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#1
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Problem with Online Windows Updates for W98SE
I just finished building a desktop PC consisting of an AMD K6-2/450 MHZ CPU,
256 MB of RAM, a CD-ROM drive, and two Western Digital hard drives of 6 GB each. After building this computer and collecting the necessary device drivers, I installed W98 first edition and then updated it to W98 second edition. After that I used my copy of the Microsoft Windows Security Update CD of February 2004. No problems of any kind appeared. Then I went to the Microsoft Windows Update webpage to download and install any remaining critical updates or Windows updates. During the download and install process the computer crashed with the following error message: Error loading user.exe You must reinstall Windows Almost immediately after seeing this message, the system powered off. I investigated this error message, and found that it could be caused by a damaged DDEML.DLL file, so I extracted another copy of it from my original W98SE CD. That did not help. Thinking that possibly the Microsoft Windows Security Update CD of February 2004 was defective, I fdisked my system drive, removed the partition, created a new partition, formatted it, then reinstalled W98, followed by the installation of W98SE. This time I did not use the Security CD, but instead went to the Windows Update webpage again and began downloading and installing the critical updates. Again the system crashed just like before, so I went through the entire process once more of repartitioning, reformatting, and reinstalling W98 and W98SE. This time I ONLY used the Security CD and DID NOT download/install any updates from the Microsoft Windows Update webpage. The result? No crashes, no BSOD, all devices are OK with no yellow exclamation marks, and the system runs perfectly - even after repeatedly shutting the system down and powering it back up. Anyone have any ideas as to the cause of these crashes? Could there be a conflict between the data on the Security CD and the data at the Windows Update webpage? Thank you. |
#3
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Sounds to me like the *only* time you have any problem is when downloading and
installing from the Windows Update site. Doesn't matter whether you've used the Security Updates CD or not. My guess is that there's *one* update that when installing causes this crash, and that it's where a restart is required that it occurs. I can't find anything in the KB or elsewhere to specifically match your issue, but what I would do is to go to Windows Update and download updates one at a time. This may prevent the problem altogether, or if it doesn't, may at least narrow down the possibilities. Also, you should use a "Clean Boot" session to do the updating. Run MSCONFIG from the Start\Run box, choose Selective Startup, then uncheck all items except Win.ini and System.ini. Restart your system, then delete everything in the TEMP folder, then use Internet Settings to delete all Temporary Internet Files and Cookies. Then, try Windows Updates again. Also, there is a newsgroup specifically for Windows Updates issues at: news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof....windowsupdate Question: When you say you update to Windows 98 SE after installing 98 ("Gold") is that because you only have the Win98Win98SE Update CD? The one MS distributed for ~$20? Or is you 98SE CD a full install version (Full or Upgrade)? -- Gary S. Terhune MS MVP Shell/User "Papa" wrote in message ... I just finished building a desktop PC consisting of an AMD K6-2/450 MHZ CPU, 256 MB of RAM, a CD-ROM drive, and two Western Digital hard drives of 6 GB each. After building this computer and collecting the necessary device drivers, I installed W98 first edition and then updated it to W98 second edition. After that I used my copy of the Microsoft Windows Security Update CD of February 2004. No problems of any kind appeared. Then I went to the Microsoft Windows Update webpage to download and install any remaining critical updates or Windows updates. During the download and install process the computer crashed with the following error message: Error loading user.exe You must reinstall Windows Almost immediately after seeing this message, the system powered off. I investigated this error message, and found that it could be caused by a damaged DDEML.DLL file, so I extracted another copy of it from my original W98SE CD. That did not help. Thinking that possibly the Microsoft Windows Security Update CD of February 2004 was defective, I fdisked my system drive, removed the partition, created a new partition, formatted it, then reinstalled W98, followed by the installation of W98SE. This time I did not use the Security CD, but instead went to the Windows Update webpage again and began downloading and installing the critical updates. Again the system crashed just like before, so I went through the entire process once more of repartitioning, reformatting, and reinstalling W98 and W98SE. This time I ONLY used the Security CD and DID NOT download/install any updates from the Microsoft Windows Update webpage. The result? No crashes, no BSOD, all devices are OK with no yellow exclamation marks, and the system runs perfectly - even after repeatedly shutting the system down and powering it back up. Anyone have any ideas as to the cause of these crashes? Could there be a conflict between the data on the Security CD and the data at the Windows Update webpage? Thank you. |
#4
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Thanks Gary:
Yes, I used my $20 Update CD to get from W98 FE to W98SE. And you are a good detective when you said "My guess is that there's *one* update that when installing causes this crash, and that it's where a restart is required that it occurs.". That was exactly when it happened every time, during the restart. I'll follow your suggestions and post the results tomorrow. Too many football games going on right now. ;) |
#5
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Wow PCR, you spent some time typing up some very good suggestions. I really
appreciate your effort, and will give them a try. Thanks again. I'll post the outcome. |
#6
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You are welcome. Keep us informed.
