Can't load win98 on old P200 Compaq

[-Alby Hewlet]

Hi,
I've been trying to put a clean install on a friend's old P2 200 mmx system
that was all tangled up.
Here's what I did:
Backed up his data files
Booted with CD support from the startup disk
Formatted the C drive (that's the only drive)
And ran setup

Here's what happens:

It usually gets as far as the plug and play routine and then when it
re-boots if crashes with the following message:
Windows protection error, you must restart your computer
C:\windows\system\vmm32.VXD: missing unable to load

so I reboot with power off then on, and get this:
C:drive himem.sys has detected an unreliable XMS memory @ address 02000022
XMS driver not installed

Here's what I did: The first time I got this I removed the 128 meg stick of
memory from it, and replaced it with a 64 meg stick of Compaq memory. But
it does the same thing. I guess it's possible that both of the memory
sticks are bad, but I'm not so sure.

Any ideas will be much appreciated.

Al

 

[JAD]

it sounds like:

1 the memory timing my be set too fast- reset the bios to 'default
settings' for now
2 the vmm32.VXD is corrupt on the disk- the disk may be damaged
3 it could be the processor- long shot
4 XMS is 'extended memory controlled by himem.sys this to maybe
damaged.

When the command to load himem.sys is processed
(DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS.......) a message that says "Himem.sys
has detected unreliable XMS memory.....".

The next commands then produce the message that himem.sys is missing.

there is a physical problem with the RAM memory installed in the
computer, and it probably needs to go to a repair shop.

Himem.sys does not load if a memory problem is detected, and this then
results in the other programs having problems because himem.sys is not
loaded

 

[-Alby Hewlet]

Hey Jad,
thanks for reply.

The system was working fine for years so why would
the memory timing jump? I mean, is that possible?

I'm gonna clean the memory slot and try some different
dimms, but will also do the default thing you suggested
and will do that first.

The hard drive zeroed out fine, Fdisked fine, and took a format fine,
and scan disk said it was OK. After two failed attempts at loading
o/s, fm A > ran format /s/q and that worked fine. All of which
lead me to believe the hard drive was ok.

My thinking was clean installs would prevent vmm32 from
being corrupted because it would be written new. I'm just
guessing at all of this.

Is XMS just part of ram that the o/s uses, or is it
a spot on the hard drive, or both?

Thanks,

Al

 

[-Alby Hewlet]

It's fixed. All I did was clean the memory slot and the memory stick, the
64meg Compaq one, with a cleaner/degreaser from Radio shack. I lost the
spray cap to it but got some out by pushing down inside it with a pin and
then applied it with an old tooth brush dipped in the liquid that pooled on
the top of the can.

The install picked up right where it crashed, at the plug and play part, and
continued on normally!

Finally, lady luck smiled on me.

Al