# error loading gdi.exe



## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

Hey, been having a problem on my 98 drive. when i boot my computer it gets so far then says error loading gdi.exe. i have looked at both of the suggestions on the microsoft website and neither worked.I believe it has something to do with a file called vgasys.fon but i've tried extracting a new copy of it but it doesnt help. here is the end of my bootlog.txt


LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GDI32.DLL
LoadStart = vgasys.fon
LoadFail = vgasys.fon Failure code is 0002

LoadFail = GDI.EXE Failure code is 0000

Terminate = KERNEL
Terminate = Win32
EndTerminate = Win32
EndTerminate = KERNEL

If you guys want the whole file then just let me know.Or any more info just Holla!


Thanks 

Daniel


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## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

I assume This is the article from microsoft you were talking about?

did you try extracting ALL the fonts per the article instead of just the one?


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

Yeah thats one of them.....i didnt try extracting the whole folder as i am not missing the whole folder......it says only to extract them all if it doesnt exist.

Any ideas how to sort this??

Thank you for the reply

Daniel


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## TechMonkey (Nov 20, 2002)

I found this one HERE

Error loading GDI.EXE. You must reinstall windows

Windows 98

When you start Windows 98, you may receive the above error message:

After you receive this error message, the computer may stop responding (hang) or restart. 
This can also occur when you start Windows 98 in Safe Mode.

This can occur if you are using a VGA video adapter driver and one or more of the following files are missing or damaged:

Vgasys.fon
Vgaoem.fon
Vga850.fon

*The FIX:* Rename or delete the Vgasys.fon, Vgaoem.fon, and Vga850.fon files (if they exist) in the Windows\Fonts folder, and then reinstall Win 98


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## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

1) if you are using an os that has it, try typing SFC on the runline and seeing what it finds.

2) I would go ahead and extract the folder as we know the error is font related and its not going to hurt anything if thats not the problem.

EDIT



> Windows 98
> 
> md c:\windows\fonts
> attrib +s c:\windows\fonts
> ...


its says to extract all the fonts anyway unless i'm reading this wrong.


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

Hey again. sorry i have taken so long to reply. i did as instructed but it has not helped.i checked on the microsoft site and it said that the failure code 02 means the file has not been found.But it is definately there.

Any more ideas are very welcome..

Thanks again for replying

Daniel


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## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

try running a search for the file, writing down all the locations its found at then deleting them and extracting to those locations. windows may be using a different copy than the one you extracted.

other than that, about all I could suggest would be a reinstall of windows.


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

hey again....sorry i took so long to get back to this......i have tried extracting it. when i searched my comp i only had it in the one location....the fonts folder.I have noticed something though......i was looking at other bootlog.txt found on websites and i noticed that it specifies the full location of the vgasys.fon file.Heres an exampleLoadStart = mmsound.drv
LoadSuccess = mmsound.drv
LoadStart = comm.drv
LoadSuccess = comm.drv
LoadStart = gdi.exe
LoadStart = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GDI32.DLL
LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadStart = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = GDI.EXE
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GDI32.DLL
LoadStart = C:\WINDOWS\fonts\vgasys.fon
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\fonts\vgasys.fon
LoadStart = C:\WINDOWS\fonts\vgafix.fon
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\fonts\vgafix.fon
LoadStart = C:\WINDOWS\fonts\vga850.fon
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\fonts\vga850.fon
LoadSuccess = gdi.exe
LoadStart = user.exe
LoadStart = DDEML.DLL
LoadSuccess = DDEML.DLL..................
......................................


But if you look at my example from my bootlog.txt it does not specify the full location......

Any ideas if this is the cause of my problem??

Thanks

Daniel


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## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

thats strange. well, I would try putting a copy in the root directory and seeing if it found it there. if it did i have no clue how to fix it though..lol.

you are where I would reinstall windows.....ill do some more research but I am leaving for the day in about 15 minutes...will prob be monday before i get back to the boards.


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

ok i'll try that.........will let you know how it goes and thanks v.much for taking the time to try help me.


Thanks

Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

You don't say what your video card is - but it is possible that it needs it's own version of vgasys.fon etc.

What I think you should try, is booting the machine (perhaps in safe mode) and "updating" the Display Adapter drivers to be the Standard VGA from the M$ CD. Then the files from the CD should be OK. This will reduce you to 16 colors and 640x480 of course - and after the reboot you should go about re-installing the video drivers which match your card.

