WIN98SE Puzzle: Windows Protection Error, Corrupt setupx.dll?

Thanks for all the additional suggestions!

I wondered if I should back up onto my other hard drive. That's sounds like a great idea. Should I just back up the entire contents of the drive?

And I like the idea of disconnecting the secondary drive during the Windows re-install. That didn't occur to me.

I only disconnected the data cables from my optical and hard drives when I was checking for hardware problems. I wondered about pulling the power cables also but I didn't do that.

As a funny aside, I nearly shot myself in the foot last night. I actually started the Windows re-install using the technique linked above. I renamed WIN.COM as WINold.COM as a first step. But then I decided not to proceed when I got a warning that went something like:

'This full install CD is intended for a computer without Windows already installed. Your computer has an operating system installed and it is recommended that you exit this installation. If you proceed the contents of you Config.sys and Autoexec.bat (I think those were the files listed) will be replaced with basic versions.'

I wasn't quite sure what to make of that so I exited the install program and tried to re-boot. But I could not re-boot into Safe Mode because I had renamed WIN.COM and that file was now missing. I had to dig up some old DOS commands to figure out how to rename WINold.COM to WIN.COM.

Bob

Here's an update.

Tonight I reinstalled Windows 98SE using the tip to rename WIN.com and forcing installation in C:/WINDOWS.

That seemed to go fine but I was still only able to boot into Safe Mode. I no longer get the Windows Protection Error but I'm not sure if I'm any closer to a solution.

I did get the following message from the "Microsoft Registry Checker":

You have restored a good registry - Windows found an error in your system files and restored a recent backup of the files to fix the problem.

Is that a problem?

And, as Safe Mode starts up, I receive the following messages:

System File Error - The following system files have been replaced with older versions by a program you recently ran. These files are currently in use and cannot be automatically repaired. Windows may not run correctly until you exit and restart Windows so these files can be automatically repared.

And the following three files are listed:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDEML.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mcicda.drv
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WINASPI.DLL

I wasn't sure how to exit Windows to allow the repair. Restarting the computer did nothing.

Finally, when I ran the System File Checker, an error was found in the file C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\user.exe. I replaced that file with a copy I found in the Helpdesk directory. And then the System File Checker crashed before completing its scan. That was happening even before the Windows reinstallation.

Any suggestions? If I had a rope I would be at the end of it. :)

Bob

STOP using SFC !!! except for Extracting Single files from CABs

Boot into Safe Mode;
DELETE ALL the Registry backups found in C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP and named rb000.cab, rb001.cab ,rb002.cab ...etc

Rename Config.sys and Autoexec.bat (in C:\), System.ini, Win.ini (in C:\WINDOWS) to .old or anything else, like config.sys.mssucks (e.g.- Config.sys.old)

Boot into DOS (Command Prompt only) and
C:\>
CD WINDOWS
REN WIN.COM WIN.OLD
ATTRIB -h -r -s -a USER.DAT
ATTRIB -h -r -s -a SYSTEM.DAT
DEL SYSTEM.DAT
DEL USER.DAT

Pop in the Floppy now and
Restart and Boot Directly into Startup Disk w/CDROM support, and Reinstall Windows using the same before method.

We still haven't ruled out faulty hardware entirely - and only a clean install can determine that for sure, though Removal of your Old HDD and Installation of OS on a New HDD maybe the 1st step, since the Old one can then be hooked up as Slave to copy over important data files

Thanks for the help! I'll try those steps tonight.

And I'll refrain from using the System File Checker.

Bob

Also, can you speculate on what went wrong with the Windows reinstall that I attempted? Was it the fact that there were still registry backups available?

And what do the "ATTRIB" commands above accomplish?

Thanks,

Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BobF

Also, can you speculate on what went wrong with the Windows reinstall that I attempted? Was it the fact that there were still registry backups available?

---

Yes - it's not usua;lly an issue, except it couldn't even get through hardware detection properly, so it called upon anything it could - those corrupted backups.

Quote:

---

And what do the "ATTRIB" commands above accomplish?

