New win-98 install: Asrock DualVSTA m-board

[Guest wsxedcrfv]

I'm pretty satisfied in getting a complete win-98 installation image working on this board with all drivers in-place and working. I've removed the /p i install switch so that ACPI bios is detected during installation.

One issue I'm seeing is that when I do a shut-down, I get an orderly shut-down of the desktop, then I get a black dos-like screen with this printed across the top:

-----------------

Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer.

Press any key to continue...

-----------------

Funny thing is, if I do nothing, the computer does infact turn off about 30 seconds after displaying that message.

I did quite a bit of messing around with drivers during prior attempts at creating an install image, and I'm pretty sure I got it to shut down without seeing that message - but then it came back.

Could this be related to the Nvidia 6200 video card?

The video driver I'm using is: Unofficial NVIDIA Display Driver 82.69 for Windows 98/98 SP1/98 SE/ME Version 1.03.

All ACPI components in device manager are showing ok. I am seeing two PCI Bus entries in device manager under system components, one of which is showing (!), and a couple other (!) elsewhere in the list (one of which I'm sure is the HD audio ALC888 codec). SATA-Raid, USB and ethernet drivers installed just fine.

[dencorso]

1) Did you have the same shutdown problem before, when you had installed without ACPI?

2) The 82.69 is known for shutdown and restart in MS-DOS issues that remain unsolved.

See: nVidia GeForce and Win 9x/ME - Relevant Threads

[Guest wsxedcrfv]

In device manager, under Computer, I have 2 items listed under "? Other Devices", both of which have issues.

One is identified as "PCI card", and the other is "Unknown Device". The properties for the PCI card say that "the drivers for this device are not installed (code 28). I've tried reinstalling the driver from the Driver tab (update driver) but can't locate any INF file that it likes or will take. This device is using IRQ 5, and it was using a memory range that was conflicting with something else, but I changed the memory range so that there are no conflicts. It's using a 4000h memory range.

The Unknown Device is using IRQ 0 and 8, and a 400h memory range (no conflicts).

There is an HD-audio device (Realtek ALC888 codec) that is probably one of these devices, for which there is apparently no win-98 driver (although I did pre-configure this win-98 install with a realtek driver).

Under System Devices, only 1 item is showing a problem. It's identified as "PCI bus". Device Status (under properties) says this:

"Windows could not load the driver for this device because the computer is reporting two PCI.VXD bus types (Code 2). Contact your computer manufacturer to get an updated BIOS for your computer."

In the list of System Devices, there are 2 such items called "PCI bus". The other one is not showing any problems. It's using I/O range 0CF8-0CFF (no IRQ). The PCI bus with the problem is showing the same I/O range (0CF8-0CFF) and it's conflicting with the other PCI bus. It won't let me change the I/O range.

These PCI bus devices have a lot of extra property settings, like "Device enumeration (Use hardware, Use BIOS)", Override Bridges, Use IRQ Steering, Get IRQ table using (ACPI BIOS) or (MS Specific table) or (from Protected Mode PCIBIOS 2.1 call) or (real mode PCIBIOS 2.1 call). The PCI bus with the problem is using everything except Protected Mode call. It's Device enumeration is set to Use Hardware, and no to Override Bridges. It's IRQ Routing Status is IRQ Steering enabled, IRQ Table read from ACPI BIOS, IRQ Miniport Date processed successfully, IRQ Miniport loaded successfully.

Win-98 shutdown does not work properly (still get "Windows protection error" when shutting down).

Using these video driver files:

NVDISP.DRV 4.14.10.8269 9/11/2006

NVMINI.VXD 4.14.10.8269 9/11/2006

If I'm correct in thinking that the shutdown did work at one time, it would have been with the ACPI drivers not installed, or it would have been with the nvidia driver not yet fully installed. I'm going to have to re-build my custom driver installation to test for the driver or condition that results in the error when shutting down.

Edit: Remember that I haven't performed any windoze-update on this install. So maybe this is relevant: Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/239887

On my working win-98 computer, I already have the 8/11/99 shutdown patch, and I have the 9/28/99 version of Vpowerd.vxd (how did microsoft distribute that file?). But I also have an 11/19/99 version of Vpowerd.vxd with version number 4.10.2225 kicking around on my system - seems to be part of MDCU230. ?

Edited January 29, 2011 by wsxedcrfv

[dencorso]

Use the DOS app from Craig's PCI Programs to find what your unknown device is.

*Do read* the threads I pointed you to.

Nothing will solve your shutdown problem, because it's a known bug in the 82.69 nVidia driver.

A downgrade may do it though. I'd bet on the 77.72, because of this:

Multibooter

========

OS: Windows 98SE

Memory: 2 GiB RAM (PC3200 2x 1 GiB)

Motherboard: ASUS P5PE-VM

CPU: Intel core 2 duo E4500 @ 2200 MHz (core 2 duo E2200 also worked Ok)

Video card: nVIDIA 7800 GS OC (256 MiB; AGP 8x)

* NO shutdown problems after fiddling with GeForce (77.72) driver *

AGP aperture: 128 MiB

config.sys:

DEVICE=HIMEMX.EXE /NUMHANDLES=64 /VERBOSE /LOG

autoexec.bat: no relevant entries

system.ini:

MaxPhysPage=48000 ; 1150 MiB

MaxFileCache=131072 ; 128 MiB

vmm32.vxd: plain vanilla (with 4.10.0.2222 vcache.vxd and vmm.vxd inside)

[Guest wsxedcrfv]

Use the DOS app from Craig's PCI Programs to find what your unknown device is.

