Windows 98 Error Messages What Causes Them, How to Fix Them & When To Get Help

Although error messages are not usually common with Windows 98 (Win98), they are still a fact of life Considering the complexity and variety of today's computers, applica-tions, and peripheral devices, it is not surprising that Win98 as the operating system and director of the show- stumbles occasionally. Furthermore, when you analyze things from that point of view, it seems amazing that errors don't occur more often. So, when Win98 does stumble, it usually tries to tell you what's wrong, and an error message is its mode of communication.

Understanding what these messages mean can help you to prevent them, troubleshoot them, and hopefully, resolve them. In this article, we help you sharpen your deciphering skills, gain some insight into the possible causes of these messages, and decide when it's time to throw in the towel and consult the experts.

Common Error Types- What follows are some examples of common types of Win98-related issues. Some of them might appear as early as during the Win98 installation or upgrade process. Others may not show up until you are well underway in your new world of Win98 computing, such as the first time you try a certain application or activity.

Errors are by no means restricted to any certain area or time frame. During the course of using Win98, they just crop up, sometimes triggered by the Win98 startup or shutdown process, or possibly by an errant software program, utility, game, or reference CD-ROM. Errors can result from simple mistakes on your part, from a mysterious "hiccup" within Win98, or from a strange interaction between Win98 and other soft-ware or hardware.

To help you understand the different types of errors that are common with Win98, the text that follows illustrates examples of messages that could appear, descriptions of what the likely culprit or causes of the errors might be, and some tips on how to resolve or troubleshoot them. This list is not exhaustive, but serves as a set of examples that demonstrate the type of error messages that could occur as you use Win98.

Errors At Installation.

Error Message: "An error occurred with DllInstall in C: \ Windows\ System\Shdocvw .dll (HRESULT=80004005)."

Cause: This message appears during the Win98 setup if uninstall information for Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 is present on your computer. This might occur if you had Internet Explorer 4.0 installed under a previ-ous version of Windows.

Resolution: The error message is gener-ated by Win98's confusion over the existence of this uninstall information, but it has no effect on the operation of the setup program or the ongoing operation of Win98 or Internet Explorer. After you have completed the setup process, you won't see it again, so this mes-sage is one that you can just ignore.

Error Message: "SUWlN caused a general protection fault in 256_1280.drv at 0002:0D7B."

Cause: This General Protection Fault error may appear during installation after you click the notification regarding the accep-tance of the terms in the End User License Agreement. It is caused by memory and hard drive access problems related to one of the following:
a) an incorrectly configured memory management software
b) a GSI Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)
c) a hard drive that requires double buffering, but double buffering is not enabled on your computer
d) a Cirrus Logic video card driver that is incompatible with the Win98 setup
e) an antivirus setting enabled in your comput-er's complementary metal-oxide semicon-ductor (CMOS) settings

Resolution: Use the solution that corre-sponds to your cause above:
a) Reconfigure the memory management soft-ware so that it will allow the Win98 setup to finish. Refer to the documentation for your particular memory management software for guidance.
b) If your computer has a GSI BIOS, contact your computer's manufacturer for informa-tion. If you are not sure what kind of BIOS your computer has, watch as your computer boots up to see the name of the BIOS.

Or, for upgrades from Windows 95 (Win95): Print a System Summary report to see what BIOS your PC uses. Click the Start button and select Settings, then open the Control Panel and double-click the System icon. In the dialog box that appears, click the Device Manager tab, then click the Print button to access the Print dialog box. Click to select System Summary, then click OK. The System Summary, which tells you all about your computer, from the BIOS to the peripher-als, prints to your default printer. The BIOS name listed in the first section tells you what BIOS your computer uses. (NOTE: You must print out the System Summary to see the BIOS name; it does not dis-play in the Windows Explorer view.) And, for upgrades from Windows 3.x:

Run Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD). Double- click Main from Program Manager, then double-click MS-DOS to go to the DOS prompt. At the DOS prompt, type MSD and press ENTER. Press the P key to dis-play the computer diagnostics. The BIOS manufacturer is the second entry in the Computer text box that displays.

c) Enable double buffering for your hard drive. Consult your computer's documentation or the manufacturer's technical support department for assistance if necessary.
d) Restart the computer, booting into DOS, and run the Win98 setup from M~DOS.
e) Disable any antivirus pro-grams before running setup. They can be enabled once again after you have installed Win98 successfully

Error Message: "SUWIN... An error has occurred in your application. If you choose to ignore, you should save your work in a new file. If you choose close, your application will terminate." And, when you click close, a Sec-ond message displays: "Application Error... SUWIN caused a general protection fault in module setupx.dll @ 0012:1346."

