[SOLVED] missing or corrupted file.....

[golfman]

ok i'll try to explain this the best i can....

came home from work today and turned computer on, windows(ME)starts loading and then screen goes black and says...

The following file is missing or corrupted: C:\Windows\System\Vmm32.vxd

Type the name of the Windows loader (e.g., C:\Windows\System\Vmm32.vxd)

...so i try to start up in safe mode, which wont work. then i used startup disk to run scandisk and all is ok (also tried to run setup and it wouldnt let me)i tried following all the instructions in the startup disk help file and nothing would work... then i got the VMM.32VXD file from a friend who also has WIN ME, put it on a floppy and
when the error message came up i typed A:VMM32.VXD...it starts reading the disk and after 10 or 15 seconds says...

ERROR: An I/O subsystem driver failed to load.
Either a file in the .\iosubsys subdirectory is
corrupt, or the system memory is low

...after that i can do nothing except restart and start all over again.

can anyone tell me how to fix this?? i'm all out of ideas.

 

[Rollin' Rog]

Generally speaking you cannot substitute another vmm32.vxd from another system. These are relatively unique compressed VxDs which are created during the install process and are unpacked every startup. Fortunately it appears you did not copy over the one you have. So there still may be hope if the instructions in this MS link point to a solution:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q258471

To check and edit msdos.sys as suggested (if that is the problem), you will have to use your startup disk and enter the following sequence of commands:

cd c:\windows
attrib -h -r msdos.sys
edit msdos.sys

Now it should open in the DOS editor and you can verify or edit the correct winboot directory. Press Alt+F to access File, save and exit menu.

What happened when you tried to run setup? That may have to be your ultimate solution here if vmm32.vxd is truly corrupted. Did you load CD-rom drivers and place your Windows CD in the CD-Rom drive?

 

[golfman]

thanx for the info ...

the site link u gave me is where i got the instructions i've been following.
------------------------------------------------
when i tried to run setup it said something like...

"cannot read drive E...abort, retry, cancel"
-------------------------------------------------
i did not have my windows cd in the cd rom and i really dont know if my drivers were loaded...how do i do that? or know if theyre loaded?
(also if i need the cd in for this to work do i use the #2 mode below when i use startup disk?)
-------------------------------------------------
to check and edit the msdos.sys and run the commands you listed, which mode do i select from the startup disk? there are 4.

1.help
2.start with cd support
3.start without cd support
4.start with minimal drivers
-------------------------------------------------

should i try to edit the msdos.sys first or run the setup (i have no idea what to do if the setup command actually works -- lol)

 

[Rollin' Rog]

You want to start with CD support if you are going to try to run setup off the CD. Watch the screen to determine which drive letter gets assigned the CD-Rom. It will normally be bumped up one, so that if it used to be 'D', it will become 'E'.

If you did not have your Windows CD in the drive when you tried to access it, that would explain the error message. You've got to have something readable there.

To just check and edit msdos.sys you don't need CD-Rom support, you just need to be able to access the c:\ drive.

I think your best bet is just to try to run setup. But do as suggested and rename the vmm32.vxd to vmm32.old first.

You can do this from the a:\> prompt:

ren c:\windows\system\vmm32.vxd vmm32.old

Then you can try setup:

e:\setup

You may need your product key, so have that handy.

If all goes well setup should complete and you will not lose any installed programs or data.

 

[golfman]

ok so i want to...

start pc with startup disk, choose "start with cd support", then at the A:\> prompt type...

"ren c:\windows\vmm32.vxd vmm32.old"

then change the prompt to E:\>(i was wondering about that not being listed as D drive)and type

"setup"

will setup automatically do what it needs to do or will i need to tell it what needs to be replaced or whatever.

sorry about all the questions but i had to drive a long way to get access to the comp i'm on now -- just wanna be sure before i drive all the way home

 

[Rollin' Rog]

I omitted the "system" directory in my original instructions. The command to rename should be:

ren c:\windows\system\vmm32.vxd vmm32.old

Other than that you should be good to go...

You should be able to just follow the prompts when setup runs.

One thing you want to look out for though is to make sure it reinstalls windows into the windows directory. It might try to create another directory (windows.000) for the reinstall if certain key files are corrupted:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q142545

 

[golfman]

ok thanx Rollin' Rog for all the info and super speedy replies. if this works my firstborn child will be named after you! ...well on second thought...

i'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Rollin' Rog]

Wish you luck

 

[Linkmaster]

Hi golfman,
Check this out:

WIN98 VXD BUG

Have you ever got a "VxD error" message while starting Windows 98 or 98 SE?
It's pretty much "fatal", and automatically returns you to the DOS prompt.
Especially if you upgraded to Win98 from Win95 or OSR2, since some old 32-bit protected virtual drivers might have "survived" the upgrade.
The MS Windows 98 Resource Kit Help file (Win98rk.hlp, found in the \Tools\Reskit\Help folder on the Win98 Setup cd-rom) states that:
"If a virtual device driver (VxD) is missing or damaged, Windows 98 displays an error message that indicates which VxD is involved. If the VxD is critical to the operation of Windows 98, then Windows 98 does not start and the screen displays the command prompt. You might need to run Windows 98 Setup and select Verify or Safe Recovery to replace the missing VxD."

