Erroe I/O subsystem driver

My computer fails to boot up into Windows 95. It tries and then I have to choose Safe Mode because Windows did not shut down properly. I choose safe made and then the following message appears...

While initializing device IOS: Error I/O subsystem driver failed to load. Either a file in the .\iosubsys subdirectory is corrupt or the system is low on memory.

It just freezes from there and I cannot do anything. I am completely stuck. Please help. I would not mind just erasing everything on my computer and getting it back to the way it was when I purchased it. Thanks.

Russ

 

Try this:

>> from start, run system.ini so that it opens in Notepad.

>> under the [vcache] header, add:

maxfilecache=6144

Close and save the file and reboot.

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q225/4/97.ASP

If you cannot boot windows to make the file alteration that way, tap the f8 key repeatedly as soon as the computer begins booting. Choose the "command prompt" option from the boot menu.

>> at the c:\> prompt enter:

cd windows
edit system.ini

The file should open in the DOS editor. Make the suggested alteration, then press

alt+F

to access the File/save and Exit menu

That done, you can ctrl-alt-del to reboot

 

I tried what you told me to and the same message still comes up. Is there anything else I can do???? Please help. Thanks.

Russ

 

Some of the IOSubSys files are optional. From MS-DOS Mode try renaming the following files like so:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\UdfReadr.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\cdralvsd.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\Drvwcdb.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\Drvwppqt.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\Drvwq117.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\Necatapi.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\Scsi1hlp.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\Torisan3.apa
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\Atapchng.apa

Then reboot. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Thanks for the help Dan, but I am not that great with computers. How do I go about making these changes?? Thanks.

Russ

 

Since DAN O doesn't seem to be on line, I'll give it a shot.

Go to a c:\> prompt and enter:

cd C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS

You should now be at:

c:\windows\system\iosubsys\>

For each file, follow this model:

ren UdfReadr.vxd udfreader.apa

If this doesn't work I think you should try reinstalling Windows. You could also try running scandisk from DOS with the command:

scandisk /surface /all

 

Boot Windows 95 to a command prompt.

Perform one of the following two steps:

Edit the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files and disable any references to Smartdrv.exe. To disable a line, type rem at the beginning of the line.

Rename Smartdrv.exe to another name.

(At the C:> prompt type edit config.sys or edit autoexec.bat)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q157/9/24.ASP

 

HI again - this is actually Russ' girlfriend this time around.... OK here is the deal. With this laptop, When I first got hold of it, it would start but then freeze after it checked the ram. However after lots of fussing I got it to run a scandisk on the whole thing. From there it said it fixed the problems (there were many "B"'s). I had to reboot, and from there it went into starting up windows! When I thought I had it this error message came up and it froze...."While initializing device IOS:
Error: An I/O subsystem driver failed to load. Either a file in the .\iosubsys subdirectory is corrupt, or the system is low on memory. SO I rebooted, THIS time windows began to start, but then it put me to a screen asking to start in safe mode, or command mode (choices 1-7), so I tried safe mode and got the same error message. Once again I rebooted and tried from command mode. Here again I did a scandisk - nothing. I typed MEM and it said total memory 40,575, used 40,023K, Free 552K. Largest executable program size 552K, Largest free upper memory block ZeroK. SO maybe it is the memory? Can I delete memory from DOS mode? I don't care about losing anything that is on the computer already. ALSO when I try to exit dos mode - it won't and when I type in "win" I get "HIMEM.SYS is missing. Make sure that the file is in you windows directory." I am baffled. I have tried everything, and am quite frustrated at this point. Any detailed help you can give us would be more than excellent and greatly appreciated. Thank you. Russ & JJ

 

Something very odd here: used 40,023K

This would indicate that almost all your upper memory is being used. Maybe a boot sector virus?

Try the command chkdsk, what does it show for Total Byted Memory?

 

Hi - JJ here again. Ok, I know you asked for total mem - but here is what the whole screen says, just in case.

1 lost allocation units found 1 chains.
32,768 bytes disk space would be freed

1,440,710,656 bytes total disk space
6,356,992 bytes in 95 hidden files
2,588,672 bytes in 79 directories
138,870,784 bytes in 1,373 user files
1,015,808 bytes in bad sectors *
1,291,845,632 bytes available on disk

32,768 bytes in each allocation unit
43,967 total allocation units on disk
39,424 available allocation units on disk

655,360 total bytes memory
564,736 bytes free

That what the screen says, however when I first type in chkdsk - this quickly appears on the screen and then it shows all that stuff I wrote previously....
Errors found, F parameter not specified
corrections will not be written to disk
C:\window\system\iosubsys
Invalid sub-directory entry

I have run scandisk a few times, and it does locate the bad sectors, but never is able to fix it even though it says in has. ACK! Thanks again for your help!
JJ

 

If you have your Windows CD, I'd try doing a reinstall; it looks like the unfixable corruption on the disk is in the iosubsys folder. Since it's not possible to know what else is corrupted on the drive, a reistall should be done from a cd-rom rather than trying the cab files on the drive, c: windows\options\cabs\setup, (although it could be attempted)

To reinstall from the CD, boot with a startup disk, select cd-rom support, watch the screen to see what letter gets assigned to the cd-rom drive (normally it will be bumped up one).

Then with the Win CD in place enter:

e:\setup.exe

assuming 'e' is the cd-rom letter.

 

well, here's the fun part.... It being an older (4 years) laptop, handed down to be, no disks came with it. a sibling has a brand new Gateway PC (not a laptop) and I have tried her restore disks. At the beginning they sound like they are spinning and trying to work, but no luck with any of them. Is there some way I can just gut out this computer not using the disks? There is stuff stored on here, but I don't care about wiping it all out completely and starting fresh. Or do I have to use disks - if I do what would be the next step since I do not have those? Thanks!

JJ

 

If you format (wipe) the computer, you must have something to resinstall from.

The only other thing I can think of is to try a reinstall from cabs on the hard drive, if they are there.

To try this, boot to a command prompt (c:\) and enter each line:

cd windows\options\cabs

setup.exe