-- Thanks or Good Luck, There may be humor in this post, and, Naturally, you will not sue, should things get worse after this, PCR "Papa" wrote in message ... | Wow PCR, you spent some time typing up some very good suggestions. I really | appreciate your effort, and will give them a try. Thanks again. I'll post | the outcome. | | |
#7
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Hi PCR, Gary, and anyone else interested. Here are the results:
The bottom line is, I was able to install all online Critical and Windows non-critical updates (with one exception), did not encounter any errors (with one exception), and my PC is running just fine. As for these 2 problems, please see my questions about them in paragraph 5. I followed Gary's suggestion of first doing a clean boot. Then I began installing the online updates. To start with, there was a list of 6 Critical Updates and 45 Windows non-critical updates. Of the 45 Windows updates, one was the Euro Conversion Tool and 34 more were the multilanguage features. I did not install any of them because I don't need them. So actually I only installed 10 of the 45 windows updates, and blocked the rest by using the Personalize Windows Update tool. My first step was to install, one at a time, each Critical Update. These updates included KB834707, KB837009, KB833989, KB 870669, KB840315, and 816093, None of these installs caused a problem. Then I began installing the non-critical Windows Updates, one at a time. The first one I tried installing was the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime update. Sometime during the download or install process, I got the BSOD, but was able to continue by hitting a keyboard key. Then a little later I got another BSOD, hit a keyboard key, and was brought to my regular desktop screen with the Windows Update page gone. I went back into the Windows Update page and checked the Installation History, which listed a status of "In Progress" for this DirectX 9.0c update. Does this mean that the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime update is not fully installed? If so, how do I get it installed completely? And why did the BSOD appear during the download/install process? Other than that, the other 9 Windows non-critical updates went through the download/install process without any glitches. After installing the Microsoft .NET Framework version 1.1 update and restarting, two more Critical Updates appeared in the list. They were KB873374 and the Microsoft ..NET Framework 1.1 SP 1. As with the other Critical Updates, I installed them one at a time before continuing with the remaining Windows non-critical updates. After completing these installations, I tried all of the shutdown options (shutdown, restart, restart in MS-DOS mode) and also tried Safe Mode. The only glitch that occurred was that after getting into MS-DOS mode, the system just hung when I typed "exit". I used Ctrl-Alt-Del to get back the system, then went into MS-DOS mode a second time, and the EXIT command worked. Thanks to both of you for your expertise and willing help. Much appreciated. |
#8
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Follow Up:
Later I went to the Microsoft web page, www.microsoft.com, and downloaded and installed the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime update. It downloaded and installed OK, no errors, but the Installation History (even after a re-boot) still says "In Progress". Regards. |
#9
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To assure a clean install, your anti-virus application should be disabled
and all other running processes closed before installing anything, including Windows Updates. -- ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE) Posting and You http://www.trials-shack.co.uk/posting.html Papa wrote: I just finished building a desktop PC consisting of an AMD K6-2/450 MHZ CPU, 256 MB of RAM, a CD-ROM drive, and two Western Digital hard drives of 6 GB each. After building this computer and collecting the necessary device drivers, I installed W98 first edition and then updated it to W98 second edition. After that I used my copy of the Microsoft Windows Security Update CD of February 2004. No problems of any kind appeared. Then I went to the Microsoft Windows Update webpage to download and install any remaining critical updates or Windows updates. During the download and install process the computer crashed with the following error message: Error loading user.exe You must reinstall Windows Almost immediately after seeing this message, the system powered off. I investigated this error message, and found that it could be caused by a damaged DDEML.DLL file, so I extracted another copy of it from my original W98SE CD. That did not help. Thinking that possibly the Microsoft Windows Security Update CD of February 2004 was defective, I fdisked my system drive, removed the partition, created a new partition, formatted it, then reinstalled W98, followed by the installation of W98SE. This time I did not use the Security CD, but instead went to the Windows Update webpage again and began downloading and installing the critical updates. Again the system crashed just like before, so I went through the entire process once more of repartitioning, reformatting, and reinstalling W98 and W98SE. This time I ONLY used the Security CD and DID NOT download/install any updates from the Microsoft Windows Update webpage. The result? No crashes, no BSOD, all devices are OK with no yellow exclamation marks, and the system runs perfectly - even after repeatedly shutting the system down and powering it back up. Anyone have any ideas as to the cause of these crashes? Could there be a conflict between the data on the Security CD and the data at the Windows Update webpage? Thank you. |
#10
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Thanks PA Bear. AV and other packages all disabled, closed, or not yet
installed. Regards. |
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