# Windows wont come on at all



## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hello Everyone, I am having some Big Problems ,I have a old Nec pc, I dont know what happened ,,My children turned it on one day and the screen came up for you to operate in safe mode ..When I enter for safe mode it tells me that there is a file missing and windows cannot start. Then it go's to ,,Its safe to turn off your computer.. I'm not sure what to do ,,or if there is anything I can do. Did it just die??? your help would be much appriciated  Thank You


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Welcome to TSG, Jeannie.

I have a feeling I know what's missing (vmm32.vxd?) -- but just to validate, please confirm what the missing file is. And tell us what your Windows version is and whether you have a Microsoft CD that can be used for reinstallation.


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi ,, it says devise file missing and cannot run windows and I have windows 98 and i have a disk



thanks alot


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

It should be telling you the name of the file; if it's vmm32.vxd you will probably have to reinstall Windows, but if it's something else, there may be other alternatives.

Just for the heck of it though, let's try restoring a previous registry: press and hold the ctrl key as soon as the system begins booting. From the boot menu choose the 'command prompt' option. At the c:>prompt enter:

scanreg /restore

use the arrow keys to select the last started registry.

If you get that error again, look closely for the name of the device.

Do you have the ProductKey for the disk? If so, and scanreg /restore doesn't help, it would probably be best to do a reinstall.

You will need a Windows startup floppy to start with CD-ROM support and the ProductKey.

Once you have started with the boot floppy and accepted CD-ROM support you should be at the a:> prompt. Insert the Microsoft CD and enter:

*e:\setup*

and follow the prompts.

This assumes that 'd' was the normal letter for your CD-ROM drive; if it was something else, use the next higher letter. You should also watch closely as the boot floppy loads, it will indicate the drive letter being assigned the CD-ROM drive.


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hello ,

I did the scanreg /restore. it said you have restored a good registry.. but then when I restarted it came back on the same way.. the error says the registry or system.INI file refers to this devise file, but the devise file no longer exists.. vmm32\ifmgr.vxd

I dont have a floppy start up disk my friend loaded windows 98 on for me but I only have the cd of windows 98


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Using the computer you are on, you can download a setup file to make a bootable floppy disk for Win98 here:

http://freepctech.com/pc/002/files010.shtml

Make sure you are getting the right one, this is the exact link:

ftp://ftp.fluidlight.com/pub/nospin_files/WIN98SE.exe

Once it is downloaded, place a floppy in the drive and run the setup program. You can then boot your problem system with it. Accept CD-ROM support.

Once you are at the a:> prompt insert your Microsoft CD (have your productkey handy).

enter:

*e:\setup*

and follow the prompts. If 'e' is not the letter assigned your CD-ROM drive, adjust accordingly. Normally it will be one higher than it was in windows.

You may need to update or reinstall Internet Explorer after this.


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

From what I can see here the file should be called IFSMGR.VXD (typo on your part?)
If that's the case, it belongs in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32 folder.

It's a result of the *Security Update, March 17, 2000*
http://microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/contents/WUCritical/dosdevice/Default.asp

If you (or a knowlegable friend) wants to attempt to fix this at DOS (using a second machine to download and extract):
The ifsmgr.vxd file is present in the 256015USA8.EXE download as ifsmgr.98s (for SE).
_The 98FE one is present as the Gold version (ifsmgr.98g)._ Make sure you use the correct one.
Extract the ifsmgr.98s file using winzip.
Then you would need to rename the file to ifsmgr.vxd and then place it in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32\ directory (folder) on the problem machine. (using a floppy and DOS)

After the system is running normally - it wouldn't hurt to run the 256015USA8.EXE on the system


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

hello Im still having trouble ,,I copied the link you told me but i dont have a product key ?? there is one on the book I got with the pc on the front cover could this be it??


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Yes that's the ProductKey, if the book came with the Microsoft CD that you are going to use to do the reinstall, then you are good to go. It should have 25 characters in the form xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi me again  ok now im in trouble the book I was talking about is the one that came w/ the pc and it is windows 95 my friend loaded 98 for me and gave me a cd I found the cd and I am almost there it asked for the product key he has the product key tyed on the cd but it tells me that it isa wrong I called hm and told him he said he might have copied it wrong .. he said he will try to find it ??? Im still waiting hours later .. If he dont find it what else do you think I can do?? Im sooooooooo close thanks


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I wish I'd have known there might be a problem, we could have possibly retrieved the key using DOS commands -- difficult, but possible. Could there be some confusion about individual letters or characters? I have trouble distinguishing between B's and 8's when copying mine


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

WELL HE CALLED ME BACK GAVE ME A DIFFERENT CODE AND IT DIDNT WORK ,, I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW ,, HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT GO TO KEY CODES IN SEARCH ?? HE HAD TO GO AWAY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT ?? SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR LOL ..IF I DONT LAUGH ILL GO NUTS LOL THANKS SEE YA JEANNIE


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Well let's just say there are folks who find such things doing web searches in google, but that's not for us to endorse here.


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

you could reboot into dos and at the command prompt type"scanreg/restore".this will take you to three or four dates with which you can pick from .pick a date that all was fine and go with that.


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

hi, 
so what do you think maybe I have to buy a new windows 98??or do you have any other suggestions?? can you even buy that anymore .. thank jeannie


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

I do have the recovery disk that came with the pc in 95


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

firefighter i did that already and it didnt work?? thanks


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I don't know if the old product key is still on the system at this point, although the registry backups are still there I believe, I'm not sure what the consequences would be of restoring one to get to a productkey.

However, you might try rebooting to a command prompt by doing a ctrl -alt-del and then holding down the ctrl key to get the boot menu. Select command prompt.

