# VMM32.VXD is required to run Windows



## Spacelord (Nov 16, 2002)

Toshiba 7130
Pentium 133
80 Mb of RAM

I was using Windows 98 SE and then the comp crashed.

Now when I boot, the OS starts loading and then I get:

VMM32.VXD is required to run Windows
If this file is not in your PATH, you may need to reinstall Windows.

I went to..

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q194679

I tried this

C:\ dirvmm32.vxd /s

And I got...

Volume in drive C has no label
Volume serial numbers is 1238-120B

Directory of C:\System

VM32 VXP 941,000 04-14-01 11:01a
1 file(s) listed 941,000 Bytes
Total files installed: 
1 file(s) 941,000 Bytes
0 dir(s) 465,993,728 bytes free.

What do I do after this?

Your help is much appreciated.


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## Linkmaster (Aug 12, 2001)

Hi spacelord, Welcome to TSG !!
It looks like you had a typo! Try this:

At the command prompt, type:

dir vmm32.vxd /s

If the Vmm32.vxd file is not found, you must install Windows 95 or Windows 98 again. If the Vmm32.vxd file is found, note the folder in which it is located, and then continue with step 2.

At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command

cd windows
ren folder system


where folder is the folder you noted in step 1.
Restart your computer.


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

From the results of your DIR, it appears that VMM32.vxd is alive and well.

Boot to DOS (hold the ctrl key and from the resulting menu choose command prompt)

At the prompt enter

Scanreg /Restore

And allow the reboot.


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## Spacelord (Nov 16, 2002)

Thanks for the welcome and the help!


I booted into DOS and at the prompt I tried typing scanreg /restore and I received "Bad command or file name."


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

Sounds like you PATH is not valid either.

After booting to DOS enter

PATH

Note the response and post back.

Then enter

C:\Windows\Command\Scanreg /Restore

Choose a date prior to the problem occuring


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

I notice that in your first report you find vmm32.vxd in "C:\System". Is this a typo and it should have been C:\Windows\System ? 

If it's not a typo - then perhaps you have moved the whole system directory to the root? If so then at DOS, from the root directory where the prompt looks like
C:\>
try the following.

Move c:\system c:\windows

Note that the move command is an extrinsic (a file called move.exe) and it will have to be present in the path for this to work.
It'll normally reside in c:\windows\command for win98 and you may have to type the command line as:

c:\windows\command\move.exe c:\system c:\windows

or perhaps find move on the HD or a floppy.


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## Spacelord (Nov 16, 2002)

Whitphil, after I entered PATH, this is what came up:

PATH=C:\WINDOWS; C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND

IMM, that is what was displayed when I entered C:\dirvmm32.vxd /s

Directory of C:\SYSTEM

I tried all of your suggestions and I still receive the "Bad Command or File name."


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

After you came up with the path statement, you returned to a c: prompt, no?

Then you entered:

C:\Windows\Command\Scanreg /Restore 

There is a space after the 'g' in Scanreg


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## Spacelord (Nov 16, 2002)

AcaCandy, that is exactly what I did. 

After I returned to the c: prompt, I typed in

C:\Windows\Command\Scanreg /Restore 

(with the space after the 'g') and still there were no results.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

What do you mean no results?

Bad command or file name again?

Or no good restore dates?


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## Spacelord (Nov 16, 2002)

Yes, bad command or file name.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

If the Vmm32.vxd file is found, note the folder in which it is located, and then continue with step 2. 


At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command

cd windows
ren folder system

where folder is the folder you noted in step 1. 


Restart your computer.


Did you try that?

Also, what about the autoexec.bat edit?

Method 2
Using a text editor (such as Notepad), edit the Autoexec.bat file and add or modify the PATH line so that it includes the Windows\System folder. For example, add the following line to your Autoexec.bat file: 

path=c:\windows\system


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## Spacelord (Nov 16, 2002)

Okay, what would I type in ren _folder_ system? E.G. C:\Windows> ren (What do I type here) system

This is what I have done so far.

*C:\ dirvmm32.vxd /s

Volume in drive C has no label 
Volume serial numbers is 1238-120B

Directory of C:\System

VM32 VXP 941,000 04-14-01 11:01a 
1 file(s) listed 941,000 Bytes 
Total files installed: 
1 file(s) 941,000 Bytes 
0 dir(s) 465,993,728 bytes free.

C:\>cd windows

C:\WINDOWS*


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

> _Originally posted by Spacelord:_
> *Okay, what would I type in ren folder system? E.G. C:\Windows> ren (What do I type here) system
> 
> This is what I have done so far.
> ...


Hi,
You have just copied/pasted what you posted above.
Please confirm the contents. You obviously retyped the info because there are errors.
The command is

Dir vmm32.vxd/s
not
dirvmm32.vxd /s

And the resulting file you show as 
VM32 VXP 
when it should be
VMM32.VXD

So, please redo the DIR and confirm that it appears (as you indicated) in C:\System
as opposed to 
C:\Windows\System
which is it's real home

*IF* it is now living in C:\System, boot to DOS again and enter the following

Cd \windows
Dir system/ad
***Confirm if a list of directories are displayed or not, such as IOSubsys, Drivers, VMM32,
If these *DO* display, *stop here* since it would appear that you DO have a SYSTEM folder already under windows.

If NO directories appear, do

Move System c:\Windows\System

Then do
DIR command /s

Allow the command to finish and see if you get an entry for
COMMAND

Note, just above it, where this directory exists.

Now try a reboot.


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## Spacelord (Nov 16, 2002)

Yeah, a couple of typos..sorry, I didn't notice that. lol

Anyway, the DIR still says C:/SYSTEM

typed in the following:
Cd \windows 
Dir system/ad

and I did get a list of directories...41


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

Ok, so this indicates that it isn't your ENTIRE system folder that got moved to C:\.

Out of curiousity, do a dir of C:\System and see what files are there (other than vmm32.vxd)

Regardless, do this from DOS

C:
Cd\system
Move vmm32.vxd c:\windows\system

Then, to track down where COMMAND went, do

Cd\
DIR command /s 

Allow the command to finish and see if you get an entry for 
COMMAND {dir}

Note, just above it, where this directory exists. 

Reboot.


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