ThinkPad 240 - Problems in win98SE

[oski]

I have a 240, 400MHz, 192MB, and HDD30GB, running Win98SE.

By mistake I left it running on the battery for several hours, until the battery was totally discharged!!!

1- When connected to AC, SCANDISK started and took a long time to finish, and after the Win98 screen showed the following message error appeared :
"Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run windows or a windows aplication.
The windows registry or SISTEM>INI file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exits.
If you deleted this file on purpose, try uninstalling the associated application using its uninstall or setup program.
If you still want to use the application associated with this device file try reinstalling that application to replace the missing file.
C:\windows\system\VMM32\ifsmgr.VXD
Press any key to continue".
Then same message but the file is:C\windows\system\VMM32\ios.VXDNext same messagebut file is C:\windows\VMM32\IFSMGR.VXD

After pressing enter sveral times the above mentioned messages appeared, and after three times of doing that the following message shows:

"Insufficient memory to initialize windows.
Quit one or more memory resident programs or remove unnecessary utilities from your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC>BAT files, and restart your computer".
And after that Shuts down inmmediately
Same happened starting in Safe Mode!!!!

Any suggestions?????


2.- I tried reinstall win98SE using my my CD and my win98SE Start Up disk, but no drivers are included for my CNF CARDPORT PCMCIA 24x CDROM.

Drivers are included in the IMB rescue disk that I downloaded but it is for win95. I copied the CARDSOFT folder into my startup disk, but as expected did not work.

Can anybode direct me to where can I download an Startup disk for win98SE, or how to add the CDROM drivers to my actual startup disk?

[leoblob]

I might suggest a different approach, one not every one will agree with...

During the boot, I would make a paper-and-pencil list of every file it can't find, along with the location of each.

I would then find someone else with WIN98SE, and get copies of the files on a floppy (or maybe several floppies but I doubt it).

Then, boot into DOS, and manually copy the files from the floppies into the appropriate directories.

This may seem half-assed, but I have successfully done it a few times, when WIN98 has gotten corrupted for whatever (almost impossible to determine) reason.

I think your machine can't boot in Windows, and you get the nasty error message, since the VMM32 directory contains critical files.

[oski]

Hi Leoblob,

Iwill try to follow your suggestion, try to find somebody with win95SE, because I have here only access to XP and win 98 desktops.

And in the meantime try to figure to make a bootdisk that will boot my CNF
CDRom.
Many thanks

oski

[AlphaKilo470]

If you don't want to spend the time reinstalling Windows (just perform an "upgrade" install so your software will stay intact), leoblobs suggestion sounds like the best route.

[leoblob]

If you get stuck finding someone with WIN98SE, maybe I can help... If the number of files you're missing is fairly low (like half a dozen), make a list, and I will either e-mail them to you, or put on a floppy and snail mail. Please send me a PM if interested.

One thing I'd like to point out is that this method may not completely fix your install of Windows. There could be other stuff missing or corrupted, but I think it's worth a shot. Let me know if I can help, and good luck either way!

[oski]

If you get stuck finding someone with WIN98SE, maybe I can help... If the number of files you're missing is fairly low (like half a dozen), make a list, and I will either e-mail them to you, or put on a floppy and snail mail. Please send me a PM if interested.

One thing I'd like to point out is that this method may not completely fix your install of Windows. There could be other stuff missing or corrupted, but I think it's worth a shot. Let me know if I can help, and good luck either way!

Hi leoblob,

As you suggested the vmm32.vxd was totally corrupted!!!!!, but at the end I managed to have my 240 up and running.

For the benefit of other newbies like me I did as follows:
1.- Find the DOS driver for my PCMCIA CD ROM and make an win98se startup disk.
2.- Rename vmm32.vxd, config.sys, and autoexec.bat.
3.- Boot with the startup disk and reinstall windows.

Many tanks to you and everyone who made comments.

And congratulations for the forum, it is a very constructive one!!!!

oski

[leoblob]

Glad you got it running again!