christarp

Well, I've managed to fix the problem! It took like 8 tries inching closer step by step to a complete system, but I've managed it! Decided to format windows again. and started the install. Mid install when it had to reboot I would get the VMM32.vxd missing error, after getting this error it would make you shut down and try again. So the key to getting past that error was to take out the CD, and try to start windows before the installation completed. This would bypass that error and take you back into setup before you left off. (Apparently it was looking for VMM32.vxd in the cd in the wrong area or something). Once you were back into setup, you had to put the CD back in the drive, then continue the rest of the setup. After you got to the first boot up you then get treated to the tons of dll's missing. Windows initially tries to find these files in the C:\windows\system\precopy folder, but it will fail. In order to get around this you need to manually type in D:\WIN98 for the search path instead so it'll look in the CD-ROM for those missing files, it will then find them and put them in their corresponding area. Now you can boot to the desktop error free. Now, to get the network drivers to work, I had to install those, and then it would ask about 'choosusr.dll' (or something along those lines, I can't quite remember the file name it was looking for). Again it wants to look in precopy for these files, and they won't be there. So you again need to direct it to D:\WIN98 for it to get them off of the CD. I've opted to copy D:\WIN98 to another folder on the C: drive for easy access so I don't need to keep putting in the CD if I ever need some of those files when installing something in the future. Note: I did this without the radeon 7000 in the machine. I used the SiS5598 integrated graphics for this because I suspected the radeon 7000 might be causing conflicts with the integrated graphics. After everything is all patched up and ready to go (almost there, just running the windows 98 Auto-patcher right now!), I'll probably try disabling the SiS5598 in the device manager and try to reinstall the radeon 7000. Before when I was trying to install the radeon 7000 drivers I got an error message saying that I had the wrong device installed for the drivers I was trying to install (but I know for a fact these are the correct drivers), which led me to think there was a conflict with the integrated graphics and my radeon 7000. From what I can see, there's no way to disable the integrated graphics from jumpers on the motherboard, nor is there a disable option for the graphics in the BIOS (only a 2MB and 4MB option) I believe the RAM is working in it, I'm getting a reported 124MB of ram (-4 because of the integrated graphics), and the hard drive and CPU seem to be doing fine as well. CD drive works, ethernet works, and sound apparently works (I see the sound in the task bar, but no speakers to test on). If I can get past the final radeon 7000 road block I should be home free!

The CD is good, and the drive is too, before being in this computer I was using it in another one I had. I also switched out the CD for another one in an attempt to see if it was the CD, and it didn't fare any better. I feel like it is some sort of hardware failure somewhere like you said, I can't think of any other explanation, but everything SEEMS to work alright. Note: a little bit ago I got fed up with trying to get 98 on this, and figured I'd try to install XP and see how it worked. XP ran fine, sound worked, cd drive worked, video worked, but for some reason 98 just gives me hell. And while XP worked it was very sluggish, which is why I'm trying to get 98 on this again (also have some older games that simply don't work on newer computers). I'm honestly stumped.

Well, something happened. I wasn't sure how I would get super pi to run without windows, so I took out the memtest cd and turned it on, and surprisingly I didn't get vmm32.vxd error (I don't get it either). Instead, windows wants me to put in the 98SE CD and it's trying to copy files over. First one is dhcpcsvc.dll, but when I put the cd in it says it can't be found. (Specifically, "The file 'dhcpcsvc.dll' on Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM cannot be found. Setup could not find a file on the specified path. If the path appears below, make sure it is correct. Click OK to try copying again.") It says to make sure the path is correct, and right now it's trying to copy from C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PRECOPY, should I direct it somewhere else?

Well, I've been running memtest for about 6 hours now, no errors at all.

Didn't even see the memtest post before haha, I'll try that tomorrow (need to get some blank cd's). Thanks for all the suggestions, definitely needed some direction.

I am using one stick right now. From what I've found online the pc should be able to do up to 128MB per dimm, i'll see if I can fish up the stock 32MB stick though, thanks for the idea!

Alright, replaced hard drive. Same error vmm32.vxd missing/unable to load error :/

You know.. I don't know why I didn't even think about that, but that might be the case.. I'll swap it out for something else I've got and see if I run into any more issues, I'll report back in a little. Thanks for the idea!

No matter what I do I can't get it to boot. I've had it boot for a few previous attempts but it was always full of missing .vxd files, now I did a format (three times actually), and each time it won't even boot now. Before I can even enter my key it says vmm32.vxd is missing and I need to shut down. In the previous attempts I've had where it did boot and was missing other .vxd files, no drivers would install and nothing would work properly. It entirely depends on luck as to what works, sometimes the CD drive will work, sometimes windows 98SE won't find any CD drivers, and as a result it doesn't work, sometimes USB drivers will work, other times not, I've never got the radeon 7000 to work (and I assume it's because of the integrated graphics wanting to take precedence, but I haven't found any jumpers to disable integrated graphics, or way to disable it in the bios). Funny thing is I use the exact same process each time I install. Keep in mind, this is a brand new install from a 98SE disk. It's an old compaq presario 2286. AMD K6-2, 128 MB ram, radeon 7000, 4GB hard drive.