But there is an easier solution to this problem.
The generic driver Vmm32.vxd (located in C:\Windows\System) was built when you first installed Win98 on your computer. Depending on your hardware specs, it may contain some or all of the following VXDs (Virtual eXtended Drivers): biosxlat.vxd, configmg.vxd, dynapage.vxd, ebios.vxd, enable.vxd, ifsmgr.vxd, int13.vxd, ios.vxd, parity.vxd, reboot.vxd, vcache.vxd, vcd.vxd, vcomm.vxd, vcond.vxd, vdd.vxd, vdef.vxd, vfat.vxd, vfbackup.vxd, vflatd.vxd, vkd.vxd, vmcpd.vxd, vmouse.vxd, vmpoll.vxd, vpd.vxd, vsd.vxd, vtdapi.vxd, vwin32.vxd, vxdldr.vxd. Vmm32.vxd is not only slow to load (because of its huge size), but if you have added/changed your hardware devices after installing Win98, this old driver might not match your system specs anymore.
Certain system errors, like random lockups, error messages at startup, VMM errors, erratic and/or slow mouse movement etc, might be resolved by selectively overriding a VXD included within Vmm32.vxd.
Start by manually extracting one or more of these individual drivers from the .CAB files found in the \Win98 folder on your Win98 Setup cd-rom, and then copying them to your C:\Windows\System\Vmm32 folder (change the Windows folder name if different on your machine). Use this command line (example):

EXTRACT /Y /A D:\WIN98\BASE4.CAB VCOMM.VXD

to extract VCOMM.VXD to the current directory. Typing in the first .CAB file name in a given folder (in this case BASE4.CAB), forces EXTRACT.EXE to search all CABs in the same directory for the file you specify.
Change the cd-rom drive letter if different on your system.
Now move VCOMM.VXD to C:\Windows\System\Vmm32, and reboot.
From now on Win98 will use the individual VXD instead of the one contained in Vmm32.vxd, because if the same VXD loads twice, the second instance (in this case the one in C:\Windows\System\Vmm32) intercepts all the calls to that particular VXD.
Alternatively you can edit System.ini (located in your Windows folder) using Notepad, and add an entry for the VXD you know creates "problems", under the [386enh] section. Example:

device=vcomm.vxd

VXDs known to generate error messages more frequently are: configmg.vxd, ntkern.vxd, vcomm.vxd, vdd.vxd, vdmad.vxd, vflatd.vxd and vmouse.vxd.
You can also check which VXDs are used in Vmm32.vxd on your Win98 computer by running Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager tab -> Your device name -> Driver tab -> Driver File Details button, and look for all drivers that have VMM32 in parenthesis after their filenames. Example:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VCOMM.VXD (VMM32)

Check all items on your Device Manager list for similar drivers and write down their names. Extract them to C:\Windows\System\Vmm32 and then reboot.
Now go back into Device Manager, and check again for the same drivers. You'll notice that all (VMM32) instances after the driver filenames are gone.

WARNING: If you exceed the maximum number of VXDs allowed by Windows 9x at startup (80), the GUI may fail to load or display a Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD)!


Search MSKB for (keyword) VMM32.VXD.

 

[golfman]

well, bad news Rollin' Dog. when i went back to do what u told me i found my roomate sitting at the computer with a windows 98 install disc in the drive! its all screwed up bad now do you know how i can just wipe the dard drive totally clean?
i tried to uninstall the os's and even put in a disk that is supposed to erase the hard drive but when i try to reinstall windows it says that there is already an os on the drive. is there a way i can just wipe it all clean and start over with a new install?

btw... X roomate now

 

[Rollin' Rog]

Sorry to hear that. It really shouldn't be too hard. Since the drive is already partitioned you basically just need to format the current drive and reinstall.

Remember you must have your product key or you will be up the creek without a paddle when it asks.

Basically just follow the instructions in this link under "Formatting the Drive" (you only have one, I presume):

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/support/windows/readme/winme/cleanhd.asp

I'm sorry, I'm having trouble with MS links and their redirects, if the above doesn't get the specific page, try this:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/readme/winme/cleanhd.asp

 

[golfman]

thanx Rollin' Rog! the formatting and install went smooth. i guess it coulda been worse...i do have a cd burner and have almost all of the setups to the progs i had installed, so at least i can put them back in.

thanx for all the info -- very much appreciated

 

[Rollin' Rog]

You're welcome golfman, I always appreciate the feedback that folkes have gone through that basic stage of experience and returned to tell