FAT Data Error

I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows ME
startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the next
recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a data error while
reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents SCANDISK from fixing the
drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

See if this helps courtesy of MikeM.
Joan

VMM32.VXD is a composite file that is built from thirty or more other
files
when Win Me is installed and differs from system to system depending upon
the
hardware in use. If you boot to DOS using a floppy can you see if you
have
the file vmm32.vxd in your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder? If not then you may
well
have to reinstall Win Me. One way you can check whether vmm32.vxd is
missing
or not is by typing the following at the A:\ prompt:

DIR C:\VMM32.VXD /S
Does this find the file? If yes, is it in your windows\system folder?

If present you should see something like:

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM

VMM32 VXD 1,032,968 15/08/00 14:34 VMM32.VXD
1 file(s) 1,032,968 bytes

Don't worry about the details, your date and size will most likely be
different, what is important though is to locate the file and confirm,
hopefully, that it is in your windows\system folder)

but if absent you will see:
File Not Found

If the file is still present, and I hope it is, see MS KB258471 - "Error
Message: The Following File Is Missing or Corrupted:
C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=258471 for a possible solution to the
problem.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Walter P wrote:
I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows
ME startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the
next recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a data
error while reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents SCANDISK
from fixing the drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

Joan,

Thanks for the info. I've printed the instructions and will give them a try.

Meanwhile, I misspoke in my original post. I was never able to finish a
boot into SAFE or any other mode. However, I can get to DOS mode, so the
instructions might work.

I plan on going down the route you supplied, below, and other routes if
necessary, but the boot and every other approach I've seen all sooner or
later call for doing a SCANDISK, and that's what I'm asking about.

Should I press on, regardless, or is there something I need to do to resolve
the SCANDISK error before proceding? I'd hate to blunder into losing all my
data, for example, if there's something simple I can do up front.

Thanks.

"Joan Archer" wrote:

See if this helps courtesy of MikeM.
Joan

VMM32.VXD is a composite file that is built from thirty or more other
files
when Win Me is installed and differs from system to system depending upon
the
hardware in use. If you boot to DOS using a floppy can you see if you
have
the file vmm32.vxd in your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder? If not then you may
well
have to reinstall Win Me. One way you can check whether vmm32.vxd is
missing
or not is by typing the following at the A:\ prompt:

DIR C:\VMM32.VXD /S
Does this find the file? If yes, is it in your windows\system folder?

If present you should see something like:

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM

VMM32 VXD 1,032,968 15/08/00 14:34 VMM32.VXD
1 file(s) 1,032,968 bytes

Don't worry about the details, your date and size will most likely be
different, what is important though is to locate the file and confirm,
hopefully, that it is in your windows\system folder)

but if absent you will see:
File Not Found

If the file is still present, and I hope it is, see MS KB258471 - "Error
Message: The Following File Is Missing or Corrupted:
C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=258471 for a possible solution to the
problem.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Walter P wrote:
I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows
ME startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the
next recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a data
error while reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents SCANDISK
from fixing the drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry I can't help any further Walter, hopefully one of the gurus will
pick up on this thread and help you get your machine up and running.
Joan

Walter P wrote:
Joan,

Thanks for the info. I've printed the instructions and will give
them a try.

Meanwhile, I misspoke in my original post. I was never able to
finish a boot into SAFE or any other mode. However, I can get to DOS
mode, so the instructions might work.

I plan on going down the route you supplied, below, and other routes
if necessary, but the boot and every other approach I've seen all
sooner or later call for doing a SCANDISK, and that's what I'm asking
about.

Should I press on, regardless, or is there something I need to do to
resolve the SCANDISK error before proceding? I'd hate to blunder
into losing all my data, for example, if there's something simple I
can do up front.

Thanks.

Presumably, you're getting to DOS mode using a startup disk?
If so, then try running SCANDISK from there, and see if that clears enough
space to get to the boot.

While in DOS, check and see how many entries there are in the root
directory - if it's more than 112, then that may be one of your problems -
try creating a new folder

MD C:\TESTFOLD

what message results? - is the folder created?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Walter P" wrote in message
...
Joan,

Thanks for the info. I've printed the instructions and will give them a
try.

Meanwhile, I misspoke in my original post. I was never able to finish a
boot into SAFE or any other mode. However, I can get to DOS mode, so the
instructions might work.

I plan on going down the route you supplied, below, and other routes if
necessary, but the boot and every other approach I've seen all sooner or
later call for doing a SCANDISK, and that's what I'm asking about.

Should I press on, regardless, or is there something I need to do to
resolve
the SCANDISK error before proceding? I'd hate to blunder into losing all
my
data, for example, if there's something simple I can do up front.

Thanks.

"Joan Archer" wrote:

See if this helps courtesy of MikeM.
Joan

VMM32.VXD is a composite file that is built from thirty or more other
files
when Win Me is installed and differs from system to system depending upon
the
hardware in use. If you boot to DOS using a floppy can you see if you
have
the file vmm32.vxd in your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder? If not then you may
well
have to reinstall Win Me. One way you can check whether vmm32.vxd is
missing
or not is by typing the following at the A:\ prompt:

DIR C:\VMM32.VXD /S
Does this find the file? If yes, is it in your windows\system folder?