Watch out for tray apps which control the vid settings - if there are any of those apps installed (or other video driver related)- remove them from Add/Remove programs first.
After installing the standard vga - reboot to safe mode and ensure that the standard VGA is the only display adapter showing in Device Manager.

If you can provide the details of your hardware - then perhaps more specific advice can be given.

Some general instructions for installing the standard VGA can be found at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q235618


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

hi, it is an on-board.8MB i think
I'll check wix dxdiag..........


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

hi, it is an on-board.8MB i think
I'll check wix dxdiag..........

there...hope that shows up...

hope that helps with any more diagnosis.......by the way i cant boot in safe mode!!!


Thanks for the reply


Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

If it's an onboard - what is the motherboard make and model?


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

sorry.....all i know is that it is a chaintech....VIA appolo VP3 chipset.....do you of a utility i cud use to get the model???

Thanks

Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

If this is 98 - have you tried running scanreg /restore from before this happened (this should restore an older system.ini and win.ini where I think the problem might be).

Nothing in the bios has changed?

regarding the model - the string which identifies the bios on the boot (you'll probably have to use the pause key) is usu. enough for me to identify it.

BTW - watch out for the entrance pages on the taiwanese chaintech site - they appear to have been hacked


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

i cannot restore the registry.....some problem in it..........it says it cant fix it .....it suggests freeing up disk space.....but there ova 1GB of space!!

Thanks again for replying...


Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

Well - you have me worried about a virus (though you could also try scanreg /fix instead of scanreg /restore)

What does scandisk from DOS tell you first though ?
You've left me thoroughly confused - why can't you boot safe mode?
Apparently you can boot normal mode and hence the jpeg fro dxdiag.

The thing is that I don't think there are any onboard Matrox video with Chaintech - though I could be wrong ( I can find intel and sis and VIA etc. for chaintechs)


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

Oh sorry i think i've mislead you.............i have two hard drives and got all that from my win 2k system.......i cannont get into win 98 at all!!i have tried scanreg /fix also but this doesnt work either!!!


Thanks

Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

Can you read the fat32 win98 drive from 2k - or is it hidden?

If you can read it, then can you scan it for errors? If this sort of thing is possible then you could actually manually do the equivalent of a scanreg /restore by finding c:\windows\sysbckup\rb00x.cab (where x is chosen by you based on the various dates) and extracting the files in it to the appropriate locations using winzip.

Did you boot to 'Command Prompt only' on the 98 drive and run scandisk c:?

If 2k is calling it a Matrox - then I guess it must be. Did you manage to write down the bios ID string?


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

ye i did...it found lost clusters and it said it fixed that. I have a folder on the 98 drive that has over 5000 lost file fragments!!Can i do anything with that?Ye i can read it.......i can also scan it but i dont know how i do it from win 2k so i boot up with a bootdisk then do it from there.....


Thanks for replying

Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

What folder was it? If you've dumped them all as .CHK files in the root of the 98 drive - it's not really fun.
The odds of you being able to use them aren't good - but if you want to save them - move them out of the root to some subfolder you create using 2k. 

Either you have a badly failing HD there (try the mfg's test util on it) or it's viral - watch out.


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

they are in a folder called "found.001". i just noticed there is another one with hardly and files in it.its called "found.000".

What is the mfg's utility???I'm pretty sure it aint a virus because it has been scann by an up-to-date norton....

Thanks

Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

The various HD manufacturers usually have a low level testing program (run from floppy) to test the condition of a HD. What is the make and model of the HD that has win98 on it?

I'd guess that even if the drive tests good - you'll likely be reinstalling with that many files lost (unless you're good at looking at them in hex - or wish to use a utility which can recover the file formats that it recognizes so that you know that the system files are largely still intact) - but it's sure best to get the drive vetted first.


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

It is a Samsung VA34324A.............

Well thats what it says under device manager.....


Thanks

Daniel


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## danielno8 (Oct 18, 2002)

I am off too bed now as i have work in the morning!!!its midnight over here in the UK!!!!


Thanks for all your help....hope you'll keep helping!!!


Daniel


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

Try this link for the diagnostic download
http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hdd/support/downloads/utilities_02.html

If it passes and you wish to low level wipe it CLEARHDD is at http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hdd/support/downloads/utilities_03.html
{u may wish to remove the 2k HD (and set the jumpers) before using CLEARHDD - I've seen people wipe the wrong drive - ouch}


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