Device IOS initializing error on W98 boot.

During boot-up of W98SE I get the following message:
"While initializing device IOS: ERROR: Real mode system memory allocation failed "

SAFE mode works fine, and if I boot using step-by-step (from F8) selecting YES for AUTOEXEC.BAT & CONFIG.SYS but selecting NO to all windows device drivers, things are fine (apart from no ext devices working)

I have recently installed Pinnacle InstantCD+DVD which was causing some problems - and now I cannot uninstall it - keeps coming up with an install errror: "Internal error 2735. CheckOEMstate "

Grateful for any help.

Jim

 

From safemode

run msconfig

Edit the startup folder options to remove any items related to the Pinnacle product.

(note some items are list in there twice - but according to M$ 'that is by design." )

Give that a shot.

 

Hey Jim, I've had the exact experience many times and trust me, it was very painfull at first through about the 5th or 6th time when all I knew was to completely restore my system from backups. It always happened when I was installing a new proggy. I could boot up in safe mode, delete(remove via control panel) the offending proggy, but that would not cure the problem. This error happened to me this morning after installing real player.. fortunately, I now know another way to fix it. As follows:

Boot to safe mode, Remove program via control panel.
Re-boot press/hold F8 during boot (you know that!)
Select command prompt only
At command prompt type cd windows (this will get you into the windows directory)
Now you are at c:\windows
Here you want to type: rename smartdrv.exe smartdrv.old

after doing so.. reboot.. voila!!!
Let me know how it goes..
It just occured to me that you said you couldn't uninstall the proggy.. hmnn.. if you managed to do that via msconfig.. well great!.. if not, I'm wondering if simply renaming smartdrv.exe to smartdrv.old may solve it.. I'll try that first the next time this happens to me (hopefully never!)
btw I would recommend that you stay away from the offending proggy that caused this.. at least until you find out what your system doesn't like about it. Good luck!

 

Guitarman, I am not sure of how your suggestion could work. The file "smartdrv.exe" is a 16 bit disk cache utility for dos, windows usually refuses to work with it.
Windows in Normal mode uses a entirely different file, "smartdrv.vxd ". I wouldn't recommend renaming this one.

James Mardon, this is what I recommend to try first.
Boot the computer with boot floppy. You can go to Bootdisk, and download the file for 98SE OEM. Double click this file with a floppy in the drive, and one will be created for you.
Choose with CD Rom support when prompted. Before the A:\> appears, there will be a message giving you the drive letter for the CD. It will not be the normal letter, it could be E: Use this letter in place of the X below.
Do these commands at the prompt, pressing Enter at the end of each line.
c:
cd\windows\system\vmm32
extract /y X:\win98\win98_54.cab ios.vxd
Take out floppy and reboot.
If you have your windows setup files located in C:\Windows\Options\Cabs, then use this command in place of the last command above.
extract /y c:\windows\options\cabs\win98_54.cab ios.vxd
If that does no good, please post the contents of your C:\Windows\System.Ini file, it is text.

 

Quitarman
Thanks a ton. I had the same problem after installing the second CD of MS Office 2000. I renamed smartdrv as you said rebooted and all was well. Then got to worry about not having that file available. So I renamed it while in Windows, rebooted and it is working fine. I signed up in this forum just to thank you.

JimT

 

Smartdrv.exe

**** - You got me on that one.

There was an old error in W95 - "While initiallizing device IOS error." or some such. Came up on a black screen and boot halted.

The fix was to rename ( or delete ) Smartdrv.exe and rmm.pdr

I was not sure if it would apply to W98.

 

JimT, You are quite welcome! When I encountered this problem the last time.. I decided to help anybody I possibly could. So I did exactly what you did.. I signed up in this forum. (I found this forum after googling the error message) What I'd like to know now, Since this thread has begun,is exactly what causes this to happen in the first place. It's apparently a temporary snag in the boot process somewhere between dos' and windows' memory. Now,(Thanks Markp62)I'm thinking that it is related to virtual devices (.vxd). Perhaps exceeding the number of .vxd(s) Windows can handle or some conflict between two or more of them? Each time I've gotten the error msg, I've hit "ctrl+ alt+ del" only to receive the following error msg "An internal stack overflow has caused this session to be halted. Change the "Stacks" setting in your config.sys file and then try again. " Well.. changing the "stacks" setting didn't help at all. I'm hoping somebody can shed a little more light on this. OBTW, I hadn't renamed smartdrv after resolving the boot hangup. I will do so and let you know what happens.

 

WIN 98SE, Real Mode System Memory Allocation Failed

Had the same problem after installing some industrial software on my Windows 98SE box.

The only solution I could think of at that time was to reinstall the operating system.

Since then it has happened several times after installing new software, even small programs. This error allows the software to install and run (if a reboot is not immediately required), however the error occurs on the next reboot after installing the new software.

A temporary fix, without having to reinstall the OS, is to restore the last registry prior to installing the new software that caused the crash. To do so, boot to the command line, either by using a boot floppy or in "˜Safe Mode Command Prompt Only’. Change the current path to the folder that contains "˜scanreg.exe’ and run the file to restore the most previous version of the registry. This is usually C:\Windows\Command\scanreg /restore.

Notes:
1) Scanreg may be accessible from the root of C drive if the path is configured during the boot up. If so, then all that is required is to change the current path to C and type: scanreg /restore

2) In either case leave a space after "˜scanreg’.

Scanreg will report a series of the most recent registry backups available to restore in the format RB00x.*. By default these backups are automatically created each time the computer is started and one backup is retained for each of the last five days the system was successfully started. RB stands for Registry Backup and x is the sequence number of the backup. RB000.cab is the most recent backup. Select a recent backup for restore that has previously been "˜Started’.

Wait a few minutes until requested to restart the computer. If you used a floppy for initial boot, first remove the floppy, then reboot.

It may be necessary to reinstall any programs and drivers that have been installed subsequent to the date stamp of the registry backup file selected for restore.

It is always a good idea to have a recent backup of the registry available. I run "˜Regedit.exe’ and "˜Export’ the registry on a routine basis. I can then run "˜Regedit.exe’ and manually "Import" either of these should all else fail. I usually keep copies of the previous 3 months backups. There is no point in keeping very old registry backups since subsequently installed programs and drivers will not function. As a side note, always "˜Export’ or backup the registry before attempting to edit.

Please note, this has not resolved my problem, but has enabled me to restart the computer in Windows, where I have more tools to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Still looking for a permanent solution. Anybody with suggestions?


Northern Eagle