Cause: This error occurs during the process of upgrading from Windows 3.x to Win98 if you disabled virtual memory in Windows 3.x prior to running the Win98 setup.

Resolution: If you receive this error message, you must go back to Windows 3.x and enable virtual memory before you pro-ceed with the installation of Win98. In the Windows 3.x Program Manager, double-click Main, then Control Panel, then 386 En-hanced. In the 386 Enhanced dialog box, click the Virtual Memory button. The Virtual Memory dialog box displays, showing "None" as the current setting for Type. Click Changeť. In the New Settings box, select either Temporary or Permanent from the drop-down list for Type, then click OK. With virtual memory enabled, you can proceed with the Win98 installation.

Error Message: "The Registry is corrupt-ed and Windows must be installed to a new directory."

Cause: This error is usually caused by an interruption in the file-copying portion of the Win98 setup process. The interruption could have occurred because the Advanced Power Management (APM) shut down your comput-er before the Win98 setup was complete; or perhaps one or more programs running during the setup interfered with the setup process (for example, Symantec's Norton Utilities Nprotect program is known to interfere); or maybe there is not enough free space on your hard drive for a full installation. Resolution: Before running the Win98 setup, verity that you have closed all other programs, including all virus detection programs and other utilities, and that your hard drive has at least 195 megabytes (MB) of free space. If your comput-er's BIOS supports APM, follow the computer manufacturer's instructions to disable APM in the BIOS before reinstalling Win98.

General Errors.

Error Message: Dial-in driver not loaded." Or, "PCTCPAPIO83: 410 PC/TCP kernel and VxD not loaded. Your application will be adversely affected. DLL initialization failed."

Cause: This message may appear when you try to initiate a dial-up connection after a Windows 3.x to Win98 upgrade. Because it is a 32-bit operating system, Win98 cannot adopt the dial-up settings and Internet ser-vice provider (ISP) information contained in the 16-bit Internet Explorer files of Windows 3.x.

Resolution: Run the Internet Connection Wizard to re-create the ISP connection as if it were new. Click Start, then Programs, Internet Explorer, and Connection Wizard, then follow the prompts provided by the wizard to set up the connection.

Error Message: "Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows or a Windows application. The Windows Registry or System.ini refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists. If you deleted this file on pur-pose, try uninstalling the associated application using its uninstall 98 program or setup program. If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try reinstalling that application to replace that missing file. (filename.vxd)"

Cause: This message may appear because a virtual device driver (VxD) refer-enced in the System.ini file or in the Registry is missing or damaged, or perhaps one of the StaticVxD values in the Registry contains invalid data.

Resolution: First, try the solution that the error message itself recommends. if you have partially removed an application that you wanted to remove, complete the uninstall process -often the best way to ensure a com-plete removal is to reinstall the application, then run its uninstall program. If it has none, consult its documentation or technical support for removal instructions.

If you can identify the file name in the message as belonging to an application that you want to keep on your computer, reinstall that application. If that doesn't work, then you may need to edit the Registry to remove the errant reference. Back up the Registry before you do anything else. The Registry is a type of "control central" for Win98, so you need to be sure that if you make a mistake, you can get back to square one. For more information, see "Customizing The Win98 Registry: Doors & Paths To Explore For A More Efficient Operating System" in this issue.

Error Message: "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor." Then, if you click Details, Win98 displays the error message: "MSINF032 caused an invalid page fault in module KERNEL32.DLL at 015f:bff8xxxx."

Cause: This message tells you that a file called MSINFO32 caused the problem. This particular message can be triggered when you run the System Information tool in Win98.

Resolution: Replace the offending file, in this case by extracting a new copy of the Msinfo32.exe file from your Win98 ~ using the System File Checker, which will verify the integrity of your system files. Click the Start button, then Run. In the Run dialog box, type sfc.exe in the field and click OK.

In the System File Checker window, click the Extract One File From Installation Disk option, then type msinfo32.exe in the text entry box that appears beneath, and click Start. Next, Win98 requests the file location. In the Restore From field, type the location or click Browse to select the correct path from the Win98 CD-ROM. (The path should be something like D:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\MICROSOFT SHARED\Msinfo.exe). Click OK to finish, then click OK again until the Win98 prompt asks if you want to restart your computer. Click Restart.

Error Message: "Warning: Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Choose Safe mode to start Windows with a minimal set of drivers."

Cause: This message may appear when you start or reboot your computer if the com-puter's Registry files are missing or corrupted.

