DDhelp causes problems in GDI.EXE

Hi,
I've looked through all the postings on this and tried everything suggested, but to no avail.

The problem I have is when I try and update Windows (98). OK - first things first.
I'm running a Toshiba Satellite Pro 420CDT with 24M RAM, 775M HD (partitioned 50/50 C:/D: drives), Xircom 10/100 Realport card. I've completely wiped & reloaded the software (FDISK, Format). I have IE6 and the latest W98 video driver & ActiveX (8.1) loaded. I am NOT running MSN8 - I access the Internet via a LAN/W2000 PC with ZoneAlarm (disabling makes no difference). The laptop has no antivirus software installed and no spyware (cleaned with Spybot).

On attempting to update Windows a variety of things happen:
1) A message saying No updates available,
2) No Critical updates, 45 W98/W98 2nd Ed. updates, unable to scan for driver updates
3) 7 Critical updates, 45 W98/W98 2nd Ed. updates, unable to scan for driver updates
4) process hangs at 66% complete requiring closure via task manager (Ddhelp error message appears at this point). "Ignore" is ignored by the system, "Close produces DDHELP caused GPF in GDI.EXE.
5) Windows completes scans, offers to review & install then takes 5 - 10 minutes to display "Action cancelled, page unavailable" screen.

I'm sure I've missed something fundemental, but for the life of me cannot see what it is. Any suggestions?

 

I know this is of no help whatsoever but all I know is this error is something to do with old soundcards that directx don't support.
I have this problem sometimes as well and only after I reinstalled Win98se, for the 3rd time.

(Don't ask what hardware I got, it's steam-driven with elastic band back-ups.)

If I come across a better solution I'll post it here. Hope you get your problem sorted soon

 

Never thought of a sound problem - think the 420 has "on-board" sound, but I'll check it out. My thoughts are now that there is a RAM problem - hope not as I don't think the PC is worth the price of a RAM upgrade.

 

First, narrow down the source of the error. Because General Protection faults can be caused by software or hardware, the first step is to restart your computer in Safe mode. Restarting in Safe mode allows you to test your computer in a state in which only essential components of Windows are loaded. If you restart your computer in Safe mode and the error message does not occur, the origin is more likely to be a driver or program. If you restart in Safe mode and then test your computer and the error message does occur, the issue is more likely to be hardware or damaged Windows core files.

ugh! the above is quoted from Microsoft themselves and as we all know they are soooooo helpful!

Don't take my word for any of this, I'm a complete novice and technophobe but if any ideas help.......

 

FWIW: I have just run the DocMemory RAM tester from simmtester.com (recommended by a poster on this site - I don't recall who it was, but thanks). It returns a FAIL on the base Memory Test at "Walk Address '0' and "Addr_Err_Bits: 7809FFFC ". It then seems to lock up (Even <Esc> doesn't work), so I'll need to go RTFM now ....

 

First, DDHelp is Direct Draw, a product of DirectX.
Second GDI.exe is Graphics Display Interface, and does not apply to sound cards.
Third, if docmem has detected bad memory, it's time to replace it, and reading the manual will not help.
If for any reason you have moved, or removed "My Documents ", then windowsupdate may not work. There are a ton of other reasons that their aspx pages won't work, and only MS knows for sure.
If you are positive you need updates, and can't get them the normal way, then try this: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

 

?? fwiw rtfm??

well.......

 

fwiw=for what it's worth
rtfm=read the f@^&%^#g manual.

 

Reboot: thatks for the comments/filing in. Guess you're right about the RAM - the whole laptop is 8 years old now. I don't actually "use" it in anger - more as a test bed. The kids use it to check their e-mails.

I am curious on the cause of the problem though - it only started recently and only on the Windows update site. It seems that it does not like large menus/lists of files. When I used "your" URL, it quite happily opened menues of 1, 2, 5... files/updates but for one of 54 it simply sat there doing nothing. I have now downloaded some of these files via another PC and am installing them manually.

Out of interest, I don't have the windows media player loaded. This may be related given the graphics link, so I'll try loading it and see if the problem goes away.

 

I wouldn't worry about WMP.
I would however go get DX9.0a
Then run dxdiag, and see if all is well.
Updated video drivers may also help.