with Partition Magic installed as it will let you see everything on the drive. Use the program to delete all partitions on the drive but don't use it to create any partitions. I would prep the drive on another system in any case but make sure it is FDISKed and formated with the system that will get the new operating system as each system BIOS formats a drive a little differently.
Usually when you get the error you got, the file was not built correctly due to a hardware problem, most likely a problem in the motherboard CPU/memory or an IDE problem. Check all the physicial hardware connections, this means stripping down the complete system, even pulling the CPU and re-assemble with only the video card and one stick of memory. Access the BIOS setup (sorry, don't know how with a Compac) and be sure that an older floppy option "swap floppy drive" is not enabled.
Good luck!
 
I used to get this on a compaq presario 5000 something or other. It turned out that it was an overheating CPU. Check that the fan isn't jammed. (I don't know, it solved it for me.).
 
Slatz,

There is no need to do a low-level format (with 1's and 0's, as you called it). Performing a regular format clears the file allocation table well enough. In any case, the OS thinks the files are deleted.
 
I disagree VBOY. I had to do a low level on the drive i had the same problems with, like i said it was the only thing that worked.
 
I dont' have a solution but I do have the exact same problem so I'll bump this hoping someone here has worked on two year old Compaq systems before and has a solution.
Mine is just like yours in that it went from bad to worse, I was given this system when I built another for someone, and I got the same errors after a format, then more after installing Windows and as I played around the floppy started giving errors, just one thing after another and nothing seems to resolve it.
 
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