VMM32.VXD - not found

[beatriz]

Oh boy,
yes I am a girl and yes I was deleting some "stuff" on the computer to make room and appearently I deleted too much  ::)! First I had to make a boot disc, which I THINK I did well, then it said it was missing system.ini and win.ini so I followed the steps for that and now it tells me that VMM32.VXD was not found. Windows98 would not start and I am losing it....What have I done ???

Anybody?

[pcdoc4christ]

Beatriz:

This problem may happen if the C:\WINDOWS\System folder is missing or renamed, or if the PATH line in the Autoexec.bat file is missing or does not include the C:\WINDOWS\System folder.

Try this first:

1. Use your boot disk that you just made to start your computer. You should find yourself at a black screen with A:\> in white letters.  

2. Type CD C:\ and press ENTER (you should see C:\>)

3. Then, type DIR VMM32.VXD /S and press ENTER

(When you type the above commands, make sure to put the spaces between the cd and the C:, and between the dir and the vmm32.vxd, and between the vxd and the /s.)

If the Vmm32.vxd file is not found, you must use your Windows 98 CD to reinstall the operating system.  If it is found, write down the folder where it is located and let us know.  One of us will tell you what to do next.

[beatriz]

Hey there! Thank you very much for the DETAILED help. I really appreciated that! Well, I did what you said and this is what come up afterwards:

"Volume in drive C has no label
Volume Serial number is 07CF-07OE

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI

VMM32  VXD  931,584   07-14-99   5:38P
             1 fILE               931,586 bytes

Total files listed:
  1 file         931,584 bytes
   0 dir         5,626.05 MB


Does this help??? It is my old work computer (they gave it to me cause I am such a poor student), so it would be hard to find that *censored* Window 98 CD. Could I use a new Windows CD, let's say XP or somthing like that, or does it have to be 98???

Thank you very much in advance. I don't know what I would do without your help...although I have some good ideas  !

Best,
Beatriz

[pcdoc4christ]

Beatrix:

The location of the file should be the directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM *not* C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI. Please double-check this.  If it says "Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI" then we need to change the folder name from SYSTEM.INI to SYSTEM. So, let us know.

If Vmm32.vxd *is* located in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder, then the next thing you need to do is to see if the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is missing.  So, please do this:

1. Use your boot disk to start your computer.

2. At the A:\> prompt type CD C:\ like before, and press ENTER.

3. At the C:\> prompt, type DIR AUTOEXEC.BAT /S and press ENTER.

4. If the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is found, tell us the name of the folder where it is located.  If it is not found, let us know.

[beatriz]

Hola,
Bad news, I am afraid that System Folder thing is in folder ...INI as mentioned before. Don' ask me how that happened since allll I did was JUST deleting everything  !! Since I don't know where to go from here I am just going to wait for further instructions, which by the way I appreciate so much. I don't know what I would do without this help...it's my last chance since I have NO money to go somewhere to fix it. I just wanted you to know how much your help is appreciated and I dont' take it for granted!

Best,
beatriz

[pcdoc4christ]

Beatriz:

Sorry for the delay.  For the next steps, we should remove any attributes from the AUTOEXEC file so that we may find it.  Then we should confirm that the System folder is not missing or renamed:

1. Use your boot disk to start your computer.  

2. At the A:\> prompt type C: (not CD C:\)and press ENTER.
 
3. At the C:\> prompt, type ATTRIB AUTOEXEC.BAT -R -S -H (make sure the spaces are all there) and press ENTER.

3. Then, type DIR AUTOEXEC.BAT /S and press ENTER.  This time, it should show the location of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file as the C:\ directory.  

4. Next, type the word "type" and the name of the file, like this: TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT and press ENTER.  

5. The contents of the Autoexec.bat file should appear on the monitor.  Write down every line that appears.

6. Next, type this: CD C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI and press ENTER.  Verify that you see the error message that the directory cannot be found.  Then, type CD C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM and press ENTER.  

7. If you see the command prompt change to CD C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\> then the System file is still present.  

8. Type DIR C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Vmm32.vxd.  It should say that Vmm32.vxd was found.

When you are finished, leave a reply to this post.  Let one of us know the contents of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file that you wrote down, and whether or not the Vmm32.vxd file was found in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder.  If you receive an error message that the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory is not found, let us know that, too.

Blessings to you!

[pcdoc4christ]

<------- He is waiting for Beatriz's reply.  

