Boot-up failure

I am running Windows 98, 2nd edition, on an E-machine
Laptop Model E-slate 400. When trying to boot-up, I get
the following message and it locks up: "VMM32.VXD is
required to run Windows. If this file is not in your
PATH, you may need to reinstall Windows".

I have the Restore CD(Bootable CD) that came with the
machine when I purchased it. I have tried several times
to reinstall using this and going step by step. Each
time, when it finishes, I try to boot-up and get the same
message and it locks up again at that point.

Can anyone tell me how I can get the required VMM32.VXD
back into the PATH ?

Thanks!

Bill

When trying to boot-up, I get
the following message and it locks up: "VMM32.VXD is
required to run Windows. If this file is not in your
PATH, you may need to reinstall Windows".

VMM32 is file that is created when Windows is installed. It is
customized to match the properties of the computer.

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 194679

Error Message: VMM32.VXD Is Required to Run Windows...

SYMPTOMS
When you start your computer, you may receive the following error
message:
VMM32.VXD is required to run Windows. If this file is not in your
PATH, you may need to reinstall Windows.
Your computer then starts to a command prompt.

CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the Windows\System folder is missing or
renamed, or if the PATH line in the Autoexec.bat file is missing or
does not include the Windows\System folder.

RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, use the appropriate method:
Method 1
At the command prompt, type:
dir vmm32.vxd /s

If the Vmm32.vxd file is not found, you must install Windows 95 or
Windows 98 again. If the Vmm32.vxd file is found, note the folder in
which it is located, and then continue with step 2.

At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER
after each command
cd windows
ren folder system

where folder is the folder you noted in step 1.

Restart your computer.

Method 2
Using a text editor (such as Notepad), edit the Autoexec.bat file and
add or modify the PATH line so that it includes the Windows\System
folder. For example, add the following line to your Autoexec.bat file:
path=c:\windows\system


The following comes from Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 141898

To Re-Create the Vmm32.vxd File

Restart your computer. For Windows 95, when you see the "Starting
Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then choose Command Prompt
Only from the Startup menu. For Windows 98, press and hold down the
CTRL key after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST),
and then choose Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
Type the following line to change to the Windows\System folder:

cd \windows\system
Type the following line:

ren vmm32.vxd vmm32.old

Reinstall Windows 95/98.

MORE INFORMATION
A Vmm32.vxd file is included on the Windows 95 disks and CD-ROM.
Extracting this version of the file does not solve the problem, as it
is an incomplete version of the file. You must run Setup to re-create
a system-specific Vmm32.vxd file.

If Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) is enabled in
your computer's Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), the "It's now safe
to turn off your computer" message may not be displayed when you shut
down Windows 95/98.


Bill Starbuck (MVP)

Well, what is the "Restore CD(Bootable CD)" that you have? What is
written on the label? What are the "step by step"'s you do, if not too
many? Any error message?

Are you at a DOS Prompt? Then...

(1) Per Starbuck's post...

EDIT C:\Config.sys
EDIT C:\Autoexec.bat

, & examine the PATH statements. Or simply...

REN C:\Config.sys Config.bad
REN C:\Autoexec.bat Autoexec.bad

(2) If you have a "C:\Winboot.ini", it will override MSDOS.sys.
Examine/change it's [Paths] section, or rename it to "Winboot.bad". In
that case, be sure you have an acceptable MSDOS.sys.

(3) Examine/fix MSDOS.sys...

ATTRIB -S -H -R C:\MSDOS.sys
EDIT C:\MSDOS.sys
Alt-F-X-ENTER (pressed separately) will exit EDIT. (TAB may prove
helpful to navigate buttons.)
ATTRIB +S +H +R C:\MSDOS.sys

Report what you see. If you intend to make no change, you do not need
the "ATTRIB" statements.

http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q118/5/79.asp
Contents of the Windows Msdos.sys File

Here is mine. If you use CVFs (Compressed Volume Files), do not include
Dblspace=0 & Drvspace=0. Do not include Network=0, if you connect to a
Network. Logo=0 suppresses the Windows logo at boot.

[Paths]
WinDir=c:\windows
WinBootDir=c:\windows
HostWinBootDrv=c

[Options]
AutoScan=1
BootMenu=1 ;Per Win98
BootMenuDelay=10
Dblspace=0 ;Per Win98
Drvspace=0 ; Secrets
DoubleBuffer=1
Logo=0
Network=0
WinVer=4.10.2222

;
;The following lines are required for compatibility with other programs.
;Do not remove them (MSDOS.SYS needs to be 1024 bytes).
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxc
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxd
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxg
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxh
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxi
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxj
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxk
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxm
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxn
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxo
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxp
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxq
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxr
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxs


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Bill" wrote in message
...
| I am running Windows 98, 2nd edition, on an E-machine
| Laptop Model E-slate 400. When trying to boot-up, I get
| the following message and it locks up: "VMM32.VXD is
| required to run Windows. If this file is not in your
| PATH, you may need to reinstall Windows".
|
| I have the Restore CD(Bootable CD) that came with the
| machine when I purchased it. I have tried several times
| to reinstall using this and going step by step. Each
| time, when it finishes, I try to boot-up and get the same
| message and it locks up again at that point.
|
| Can anyone tell me how I can get the required VMM32.VXD
| back into the PATH ?
|
| Thanks!
|
| Bill