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Troubleshooting Windows Protection Errors |
Unfortunately a low level device crash like what you're having is bad
news and involves reinstalling Windows.
When you start Windows, you may receive either of the following error
messages:
While initializing device <device name> Windows Protection Error
When you shutdown Windows, you may receive the following error message:
Windows Protection Error
A Windows Protection Error means that an error occurred loading or unloading a virtual device driver (VxD). In many cases you can tell from the error message which VxD did not load, but in other cases you may not be able to determine which VxD caused the problem.
Windows Protection Errors can occur when any of the following conditions occur:
A real-mode driver and a protected-mode driver are in conflict.
The registry is damaged.
The Win.com or Command.com file is infected with a virus or is damaged.
*A driver is being loaded from the System.ini file for which a protected-mode
driver has already been initialized.
*There is a physical I/O or RAM address conflict.
*There are incorrect CMOS settings for a built-in peripheral device
(such as cache settings, CPU timing, hard disks, and so on).
*The Plug and Play feature of the computer's BIOS is not working correctly.
*The computer contains a malfunctioning system cache or memory.
*The computer's motherboard is not working properly.
*You installed Microsoft Office 97 and you are using the Novell Client
32 software.
How To Fix This
To resolve a Windows Protection Error, try the following steps:
1.Start your computer in Safe mode. If the error does not occur when you start in Safe mode or when you shut down from Safe mode, see the appropriate article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Windows 95:
ARTICLE-ID:
Q136337
TITLE : Troubleshooting Windows 95 Startup Problems
ARTICLE-ID:
Q145926
TITLE: How to Troubleshoot Windows 95 Shutdown Problems
Windows 98:
ARTICLE-ID:
Q188867
TITLE: Troubleshooting Windows 98 Startup Problems
ARTICLE-ID:
Q238096
TITLE: How to Troubleshoot Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Problems
2.If your computer is a Plug and Play computer, reinstall Windows using
the following command:
setup /p I
For information about installing Windows 95, see:
ARTICLE-ID:
Q129260
TITLE : Windows 95 Setup: Description and Troubleshooting Steps
3.If you are using the Novell Client 32 software, remove it and install the Microsoft Client for Novell Networks.
4.Make sure that the computer's CMOS settings are correct. For information about changing CMOS settings on your computer, please refer to the computer's documentation or manufacturer.
5.Install a clean copy of Windows in an empty folder. Choose the Custom installation option and do not let Setup detect the hardware in your computer. Install only a mouse, a VGA video adapter, and a keyboard.
If the error still occurs, it is most likely caused by faulty hardware.
The VxD that is generating the error message can be any VxD--either a default installed VxD or a third-party .386 driver being loaded from the System.ini file. If you do not know which driver is causing the error message, create a Bootlog.txt file and check to see which driver was the last driver initialized. This is typically the driver causing the problem.
NOTE: You may also receive a Windows Protection error message when you
restart Windows 95 after installing a program or making a configuration
change to your computer. For more information about this issue, see:
Q157924
Err Msg: "IOS Failed to Initialize" on Boot
For information about resolving Windows protection issues, please see
the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q131431
How to Troubleshoot Registry Errors
From http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q157/9/24.asp
If you recieve any one of the following error messages:
Windows initializing device IOS: Windows protection error. IOS failed
to Initialize, Please restart
While initializing IOS: Windows protection error. You need to restart
your computer.
Windows initializing device IOS: Windows protection error. You need
to restart your computer.
After the error message is displayed, you may not be able to start Windows 95 normally. However, you should be able to start Windows 95 in Safe mode.
It may also be possible to start Windows 95 normally after using the following procedure:
1.Boot Windows 95 in Safe mode or to a command prompt.
2.Perform one of the following two steps:
Edit the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files and disable any references to Smartdrv.exe. To disable a line, type "rem" (without quotation marks) at the beginning of the line.
Rename Smartdrv.exe to another name.
3.Restart your computer normally.
The problem occurs only on certain system configurations, and does not occur if Internet Explorer 4.0 is installed on your computer. These system configurations have a minimum of 32 MB of RAM and a large number of device drivers. The problem is rare and can occur only at startup.
If You recieve these error messages:
While initializing device IOS
A Windows Protection Error occurred.
You need to restart your computer.
Please see: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q164/6/66.asp
If you are recieving:
Invalid VxD Dynamic Link Call from...
Normally, an Invalid Dynamic Link Call error message is the result of an incompatibility between driver versions, or a damaged or missing driver. Try uninstalling and then reinstalling any programs or components that you installed recently (before the error message occurred).
Please see: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q137/3/35.asp
Mouse Systems Driver May Cause Windows Protection Error
For Windows 95
When you restart your computer after installing Windows 95 or making
a system change that requires the computer to be restarted, you may receive
the following error message:
While Initializing Device IOS: Windows Protection Error
Or, you may receive a general protection (GP) fault error message in Gui.exe.
This error can occur if the Mscmouse.com driver by Mouse Systems is being loaded in the Autoexec.bat file, or if Gui.exe is being loaded from the "load=" line in the Win.ini file.
To Fix This:
Remove the Mscmouse.com line in the Autoexec.bat file and then install
the Mouse Systems driver update available from the Mouse Systems BBS.
Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to open the Win.ini file in the Windows folder and remove the Gui.exe entry from the "load=" line. Save the Win.ini file, close it, and then restart your computer.
MORE
For additional information, see:z the following articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
Q135888
Windows 95 CD-ROM Mouse.txt file
Phone
List of Microsoft Hardware and Software Vendors, A-Z
Q65416
Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K
Q60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P
Q60782
Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor List, Q-Z
You can get the patch here,
http://www.amd.com/products/cpg/k623d/download_win95_patch.html
And read,
http://www.amd.com/products/cpg/k623d/win95_update_k6.html
The usual trick is to enter the BIOS and under clock the CPU to below
350 Mhz.Install the patch,then re-boot to BIOS and put it back to it's
correct operating speed.
Next time you start up your machine, press the Ctrl key as soon as the startup memory count is complete and hold it down until the startup menu comes on the screen.
Select "Step by step confirmation" from the menu.
Respond YES to every question.
Watch the screen carefully for any error messages.
When the command to load himem.sys is processed (DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS.......) you may see a message that says "Himem.sys has detected unreliable XMS memory.....".
The next commands then produce the message that himem.sys is missing.
This is an indication that there may be a physical problem with the
RAM memory installed in the computer.
-or-
Your Conventional Memory is too low to load Windows files.
-or-
#1 METHOD Even though you ram looks to be properly seated, pull
them out, clean them off and re-seat them.
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.