# Windows 98 hangs - what is VKD?



## Don Viejo (Oct 19, 2003)

The computer just refused to complete booting up windows 98. The screen reports:
"While initializing device VKD
Windows protection error. Y" and here it hangs up. CtrlAltDel will not restart and I have to turn the computer off. Upon restarting I get to the screen that asks Normal, Safe Start, etc. The only choice that gets anywhere is to DOC Command.
In DOS I seem to be able to see all the directories and files on drive C and D. 
What is device VKD?
Any suggestions for further diagnostics? 
This is my wife's computer and she doesn't have a Windows 98 installation disc nor a diagnostic disc. The computer is eight years old. Should I just try to salvage the files and junk the computer?


----------



## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

Hi VKD...Virtual Keyboard Device Driver.
Faulty keyboard or driver..try a different keyboard...
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=263318&sd=RMVP


----------



## Don Viejo (Oct 19, 2003)

I tried two other keyboards and the results are the same. The computer tries to boot Windows in safe mode, but then hangs somewhere in the message. Not always in the same place. Sometimes it has gotten as far as the full error statement and then saying press to continue or part of that line. CtrlAltDel or any other key combination has no effect. It must be turned off and restarted to do anything.
If command mode is checked, all the files are available and can be read so DOS works fine with any of the keyboards I tried.
Unfortunately the computer came with Windows 98 installed and no Windows disc. I am a loss as to what to try next. Any more suggestions?


----------



## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

Hi try rebuilding the registry.
Reboot>choose command prompt..type
scanreg /fix [note space] let it scan.
Also at command prompt type scandisk /surface
But doing this[scandisk /surface] you may lose programs installed after any back up was made.


----------



## Don Viejo (Oct 19, 2003)

After several tries I managed to get through scanreg /fix and into scandisk /surface. Here it hung up at 13 percent through surface scan in the same place three times. If the hard drive is shot, how come I can list the files and check them in DOS? Maybe I can't check all of them, I don't know. Any more suggestions? I sure appreciate you help.


----------



## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

Hi if unable to boot to safe mode..normally a hardware problem.
Without the original Win98 install Cd...
You could try d/loading a boot disk [floopy] on another system and see if it loads from that.
http://www.onecomputerguy.com
http://www.bootdisk.com


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

you could check to see if the cab files are on the hard drive


----------



## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Just seeing the names of the files on a hard drive does not mean that the files themselves are actually not corrupted.


----------