Resolution: Reboot the computer in Safe mode. When the Registry Problem dialog box displays, click the Restore From Backup And Restart option. Win98 will attempt to recover by restoring backup copies of the Registry. Don't worry if you didn't make backup copies-Win98 isn't looking for copies that you made. The Registry is so critical to the startup and operation of Win98 that any time a change is made to it, Win98 makes copies of the old Registry files automatically.

If it is able to restore the old Registry files successfully, Win98 prompts you to restart the computer again. Click Yes to restart. If it cannot restore the backup Registry files, Win98 will inform you of that and suggest that you shut down your computer and reinstall Win98. At this point, if you have backup copies of the Registry that you made yourself, try restoring them and restarting. Otherwise, reinstall Win98 and you'll get a new Registry with it

Error Message: The computer stops responding and/or displays the message: "Not enough memory to convert the drive to FAT32. To free up memory, REM all statements in the AUTOEX EC.BAT and the CONFIG.SYS files."

Cause: This message may appear when you try to take advantage of Win98's FAT32 conversion. The error is triggered either because there is not enough conventional memory available or the directory structure on the drive that you are trying to convert is too large.

Resolution: Try to increase the amount of free conventional memory, then convert the hard drive to FAT32 in Real mode. (For specific details, go to the Microsoft Web site at http:// www.microsoft.com/Support, then click the Try Support Online link on the right side of the Web page to access Microsoft's online collection of technical data. Complete the online profile if necessary, and search for article Q188561.)

Error Message: "Invalid system disk. Replace the disk and then press any key."

Cause: This error may occur during the first reboot of the setup process, or when you boot from the startup diskette. It's usually caused by something that is interfering with the program's ability to copy files to your PC's hard drive, such as virus protection software installed on your PC; hard drive management software installed on your PC; or a virus that's infecting your PC drive's boot sector.

Resolution: If you run into this problem on a computer that has virus protection software installed, boot the computer using the Win98 startup diskette that you created at the begin-ning of the installation process, and follow the procedure below to reinstall system files.

Reinstall System Files. Boot the PC using the Win98 startup diskette. Enter DOS, then at the DOS (C>) prompt, type the following commands to replace the faulty system files on your hard drive.

cd \ windows \ command attrib

C: \ msdos.sys -s -h -r

copy c:\msdos.sys c:\msdos.xxx

a:

sys C:

attrib c:\msdos.sys -s -h -r

del c:\msdos.sys

copy c:\msdos.xxx c:\msdos.sys

attrib c:\msdos.sys +s +h +r

Then, remove the startup diskette from the diskette drive and restart the computer. Third-party drive management software can be the culprit if Win98 doesn1t detect it, as can some-times happen. Win98 may have overwritten the master boot record (MBR), in which case you need to consult the documentation of your drive management utility for instructions on restoring the MBR. There also may be damage to the setup files. Check the Setuplog.txt file to verify that the two numbers listed in the FSLog line are the same, as in this example: FSLog: BIOS Heads=:64:, BootPart Heads=:64:

If the two numbers do not match (they may not necessarily be 64, as shown here, but they must match each other), follow the directions above to reinstall the Win98 system files. If you suspect a virus, use an antivirus program to find and remove the virus. Be thorough; the virus may have infected drives other than the hard drive -they often go into memory and can infect any non-infected drives that your computer accesses. Once you have detected the virus, reinstall Win98.

General Protection Faults. The General Protection Fault (GPF) has for a long time been one of the most frustrating errors that a Windows user sees. Although it's not new with Win98, the good news is that, unlike Windows 3.x and its predecessors, Win98 can actually survive a GPF error. The application that you're working in may not survive, but Win98 usually can.

GPFs are just the computer's way of telling you that there is an error in an application's code-often resulting in a conflict due to an attempt by that application to access a restricted area in the computer's random-access memory (RAM).

A GPF usually causes the offending application to lock up and, as a result, you often lose everything you did since the last time you saved your work. So, get into the habit of saving your work periodically. If you've been having trouble with GPFs and other error messages, or if you've had applications close down unexpectedly, make sure you save often.

In addition, if you're experiencing frequent problems, these tips might help. Watch for clues in the error message itself-it will often cite the name of the file that triggered the fault. That file name can lead you to the pro-gram or device driver that's setting off the fault. Sometimes just reinstalling the offend-ing program or replacing the driver can fix the problem.

Run Win98's Disk Defragmenter periodical-ly to organize a sloppy hard drive that might trip up the operating system.

Check out the system resources. If the com-puter's resources are strained, you'll experi-ence more errors.

Upgrade your applications. You're likely to see fewer GPFs if the applications you are running under Win98 were designed for Win98, or at least for Win95. Some 16-bit applications have been known to cause more than their share of GPFs under the 32-bit nature of Win98 and its predecessor, Win95.

