Vmm32.VXD missing or unable to load.. No conflicting products

Got a mates old compaq machine he brought with win95 preinstalled. Have been trying to upgrade him to win98se.

Done two installs of the OS and each time I get the same error on boot up. "vmm32.vxd missing or Unable to load" This is happening before windows has completed the setting up process after the files have been installed...like on first boot.

I know this file is generated specifically for each machine during the install process and the file IS there when I look for it via DOS.

Micro$oft only have two causes for the error relating to 2 third party products.. a scanner and one other I can't remember. But he has neither product.

He has a Compaq Presario...one othe the early win 95 machines running a P233mmx processor with a VX chipset. The HP/Compaq site .. has no information I can find on any such problem with W98se. Win95 installes just fine.. **** it!!!

My mate is 77 years young and I doubt if he'll be upgrading his machine unless he absolutely has to... Not for e-mail - Internet and word processing anyway. The version of W95 is not supported by Norton AV or McAfee.. Hence the upgrade. Plus he's been getting viruses that are playing havoc with his machine.

Any Ideas??

Cheers in advance

ST*

 

Welcome to the board ST!!!

I'm not aware of this problem, but I did a search in Google and found the following that may help, apart from the reference to the scanner problem that doesn't apply in your case.

 

Thanks for the welcome Paul.. and the reply.

I did the exact same search on google and found zero pages that helped.

However.. I went to me mates house today after leaving the OS installed yesterday, flicked on the machine.. and what'd ya know. It booted fine and completed the windows installation.

However.. After doing some updates, (I have all the required updates on CD-ROM).. the machine lost the CD-Rom drive. It just disapeared from explorer. I re-booted three more times and it came back on the 3rd re-boot.

So now, I'm wondering if there is a problem with the hardware.. like an intermittent problem with the MB that shows up when the machine get's warm.

I dunno... It's got me stumped..

Prior to installing W98se, when W95 was installed, the machine wouldn't shutdown properly and sometimes froze completely so you had to turn it off at the wall.

Hmmm????


Anyone have any other ideas??

Cheers

ST*

 

Failing a hardware issue that you allude to, it's probably worth doing a reformat and clean install. I gather you have been upgrading over the top of 95. Clean install is alway better, although more preparation is needed for backups, documents and settings.

 

Paul,

Na. Have been reformatting hdd each time. I never install over the top. Too much experience of too may problems with installing over the top

I'm back round there today to do some more diagnostics on the ram etc. I'll just see waht happens next I guess.

Cheers

ST*

 

Goodluck,
At least with a clean install you've rulled out legacy problems from a previous install. Works fine for some, but I'm a clean installer myself.

 

Cheers - Problem solved??!!??

Well I finishe dall the installing and nothing seems to be wrong now. Really freaking strange. I think it's just coz it was Old hardware.. Spat the dummy coz it hadn't really been used much for some time.

Thanks Paul for replying

ST*