problems with 32.dll when loading drivers
 

'95 'group included as I use the '95 shell, via 98lite "Sleek" option.

I recently had a play with soporific's UBCD, a. k. a. "Windows 98, 10th
anniversary edition". I think a vast amount of work has gone into it,
and when installed from scratch as I did on a laptop for a friend, it
worked well (including the universal USB driver).

However, as with many such things, trying to install over an existing
system (even though it does include an option to do so) is more
problematical.

Anyway: I've finally got my original system back, due to use of some
ERDs from before I tried it, with one exception (that I know so far,
anyway): it initially manifested as the sound, but I think is more
fundamental.

My sound isn't working. I've obtained the drivers from the manufacturer
(A??? motherboard; "Realtek AC'97 Audio"), since I couldn't find the
mobo CD.

Device Manager shows it, with a black-on-yellow "!". Properties shows
under Device status "The NTKERN.VXD, MMDEVLDR.VXD device loader(s) for
this device could not load the device driver. (Code 2.)\\To Fix this,
click Update Driver to update the device driver." When I do, I get the
usual wizard. Whether I let this look for the right driver (they're sort
of in place, the install software having done its stuff to that extent,
or I unzipped something, I can't remember) or I tell it where to look, I
get to the "Please wait while Windows searches ...", then I get a -
old-fashioned style, no close button - window in screen middle that says
"Rundll32\\An error has occurred in your program. To keep working
anyway..." and Close and Ignore buttons. If I click Ignore, nothing
happens; Close brings up a (Windows style this time) "This program has
performed an illegal ..." with Close and Details buttons. If I close
this, all windows (back to and including Device Manger) disappear.

If I remove the Realtek from Device Manager and restart, I get found new
hardware, with various windows appearing as normal, then it locks up (I
can't remember with what error message): if I Ctrl-alt-Del at that
point, I can get back to a blank desktop (no icons or taskbar, just a
mouse pointer). The only way out of that (it happens again if I restart)
is to use the old ERD again.

My Rundll32 file is fine (I never suspected it anyway, as it usually
gets "blamed" when something else goes wrong, but I have checked it).

I get something similar when trying to install another piece of hardware
(a microscope - i. e. basically a camera - and I am doing it according
to the instructions, i. e. drivers before connecting): _something_
crashes, at the point after it's "found" the new hardware and is doing
whatever it does next at that point.

Any suggestions what is wrong and how to fix it? (Getting sound back
would be a start, but I suspect that needs the problem solving anyway.)

[It may not be UBCD that screwed things up, but I know at least one
poster who will think it did ... (-:]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL(+++)IS-P--Ch+(p)Ar+T[?]H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for thoughts on PCs. **

.... on Thursdays on BBC Two, the former BBC2. (John Peel in "Radio Times", 1-7
May 1999.)