WinME startup question

[Clarence \(Lancy\) Howard]

Hi folks

Before anyone says, "take is to an ME group", I assure you that I have
posted the same question there. The reason why it is relevant to this group
is quite simple. I have now found the remnants of four different anti-virus
products on the sick ME machine that I have in my possession. The activity
of one of them (not Norton) is causing me some concern.

My question is this (well... three questions actually):

When SYSINIT is invoked what does it do just before picking up the Windows
Shutdown flag?

Where has WinME recorded the Windows Shutdown flag?

What does SYSINIT do just after it decides whether to run Scandisk or not?

Smartypants observations about me talking out my ass will not be helpful.
However, a knowledgeable answer toany one, or all three would save me a lot
of time.

Clarence (Lancy) Howard
(e-mail address removed) (remove one of the 7s)

 

[TimeTraveller]

Hello Again Clarence,

Scandisk.ini is the file you are looking for.

What is your actual issue though?

Thanks

TT

 

[Ant]

Before anyone says, "take is to an ME group", I assure you that I have
posted the same question there.

Your posts are not appearing on Microsoft's server, which is where you
ought to be posting them. Most ISPs carry copies of the MS public
groups (they are not part of the general Usenet), but posts there
don't (always/ever?) get propagated back to the MS server which is
where most of the MVPs hang out. You are posting to NTLs copy of the
hierarchy on their server.

Add a new news account using the server "msnews.microsoft.com"
(without the quotes), and subscribe directly to the original Win ME
group (microsoft.public.windowsme.general). No login is required.

 

[Clarence \(Lancy\) Howard]

Hi TT

Scandisk.ini is the file you are looking for.

So it's exactly the same as 98SE then, until after Scandisk has done it's
stuff. Scandisk only looks like a Windows program, but it's not. It's a DOS
prog. You have answered the first two of my questions and saved me a lot of
time.

What is your actual issue though?

Realistically, I'm trying to pretend that the sick machine is okay and find
out where and when everything should start. There's loads of stuff that has
been installed and uninstalled (or badly removed) from this machine. I just
wanted to know if SYSINIT on ME was starting it's configuration prior to the
Scandisk event. From what you've said the answer to that is no.

I don't want to be mysterious or evasive. I'm just working my way through
the startup procedure (I've very little knowledge of ME). I run 98SE on a
Compaq box that originally came with ME on board. I just find that 98SE
allows me to do what I want and it runs pretty damn quick on the Compaq box
(there's no constant thrashing of the hard disk). I use a parallel printer
so the only extra driver I need is for my flash drive.

My suspicion is that another anti-virus program has somehow managed to
comprimise the startup process and in so doing has also also compromised the
way in which Nportect.VxD is initiated. This then resulted in Norton not
being able to uninstall itself correctly, ie, it was not able to dismantle
the hooks it had placed in the startup process, or indeed, find and remove
it's own code.

From what I've seen and heard, both here and in WinME groups there seems to
be an acknowledged awareness that there is a problem with Norton being run
in ME. To tell you the truth, I'm beginning to think otherwise. (I promised
Symantec an apology if I found they were not the problem and it's beginning
to look that way - oh dear)

Thankyou very much for your help. It is greatly appreciated.

Clarence (Lancy) Howard
(e-mail address removed) (remove one of the 7s)

 

[TimeTraveller]

Hi Clarence,

Just so I can sleep tonight can you just let me know what the current issue
is? (I wont tell anyone else, it will be our secret!)

Is the system starting and getting into windows correctly?

Is it failing to get to windows correctly?

Does it get to Windows but has an error message during part of the boot
process?

Have you checked the contents of CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT?

Go on you know you want to tell someone really dont you?

What are (if any) the verbatim errors you are getting and what do they stop
you from doing?

Thanks

TT

 

[Clarence \(Lancy\) Howard]

Hi Ant

Your posts are not appearing on Microsoft's server, which is where you
ought to be posting them. .......

I've both posted and have recieved responses in
microsoft.public.windowsme.general
Curiously, another participant here has informed me of a problem similar to
what you are saying.

...... Most ISPs carry copies of the MS public
groups (they are not part of the general Usenet), but posts there
don't (always/ever?) get propagated back to the MS server which is
where most of the MVPs hang out. You are posting to NTLs copy of the
hierarchy on their server.

Ah, a light starts to shine.

Add a new news account using the server "msnews.microsoft.com"
(without the quotes), and subscribe directly to the original Win ME
group (microsoft.public.windowsme.general). No login is required.

Will do. thanks

Clarence (Lancy) Howard
(e-mail address removed) (remove one of the 7s)

 

[Clarence \(Lancy\) Howard]

Hi TT

Is the system starting and getting into windows correctly?

No. Immediately after Scandisk is evoked a Norton box is appearing saying
that it can't find Nprotect.Vxd. I can click the okay button on the Norton
error box and close it (so that code is DOS based). Scandisk appears to be
having hiccups (a bit like a dodgy run of defrag). Although scandisk appears
to still be running (I can still use the mouse) everything else has hung
behind it. The machine is actually getting to writing the desktop (in behind
the scandisk screen) before it hangs. The moment scandisks screen drops away
the machine is totally frozen. There is no keyboard, mouse.

Is it failing to get to windows correctly?

All I am able to see is the desktop.

A curiousity perhaps, in safe mode I can actually use the mouse and keyboard
(maybe for two seconds) before it freezes

Does it get to Windows but has an error message during part of the boot
process?

Nothing from ME, at all. Sometimes in safe mode after moving the mouse I get
a blue screen general protection fault telling me that windows has stopped.

Have you checked the contents of CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT?

Both are 0 byte files

Go on you know you want to tell someone really dont you?

Please remember that I am fiddling about in an OS that I'm not familiar
with. I don't wish to slanderous at this point. I've already slagged off
Symantec and might have to apologise.

Clarence (Lancy) Howard
(e-mail address removed) (remove one of the 7s)