At the prompt enter EXACTLY each line separately:

*regedit /e regkey.txt HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion*

*edit regkey.txt*

(note where the spaces are in the first line -- before and after /e and after regkey.txt)

Now if the DOS editor opens with data in it, use the arrow keys to keep scrolling down and look for the ProductKey and/or OEM ProductID. Copy both carefully if you see both.

Use alt+F to access the file exit menu and do another ctrl-alt-del to reboot to where you were.

by the way did you get my response to your PM?


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

hi rollin, 
no I didnt get your response to the pm .. I dont know what im doing lol.. ok now today I got everything loaded again I got the producct key and it all went thru then it said to shut down and restart the pc ,,when it came back on it says: Insert boootable media in the appropriate drive ?? what is that ?? windows is still not comming up... help me PLEASEEEEEEEE


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I don't know why you are getting that message and don't like the sound of it. Have you removed both the orginal startup floppy from the floppy disk drive and the CD-ROM as well? If not do so and do a ctrl-alt-del to restart.

Write down any error messages exactly and try to describe when they seem to appear (immediately, or after some process has begun?)

>> it rather sounds like the HD isn't being detected after a restart. Try ctrl-alt-del a couple of times to see if it continues.

You may have lost cmos information -- if the battery on this old pc has never been replaced, that might be the reason. Normally it would be a quarter sized silver battery, but I'm not sure on an old NEC.

One thing you can try, is to enter the CMOS setup. When you reboot, try pressing the F2 key immediately (or watch the screen to see which key it says to press to enter setup). In the BIOS setup look for the option to autodetect the hard drive and try that. You can also try reloading the BIOS defaults.

If those options fail, I would suggest replacing the battery, actually this probably needs to be done anyway.

It's also possible you may have what is known as a CMOS virus. We might be able to get around that if you can still boot with a Startup floppy and access the a:> prompt.


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi rollin,
oh gosh this is driving me crazy ... ok now i got windows on and i tryed to to install the wireless network back up ,,and i have to use the disk when i start windows.. it is very slow ,, when i try the setup for the linsksys and i shut down to restart when it comes back it say: illegal operation, DW caused an invalid page fault in module DW.exe ...What am I doing ????


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Yes I do know what that is. You did an overinstall so all the nasties that were there before are still there.

Here's what to try for now, run *msconfig* and click on the Startup group. You will probably see something like

MediaLoads Installer = "C:\Program Files\DownloadWare\dw.exe" /H

Uncheck that and just about everything else that isn't related to Windows. Windows files include:

System Tray
ScanRegistry
TaskMonitor
LoadPowerprofiles.

Reboot and continue with your install routine. Once you get back on the net, install and run Spybot:

http://tomcoyote.org/SPYBOT/


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

hi rollin, 

At the sound of sonding really stupid.. How do I run msconfig?? 


Thanks Jeannie


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Just click Start>Run and enter *msconfig*

This is the System Configuration Utility. You can use it to keep unneeded or conflicting startups from loading. It does not delete anything so the actual removals will have to be addressed later. But it should get you started without any initial error messages and hopefully you can get your net connection going properly.

If you are using WinPoet or anything like that needed for your DSL or wireless connection you will need to leave that enabled (checked) in msconfig > startups.


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hello,

I still cant connected to the wireless network, when I plug it into the usb it doesnt even say it found new hardware,, I think Im about to give up ...errrrrrrr


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I'm not familiar with what is involved in configuring such a setup. If there is a device entry in the Device Manager for it, remove it and it may get redetected on boot up. And if the Device Manager does not show Linksys as being enabled, remove it and make sure you got the right drivers for it. If you are unsure, you may have to look at the chip on the card to determine the version number.

But can you connect directly using a standard DUN connection?


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Be sure that in the bios setup, your support for USB is set to enabled. In device manager, you should have an entry for USB controller and USB hub. Any exclamation marks or red x on anything?


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi Aca,
yes I have a ! on the hub in divise manager.. Why is that? When I load the linksys then click on it in program it doesnt do anything .. Thanks for your help


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Select properties to see what it is crying about. Are you sure you have the USB support enabled in the bios setup?? Please check this. Do you have any other USB devices that work correctly?

Do you have the disk that came with the Linksys device? If so, remove the linksys device and hub from device manager. Then hit the refresh button, it should find the device again and ask for drivers. Be sure the cdrom for the device is in the drive.


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi,
How do I check the usb support enabled in bios?
thanks


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

When the machine is starting up, there is a key to press, most often it is the DEL key, some machines, F 1 or F 2, Compaqs F 10, to access setup.

Once there look around for something similar to USB support = ENABLED.


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Hi Anyone,

I checked the enabled in bios ,I think thats fine.. I also did the refresh thing on devive manager. I then tryed to install the hardware and it says: Due to hub transfer request failures, a hub has been disabled, Check your computers cabling & devises then restart??? I dont know what that means....?? Anyone else know ????? Thanks


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## JeannieB (Mar 8, 2003)

Can anyone please help me with this ??


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I found this technical response from a motherboard vendor to the identical question, see if it helps (it's not one I've seen before):



> When I try to use my USB devices at Winodws98SE ( Windows98/95B/95C ) with your motherboard and I always get error at Windows device manager says : "Due to hub transfer request failures, a hub has been disabled. Check your computer cabling and make sure it is correct.", what can I do ? ( provide by user Daniel Schwartz )
> 
> Please go to BIOS set up and check IRQ holder for USB , you must set as Enable ( BIOS default set was Disable ) Also USB driver must using Windows98SE generic USB driver .


It sounds like you've verified the first part of this, but the correct USB drivers are not installed. For that we need to know the motherboard model and chipset. If you have the motherboard model number we might be able to go the rest of the way.


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