Windows Protection Error...
Vincent
-
mohammed -
mohammed -
Hello everyone,
I am reaching out to you because I have a problem.
I accidentally deleted vmm32.vxd from my PC (Win 98SE). I managed to reload it (c:\windows\system) as well as all the other vxd files from the Win98 CD (c:\windows\system\vmm32) using the extract command in DOS. It restarted and was working.
I shut it down, but afterwards I was unable to restart Windows: it froze and displayed the message "Windows Protection Error. Please restart your computer."
Safe Mode works, but I am unable to fix the issue, even with the help of the operating system.
If you have any suggestions to help resolve this, I would be glad to hear from you.
Thank you in advance.
I am reaching out to you because I have a problem.
I accidentally deleted vmm32.vxd from my PC (Win 98SE). I managed to reload it (c:\windows\system) as well as all the other vxd files from the Win98 CD (c:\windows\system\vmm32) using the extract command in DOS. It restarted and was working.
I shut it down, but afterwards I was unable to restart Windows: it froze and displayed the message "Windows Protection Error. Please restart your computer."
Safe Mode works, but I am unable to fix the issue, even with the help of the operating system.
If you have any suggestions to help resolve this, I would be glad to hear from you.
Thank you in advance.
Configuration: CPU PIII 550Mhz cache 512Ko Mem vive 64Mo SDRAM 384Mo Windows 98 SE
3 answers
Have you done any research on the net?
The VMM32.VXD file (Windows 95/98)
This file, which is sometimes the subject of error messages, is located in the \windows\system directory, and is read by win.com at the time of Windows 95/98 startup.
It's a "compilation" of several things:
1. the real mode "loader"
2. the virtual machine manager (VMM = Virtual Machine Manager)
3. a set of static virtual drivers
(VxD = Virtual x Driver, with the "x" meaning "anything": screen driver, mouse driver, port driver,...)
Win.com will also check for any VxD files present in the \windows\system\vmm32 directory and load them. If a file
in this directory is already included in vmm32.vxd, the one in the directory takes precedence, and the one in vmm32.vxd is then ignored (useful for making updates).
The "typical" VxDs that make up vmm32.vxd are as follows:
*biosxlat *configmg *dynapage *ebios *ifsmgr *int13 *ios *parity
*reboot *vcache *vcomm *vcond *vdd *vdef *vfat *vfbackup
*vkd *vmcpd *vmouse *vmpoll *vsd *vtdapi *vwin32 *vxdldr
In fact, their names are also found in the system.ini file (section [386Enh]), solely for compatibility reasons for 16-bit applications (which ignore the Registry).
The loading of VxDs by the VMM will occur as follows:
1. Load the basic drivers defined in the Registry, under the branch:
Hkey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD
2. Load other VxDs called by VxDs defined in the Registry
3. If the VMM finds the "StaticVxD" value in a subkey of this branch, it loads that VxD and executes its initialization phase in real
mode. (This is the case, for example, for DOSMGR, NDIS, SPOOLER,... but not for WINSOCK, BIOS, ...)
4. The VMM loads the VxDs specified in the "device=*..." lines of the [386enh] section of SYSTEM.INI only if they do not appear in
VMM32.VXD (see remark above)
If VMM32.VXD is corrupted or missing, it must be recreated by... reinstalling Windows! (According to MSDN). Sorry!
If it is during the initial installation of Windows, the presence of a call to a temporary batch (suwarn.bat) in the autoexec.bat file will allow you to avoid having to redo all the file copies.
The VMM32.VXD file (Windows 95/98)
This file, which is sometimes the subject of error messages, is located in the \windows\system directory, and is read by win.com at the time of Windows 95/98 startup.
It's a "compilation" of several things:
1. the real mode "loader"
2. the virtual machine manager (VMM = Virtual Machine Manager)
3. a set of static virtual drivers
(VxD = Virtual x Driver, with the "x" meaning "anything": screen driver, mouse driver, port driver,...)
Win.com will also check for any VxD files present in the \windows\system\vmm32 directory and load them. If a file
in this directory is already included in vmm32.vxd, the one in the directory takes precedence, and the one in vmm32.vxd is then ignored (useful for making updates).
The "typical" VxDs that make up vmm32.vxd are as follows:
*biosxlat *configmg *dynapage *ebios *ifsmgr *int13 *ios *parity
*reboot *vcache *vcomm *vcond *vdd *vdef *vfat *vfbackup
*vkd *vmcpd *vmouse *vmpoll *vsd *vtdapi *vwin32 *vxdldr
In fact, their names are also found in the system.ini file (section [386Enh]), solely for compatibility reasons for 16-bit applications (which ignore the Registry).
The loading of VxDs by the VMM will occur as follows:
1. Load the basic drivers defined in the Registry, under the branch:
Hkey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD
2. Load other VxDs called by VxDs defined in the Registry
3. If the VMM finds the "StaticVxD" value in a subkey of this branch, it loads that VxD and executes its initialization phase in real
mode. (This is the case, for example, for DOSMGR, NDIS, SPOOLER,... but not for WINSOCK, BIOS, ...)
4. The VMM loads the VxDs specified in the "device=*..." lines of the [386enh] section of SYSTEM.INI only if they do not appear in
VMM32.VXD (see remark above)
If VMM32.VXD is corrupted or missing, it must be recreated by... reinstalling Windows! (According to MSDN). Sorry!
If it is during the initial installation of Windows, the presence of a call to a temporary batch (suwarn.bat) in the autoexec.bat file will allow you to avoid having to redo all the file copies.
Hello.
I am bringing this topic back up because I have a similar problem.
So, after networking two PCs, an Athlon at 2.2 GHz running XP and a PII at 400 MHz running 98 SE, I wanted to make sure there was no risk of infection on either machine.
I started with Avast and then, to be certain, I followed up with the online scan from Sécuser.
In the end, Avast found three Trojans on the 98 and Sécuser found one Trojan on the XP.
That evening, I shut the machines down normally.
But since then, it is impossible to start 98; it loads and gives me the following message:
Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer.
Press a key to continue...
I have tried reinstalling Windows, but to no avail; it gets stuck every time when launching the installation.
Can you please help me?
I am bringing this topic back up because I have a similar problem.
So, after networking two PCs, an Athlon at 2.2 GHz running XP and a PII at 400 MHz running 98 SE, I wanted to make sure there was no risk of infection on either machine.
I started with Avast and then, to be certain, I followed up with the online scan from Sécuser.
In the end, Avast found three Trojans on the 98 and Sécuser found one Trojan on the XP.
That evening, I shut the machines down normally.
But since then, it is impossible to start 98; it loads and gives me the following message:
Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer.
Press a key to continue...
I have tried reinstalling Windows, but to no avail; it gets stuck every time when launching the installation.
Can you please help me?