Make sure that there's a place for the computer to put its temporary files.

Simplify your environment. Don't use fancy wallpaper, screen savers, or more fonts than you need In addi-tion, close any windows that don't need to be open.

You can get more information on GPFs and troubleshooting from Microsoft. To search for articles in its Support Online database, access http://www.microsoft.com/Support, then click the Try Support Online -option on the right side of the Web page. Again, you may need to complete the online profile to gain access to the database.

Stack Overflow Errors. Stacks are reserved areas in the memory that the comput-er uses to process hardware tasks. An over-flow will happen when there isn't enough space in that reserved area of memory to han-dIe the tasks. When Win98 displays a Stack Overflow error message, it is just telling you that there's not enough memory available to handle what the computer is trying to do.

Hardware conflicts or insufficient memory may be to blame. Try running the Memory Troubleshooter. Click the Start button, then Help, and type troubleshooting in the field provided. Press ENTER on your keyboard and a Topics Found dialog box will open to reveal various related topics. Find Memory Trouble-shooter in the list and click the Display button. Use this for tips on how to free up space or optimize what you have. Adding more RAM may be another alternative.

Help Yourself. If you get stuck, or just overwhelmed, there are lots of places to look for more help. In addition to technical assistance via telephone, there are multiple online sites besides Microsoft that are devoted to supporting Win98 users by reporting problems and publicizing tips. Some of these sites might be sponsored by hardware and software vendors that want to publicize resolutions regarding compatibility problems between Win98 and their own prod-uct. Other non-Microsoft resources are indepen-dent sites that contain valuable collections of user-helping-user tips and are appropriately classified as "peer support."

Peer support has proven to be such a popu-lar resource that many vendors, including Microsoft, are adding peer-support elements (often called newsgroups) to their site- with all of the requisite disclaimers to protect them-selves from liability, of course. Nevertheless, all of these resources offer some form of advice regarding Win98, and you might find some-thing through these sources that you can't find anywhere else.

For example, Frank Condron's World 0' Windows (http:/ /www.conitech.com/windowslwin98.asp) is a good resource for Win98 drivers. This site has sections on other Windows products and applications, as well. It even includes reviews of books on Win98. Or, you can utilize the information at ActiveWindows (http:I /www.activewin.com) for current news articles on related topics, along with a slew of drivers, utilities, acces-sories, and Desktop themes that are available for downloading. Some are even directly linked to Microsoft.

For more information about accessing numerous vendors and finding technical assistance for Win98-related problems, see "Solving Win98 Compatibility Problems," another article in this issue.

Contact The Experts. If you think that it's time to consult the experts, a toll call to (425) 635-7222 will get you in queue to speak with a Microsoft Win98 product support technician. They're available between the hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.1 Pacific Time, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). However, you will probably wait on hold for quite a while to utilize this one-on-one support option, so you might want to try other support routes first, such as those described earlier in this article, or other options mentioned in the "Solving Win98 Compatibility Problems" article.

Win98 support is free for the first 90 days, which begins the first day you speak to one of the support representatives, but after that there's a fee. Before you dial technical support. Try to anticipate their questions and have all of the resources you'll need readily available, such as your product identification num-ber. In addition, make sure you call with a telephone that you can use while you're at your computer so that searching for files and information while on the phone will be easier. The support representative may even ask you to implement suggest-ed fixes during the course of the call.

Also, if Win98 displayed an error message, be sure to write it down exactly as it appeared-including the information that displays only when you click the Details button on the message window. It is very important that you get to know more about your computer, including its processor, its manufacturer, the amount of memory and hard drive space it has, the type of peripherals connected to it, etc. It's also a good idea to print out a System Summary, as described earlier, to keep on hand for easy reference.

In addition, it's even essential to be familiar with your operating system and its exact ver-sion number. And, if you are calling about an upgrade problem, both the version you're upgrading from and the version you're upgrading to are important. You can find out the version of the installed operating system by looking at the System Summary described above, or by selecting About Windows 98 from the Help menu of any system window. Accessing the Help menu is also an option when searching for the exact version numbers of Windows 3.x and Win95.

Most of all, be courteous. These technicians spend their days on the phone with frustrated users. Calmly describe step-by-step what you were doing when the error occurred and what applications or devices you were using or accessing. Be sure to know each item's version and/or model number. Next, tell the techni-cian what other things you have done so far to try to troubleshoot the problem. If you are prepared with all of this information and you state your problem clearly and concisely, you can make the most of your consultation with the technician. Then, just listen and follow the technician's instructions.