Thanks,
Bob

---

You won't be able to delete - let alone even "see/view" (in a DIR listing) those files (and others, even in DOS) UNTIL you remove the "hidden" attribute (File attributes - ReadOnly(r), Hidden(h), System(s), Archive(a)....the hyphen ' - ' means remove those attributes)

more ;)

https://www.sharkyforums.com/images/...2006/02/10.png
https://www.sharkyforums.com/images/...2006/02/11.png
https://www.sharkyforums.com/images/...2006/02/12.png
https://www.sharkyforums.com/images/...2006/02/13.png
https://www.sharkyforums.com/images/...2006/02/14.png

Thank you. At least I'm learning a bit more about Windows through these diagnostics.

Bob

Here's the latest. I followed the following steps, as provided above:

DELETE ALL the Registry backups found in C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP and named rb000.cab, rb001.cab ,rb002.cab ...etc

Rename Config.sys and Autoexec.bat (in C:\), System.ini, Win.ini (in C:\WINDOWS) to .old or anything else, like config.sys.mssucks (e.g.- Config.sys.old)

Boot into DOS (Command Prompt only) and
C:\>
CD WINDOWS
REN WIN.COM WIN.OLD
ATTRIB -h -r -s -a USER.DAT
ATTRIB -h -r -s -a SYSTEM.DAT
DEL SYSTEM.DAT
DEL USER.DAT

Pop in the Floppy now and Restart and Boot Directly into Startup Disk w/CDROM support, and Reinstall Windows using the same before method.

Everything appeared to go great until I attempted to reinstall Windows 98. I ran into a problem when I entered the product key for Windows 98. After I typed in the full key I received the following message:

MSGSRV32 This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shutdown

If I click on the more info box the message is:

MSGSRV32 caused a general protection fault in module PIDGEN.DLL....

The Windows installation is aborted I'm forced to restart.

I looked up this error online and I found the following note:

You may see this error when you are trying to install Windows 98 if you are using an invalid Product Key.

I confirmed that I was using a good product key and I repeated the Windows installation process twice to make sure that I wasn't making a typo. each time I got the same error.

I then noticed another potential cause from an online source:

This error may also occur if your computer’s date is set incorrectly. Reset to the correct date by clicking Start, Settings, and Control Panel. At the Control Panel, double-click to open the Date/Time icon and reset the date.

I suppose I could check the date by booting in Safe Mode but I'd have to replace/rename the WIN.COM file. (Right now I'm stuck in DOS) I'll give that a shot tomorrow.

Is there some sort of Windows license/key file that I need to delete or reset?

Any other suggestions?

Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BobF

Everything appeared to go great until I attempted to reinstall Windows 98. I ran into a problem when I entered the product key for Windows 98. After I typed in the full key I received the following message:

MSGSRV32 This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shutdown

If I click on the more info box the message is:

MSGSRV32 caused a general protection fault in module PIDGEN.DLL....

The Windows installation is aborted I'm forced to restart.

I looked up this error online and I found the following note:

You may see this error when you are trying to install Windows 98 if you are using an invalid Product Key.

I confirmed that I was using a good product key and I repeated the Windows installation process twice to make sure that I wasn't making a typo. each time I got the same error.

I then noticed another potential cause from an online source:

This error may also occur if your computer’s date is set incorrectly. Reset to the correct date by clicking Start, Settings, and Control Panel. At the Control Panel, double-click to open the Date/Time icon and reset the date.

I suppose I could check the date by booting in Safe Mode but I'd have to replace/rename the WIN.COM file. (Right now I'm stuck in DOS) I'll give that a shot tomorrow.

Is there some sort of Windows license/key file that I need to delete or reset?

Any other suggestions?

Bob

---

boy bob - all sortsa of weird friggin crap is happening to you

Boot to Command Prompt only and type in
C:\>DATE

then Enter the Date -> 02-02-2006 (up til midnight anyway)
MM-DD-YYYY format IIRC, it'll tell you which format

Is this an OEM version of 98SE ?? not that it matters

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by I4one

boy bob - all sortsa of weird friggin crap is happening to you

I agree! But at least I haven't lost my mind yet. :-)

Boot to Command Prompt only and type in
C:\>DATE

then Enter the Date -> 02-02-2006 (up til midnight anyway)
MM-DD-YYYY format IIRC, it'll tell you which format

Will do. As always, thanks for all of your help.

