Good day fellow Anandtech'ers!
I decided that it would be a fine idea to go about and construct a rig with old parts and install Windows 98 SE on it so I could play old DOS favorites with impunity. However, upon booting and the OS loading I run into problems.
"Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows or a Windows application.
The windows registry or SYSTEM.INI file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists.
If you deleted this file on purpose, try uninstalling the associated application using its uninstall or setup program.
If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try reinstalling that application to replace the missing file."
The files it lists are:
vnetsetup.vxd
vredir.vxd
dfs.vxd
After each file name is displayed it repeats the message in the quotation marks and then says "Press any key" then shows the next missing file. However, after dfs.vxd is listed the system hard locks and will not boot into Windows.
I believe these files have something to do with network settings. Because they appeared after I removed a generic NIC whose drivers didn't work. So I replaced it with a different NIC which gave me internet access through my cable modem. These missing file messages on bootup still appeared but I was still able to load into Windows desktop and have it operate correctly. So then I went through the regular Windows Update motions and continually installed updates and rebooted.
However, after I downloaded and installed the Internet Explorer 5.5 update and rebooted, I could no longer load Windows. The system now just hardlocks after "dfs.vxd" is listed as a missing file.
I am able to boot into Windows under safe mode, but I'm not sure what I can do to remedy the problem. I checked the SYSTEM.INI file but I do not see any mention of any of the missing files that are listed.
Thus, I believe the problem lies in registry settings. All I ask is someone to point me into the right direction. I'm not sure where the registry keys that I need to alter lie.
Thanks for any assistance any of you can provide.
I decided that it would be a fine idea to go about and construct a rig with old parts and install Windows 98 SE on it so I could play old DOS favorites with impunity. However, upon booting and the OS loading I run into problems.
"Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows or a Windows application.
The windows registry or SYSTEM.INI file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists.
If you deleted this file on purpose, try uninstalling the associated application using its uninstall or setup program.
If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try reinstalling that application to replace the missing file."
The files it lists are:
vnetsetup.vxd
vredir.vxd
dfs.vxd
After each file name is displayed it repeats the message in the quotation marks and then says "Press any key" then shows the next missing file. However, after dfs.vxd is listed the system hard locks and will not boot into Windows.
I believe these files have something to do with network settings. Because they appeared after I removed a generic NIC whose drivers didn't work. So I replaced it with a different NIC which gave me internet access through my cable modem. These missing file messages on bootup still appeared but I was still able to load into Windows desktop and have it operate correctly. So then I went through the regular Windows Update motions and continually installed updates and rebooted.
However, after I downloaded and installed the Internet Explorer 5.5 update and rebooted, I could no longer load Windows. The system now just hardlocks after "dfs.vxd" is listed as a missing file.
I am able to boot into Windows under safe mode, but I'm not sure what I can do to remedy the problem. I checked the SYSTEM.INI file but I do not see any mention of any of the missing files that are listed.
Thus, I believe the problem lies in registry settings. All I ask is someone to point me into the right direction. I'm not sure where the registry keys that I need to alter lie.
Thanks for any assistance any of you can provide.
Facebook
Twitter