[beatriz]

Hi doc,
don't worry - it took me longer to get back to you!

Here are the (bad) results. I followed your steps very carefully.

After typing ATTRIB AUTOEXEC.BAT -R -S -H it said "Bad command or file name". Then I restarted the computer and tried it a few times (before I really really had it spelled correctly) and then it worked. It said: "Volume in drive C has no label, Volume serial number is 07CF - 070E, Directory of C:\ Autoexec BAT 550 04-06-05  8:54p, 1 file   550 bytes Total files listed: 1 file(s) 550 bytes, 0 dir  3,626.05 MB free (jut in case this helps).

So I followed the next step and wrote every line down:
C:\PROGRA~1\NETWORK#1\MCAFEE#1\SCAN.EXE C:\
@ IF ERRORLEVEL 1 PAUSE
SET BLASTER = A240 I5 D1 T4
LH C:\WINDOWS\AV30DOS.COM
REM [HEADER]

REM [CD-ROM DRIVE]
REM C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX\D:MSCD001

REM [MISCELLANOUS]
REM [DISPLAY]
REM Environment settings for MCAFFE VirusScan
PATH C:\PROGRA#1\MSOFFICE;%PATH%;C:\PROGRA#1\NETWORK~1\MCAFFE#1;C:\WS

mode con codepage prepare=(880) :windows\COMMAND\ega.cpi
mode con codepage select = 850

keyb uk,,c:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\keyboard.sys

SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AUTODE~1
C:\>

Next I followed step 6 and here are the bad news. It does not say "cannot be found" it says C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI and I don't get out of it. I can't get to step 7!

So. I hope this all makes some sense to you because we know how little sense all this makes to me.

Thank you very very much already in advance.

Best,
Beatriz

[merlin_2]

Why are you making life hard for yourself.......let the software make it easier.......reboot pc go into safe mode.....start pc from the dos prompt........type scanreg/fix    or scanreg/restore  after the A:\>

Did this happen after using this?.>http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=191874

[pcdoc4christ]

Merlin:

It seems that the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder was deleted.  If this is correct, then repairing the registry won't bring it back.  

=====================================

Beatriz:

OK, maybe i'm missing something, but it seems you have deleted the folder that contains the system files Windows 98 needs to function.  To test this, i booted one of my systems with Windows 98 SE on my home network with a Windows Me boot diskette.  I then typed c: and pressed ENTER and then dir system /s and pressed ENTER, and i received the following result:

    Directory of C:\WINDOWS

    SYSTEM           <DIR>          01-20-04   8:28p
    SYSTEM   INI             1,818  04-15-05 12:51P
                   1 file(s)                   1,818 bytes


    Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM

    SYSTEM   DRV            2,288 04-23-99 10:22p
                   1 file(s)                   2,288 bytes

    Total files listed:
                   2 file(s)                  4,106 bytes
                   1 dir(s)          .    .    .      bytes free      

It appears, then, that you do not have the system directory (i.e. the sytem folder, which is indicated by <DIR>).  All you have is the system.ini file.  

So, the only way to get Windows 98 to work is to restore a backup (if you have one on CD) or to reinstall Windows 98 using the installation CD (which they should have at your place of work).

If you need advice about reinstalling Windows, let Merlin or i know.

 

[beatriz]

Hi there,
I am not sure if I have the windows  98 cd because they threw everything out when they got their new pc and I got that crappy one (was good before i messed around with it). I have for sure windows xp, can I install that one instead. In any case I don't know how to install windows because it won't read the CD.

Please, let me know and thank you very much to all of you!

Best,
beatriz

[pcdoc4christ]

Beatriz:

XP *may* work just fine on your computer.  Follow the check upgrade instructions at this Web page to find out for sure:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/expert/honeycutt_02april01.mspx

Let me know if you need help.

Regards,
Doc

[beatriz]

It's me again. I am sorry Doc, but I don't know how to start the windows CD from DOS system. Of course the computer won't just start it by itself...any advise?

[merlin_2]

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?s=win98&x=43&y=8

[pcdoc4christ]

Beatriz:

No prob.  When the power is off, put the CD in the drive and then turn the power on.  If you see the message, "Press any key to boot to the CD..." then press the spacebar.

If you do not see the message, wait to see if the computer starts the setup program.  If it does not, let us know, and Merlin2 or i will explain how to change the startup options in your BIOS setup.

If asked if you want to upgrade, answer Yes.

Regards,
Doc