Is this an OEM version of 98SE ?? not that it matters

I have both full retail versions of 98 with separate upgrade CDs for 98SE. And I have OEM versions. The last one that I tried was an OEM version of 98 that I planned to upgrade to 98SE but I never got to the upgrade step. It's been so many years that I can't even recall what particular Windows CD/key combination that that I used originally. Out of curiousity, is there some way to determine that?

---

Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BobF

Bob

---

hadn't i asked you to obtain the ProductId/Key from the REG way earlier in this thread??

yeah - i did - in post #7

Quote:

---

[...]
*** Make sure you have your "ProductID" and "ProductKey" (C.O.A.) handy before the reinstallation ***
Start | run REGEDIT;
go to;
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
and grab (write down) those entry values i listed above
[....]

---

Actually, that shouldn't be the issue anymore, since I had you delete the REG basically -- there's no reference left.

You are having issues matching the correct KEY to the correct CD probably - and that would've happened anyway..I WRITE the IDs and Keys with a Sharpie onto the CD itself....AND a little scrap of paper with the ID/Key since you NEED to know the key when the CD is already in the drive :doh::eek:

Lemme check if there's something i can find for ya - but it'll be in a PM (private message) since it would violate the AU policy here to post howto in public

Last resort - is to call MS

Success!

Changing the date did the trick! The date had been set at something like 2/2/2079. Once I set the correct date, Windows 98 and the 98SE Upgrade booted up fine. I no longer get a Windows Protection Error.

It looks like I might have scrambled or deleted some software files/drivers in the process. For example, Norton Utilities doesn't fire up when I click on the icon.

I was able to get my dial-up connection working by re-entering my account info but my DSL is still down. I did back up my entire C Drive onto my second hard drive at some point during all the troubleshooting. Is it possible that my DSL related files could just be copied over to my C Drive to get that working again?

Bob

Also: I like the idea of writting the CD-Key right on the CD with a Sharpie.

You'll need to reinstall many apps and settings, since we deleted all their references and settings that are stored in the REG (which were corrupted).

Suggest;

* Get the system only to the point where you can make BACKUPS! - data only (mp3s, Docs, Mail folders, favorites, etc, not OS stuff) -- then wipe it all (Yes partitions and All) -- create New partition/s, set Primary as Active, Format, then do a Clean Install

* Use Firefox/Mozilla (and Thunderbird as Email client) -- don't use IE (5 or 6 especially) unless you seriously learn how to tweak it (secure it)...leave the orig IE4 and don't use it...remove any unnecessary components from Add/Remove | Window Components tab (things like Netmeeting, Personal Web Server, Outlook Express, etc).

DSL ? -- you'll likely want to remove all the networking components/clients/protocols and Reinstall them from the Network Applet in control panel (or NetworkNeighborhood Icon | Properties on the Desktop if "Client for MS Networks" is installed).

Make sure Device mangler isn't showing any '?' or '!' or "Other" listed, needing drivers and such

Thanks for the additional suggestions and all of your help throughout my troubleshooting. I'll look into Mozilla and Firefox and I'll definitely consider reformatting my primary drive.

I ran into a bit of a problem reloading my DSL software. I can't find my install CD and SBC/Yahoo doesn't let you download the software directly. I ordered a replacement CD last night and I'll keep looking for the original. But for now I'm stuck with dial-up.

Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by I4one

You'll need to reinstall many apps and settings, since we deleted all their references and settings that are stored in the REG (which were corrupted).

Suggest;

* Get the system only to the point where you can make BACKUPS! - data only (mp3s, Docs, Mail folders, favorites, etc, not OS stuff) -- then wipe it all (Yes partitions and All) -- create New partition/s, set Primary as Active, Format, then do a Clean Install

* Use Firefox/Mozilla (and Thunderbird as Email client) -- don't use IE (5 or 6 especially) unless you seriously learn how to tweak it (secure it)...leave the orig IE4 and don't use it...remove any unnecessary components from Add/Remove | Window Components tab (things like Netmeeting, Personal Web Server, Outlook Express, etc).

DSL ? -- you'll likely want to remove all the networking components/clients/protocols and Reinstall them from the Network Applet in control panel (or NetworkNeighborhood Icon | Properties on the Desktop if "Client for MS Networks" is installed).

Make sure Device mangler isn't showing any '?' or '!' or "Other" listed, needing drivers and such

---

OK! I just got my DSL working again! That's such a relief after living with dial-up for nearly two weeks.

Bob