Here's a report from that program: http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/19/2010382/pci2.txt

It's using the original pcidevs.txt contained within the program download package (Sept 2005). It looks like this might be the last update to that file (Sept 2007): http://web.archive.org/web/20071007132542/http://members.datafast.net.au/dft0802/downloads/pcidevs.txt

I'm wondering why I'm seeing so many references to "AGP Enabled : No" instead of "Yes". I'll re-run the program, using the more recent pcidevs file and see if it produces a better or different output.

*Do read* the threads I pointed you to. Nothing will solve your shutdown problem, because it's a known bug in the 82.69 nVidia driver. A downgrade may do it though. I'd bet on the 77.72

I realize that yes, I will probably have to go to that driver.

I've seen references to use an alternate himem.sys: http://www.flaterco.com/kb/W98.html (look near the bottom of that page).

HimemX available here: http://www.japheth.de/Jemm.html

Also, turning off video cache in the BIOS might help - but I see no such option on this motherboard. This is a 256 mb video card, and I have the AGP aperture set to 64 mb in the BIOS.

I'm going to try using HimemX first. If that doesn't solve the shut-down problems, then I'm going to try different nvidia drivers.

Edit:

The MS shutdown update did not help, nor did the 9/28/99 version of Vpowerd.vxd.

Edit:

Have re-run the pci.exe program using newer pcidevs.txt file. Result is here: http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/19/2010382/pci3.txt

Also, output from unknowndeviceidentifier.exe: http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/19/2010382/DeviceList.txt

Using HimemX.exe instead of himem.sys did not fix the shutdown problem. But of note, the /testmem switch for himemx does not work.

One thing that's got me wondering is if the audio chipset on this board has AC'97 functionality, as indicated in the devicelist.txt file:

OEM Device VT8233 AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller

OEM Vender ASRock Inc

PnpID VEN_1106&DEV_3038&SUBSYS_30381849&REV_A0

Why can't I get any AC'97 audio drivers to detect that device?

Does anyone know any examples of on-board HD audio that can default or operate as an AC'97 audio device?

Will now start trying different Nvidia video drivers...

Edited January 29, 2011 by wsxedcrfv

[dencorso]

The manual says you have an ALC888, so you need, at least, drivers for the ALC662 Audio Codec, and may have to tweak the inf, for them to work...

BTW, here's a precious old post by jaclaz, which is certaily warranted to be quoted here:

Also, and just for the record, there have been some really harsh debate about huntersoft/UDI in the past:

http://www.halfdone.org/SOTW/RipSummary.php

I don't want to take sides, mind you, but the halfdone.org app works nicely:

http://halfdone.com/ukd/

(I use the "old" 1.2 version with the updated files inside latest Beta.)

Though not "exactly" what you asked for, there are two exceptionally good programs,

SIW:

http://www.gtopala.com/

and

SIV:

http://rh-software.com/

That can detect EVERYTHING on a PC.

jaclaz

And, yes, HimemX.exe is buggy. You shouldn't use it unless it actually solves some issue for you.

[Guest wsxedcrfv]

I grabbed a copy of the Nvidia 77.72 drivers, and after adding a couple lines to NVAGP.INF it installed itself without complaining or giving me problems. The original NVAGP.INF file did not have many entries for 6200-series cards.

And yes, now the computer does shut-down properly, no protection error.

> The manual says you have an ALC888, so you need, at least, drivers for the

> ALC662 Audio Codec, and may have to tweak the inf, for them to work...

Here is the output from System Information for Windows and System Information Viewer:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/19/2010382/SIW.txt

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/19/2010382/SIV.txt

There is a PCI bus that's apparently sitting at address or location "128" that my system can't properly communicate with, along with a PCI card that's attached to that bus with this id: PCI\VEN_1106 DEV_3288 SUBSYS_08881849.

Vendor 1106 is Via (not Realtek) and DEV 3288 seems to refer to the southbridge chip, not the Realtek codec.

Why would I see 3 different problem entries in my device manager (and one of them being a "PCI bus") for just a single device (audio controller) ?

[dencorso]

The Plug and Play ID for this device is PCI\VEN_1106 DEV_3288-SUBSYS_08881849 *is* the High Definition Audio Controller. Of course it *is* part of the southbridge. Remember *that* is the difference between the 8237 and the 8237A (which is the one your board has). Search VIA for the correct audio driver (I think it's this one, though, but it seems you'll have to tweak the INF here, too). In any case, do inspect the driver offered by ASRock for 2k/XP under the hood... you may find out it also supports 9x/ME, although that's not advertised.

BTW, please, do zip and attach the modified NVAGP.INF, since it may be of help for others.