If present you should see something like:

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM

VMM32 VXD 1,032,968 15/08/00 14:34 VMM32.VXD
1 file(s) 1,032,968 bytes

Don't worry about the details, your date and size will most likely be
different, what is important though is to locate the file and confirm,
hopefully, that it is in your windows\system folder)

but if absent you will see:
File Not Found

If the file is still present, and I hope it is, see MS KB258471 - "Error
Message: The Following File Is Missing or Corrupted:
C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=258471 for a possible solution to the
problem.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Walter P wrote:
I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows
ME startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the
next recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a data
error while reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents SCANDISK
from fixing the drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for picking up Noel I can leave it in your capable hands g
Joan

"Noel Paton" wrote in message
...
Presumably, you're getting to DOS mode using a startup disk?
If so, then try running SCANDISK from there, and see if that clears
enough space to get to the boot.
snip

Noel,

Thanks for the reply, and sorry for the slow response. I only have 1 shot a
day at debugging the computer, so please hang in there with me.

I tried running SCANDISK from DOS. This time, it ran for all of 2 seconds
and found no errors.

I then did a DIR for drive C, and it came up with 14 entries, all EXE, COM,
BAT, TXT, or INI files. No sub-directories showed up, but I'm no DOS expert
and I'm not sure that they should when using this command.

I then tried DIR C:\windows and it respnded with an "invalid path" error
message.

I'm afraid that something's been clobbered, big time.

Anyway, I didn't take your advice establishing a new folder because I
don't want to start wrinting anything until I'm sure it's safe.

Any suggestions?

"Noel Paton" wrote:

Presumably, you're getting to DOS mode using a startup disk?
If so, then try running SCANDISK from there, and see if that clears enough
space to get to the boot.

While in DOS, check and see how many entries there are in the root
directory - if it's more than 112, then that may be one of your problems -
try creating a new folder

MD C:\TESTFOLD

what message results? - is the folder created?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Walter P" wrote in message
...
Joan,

Thanks for the info. I've printed the instructions and will give them a
try.

Meanwhile, I misspoke in my original post. I was never able to finish a
boot into SAFE or any other mode. However, I can get to DOS mode, so the
instructions might work.

I plan on going down the route you supplied, below, and other routes if
necessary, but the boot and every other approach I've seen all sooner or
later call for doing a SCANDISK, and that's what I'm asking about.

Should I press on, regardless, or is there something I need to do to
resolve
the SCANDISK error before proceding? I'd hate to blunder into losing all
my
data, for example, if there's something simple I can do up front.

Thanks.

"Joan Archer" wrote:

See if this helps courtesy of MikeM.
Joan

VMM32.VXD is a composite file that is built from thirty or more other
files
when Win Me is installed and differs from system to system depending upon
the
hardware in use. If you boot to DOS using a floppy can you see if you
have
the file vmm32.vxd in your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder? If not then you may
well
have to reinstall Win Me. One way you can check whether vmm32.vxd is
missing
or not is by typing the following at the A:\ prompt:

DIR C:\VMM32.VXD /S
Does this find the file? If yes, is it in your windows\system folder?

If present you should see something like:

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM

VMM32 VXD 1,032,968 15/08/00 14:34 VMM32.VXD
1 file(s) 1,032,968 bytes

Don't worry about the details, your date and size will most likely be
different, what is important though is to locate the file and confirm,
hopefully, that it is in your windows\system folder)

but if absent you will see:
File Not Found

If the file is still present, and I hope it is, see MS KB258471 - "Error
Message: The Following File Is Missing or Corrupted:
C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=258471 for a possible solution to the
problem.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Walter P wrote:
I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows
ME startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the
next recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a data
error while reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents SCANDISK
from fixing the drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

If you have no folders there, then you have problems - BIG time!!

Do the DIR again, and make a note of the names and dates of all the .EXE and
..COM files - copy to your response

open any .BAT files (use the command TYPE C:\filename.BAT), copy the
contents to your response.

try this command -

DIR C:\ /S

see what that reports

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Walter P" wrote in message
...
Noel,

Thanks for the reply, and sorry for the slow response. I only have 1 shot
a
day at debugging the computer, so please hang in there with me.

I tried running SCANDISK from DOS. This time, it ran for all of 2 seconds
and found no errors.

I then did a DIR for drive C, and it came up with 14 entries, all EXE,
COM,
BAT, TXT, or INI files. No sub-directories showed up, but I'm no DOS
expert
and I'm not sure that they should when using this command.

I then tried DIR C:\windows and it respnded with an "invalid path" error
message.

I'm afraid that something's been clobbered, big time.

Anyway, I didn't take your advice establishing a new folder because I
don't want to start wrinting anything until I'm sure it's safe.

Any suggestions?

"Noel Paton" wrote:

Presumably, you're getting to DOS mode using a startup disk?
If so, then try running SCANDISK from there, and see if that clears
enough
space to get to the boot.

While in DOS, check and see how many entries there are in the root
directory - if it's more than 112, then that may be one of your
problems -
try creating a new folder

MD C:\TESTFOLD

what message results? - is the folder created?

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Walter P" wrote in message
...
Joan,

Thanks for the info. I've printed the instructions and will give them
a
try.

Meanwhile, I misspoke in my original post. I was never able to finish
a
boot into SAFE or any other mode. However, I can get to DOS mode, so
the
instructions might work.

I plan on going down the route you supplied, below, and other routes if
necessary, but the boot and every other approach I've seen all sooner
or
later call for doing a SCANDISK, and that's what I'm asking about.

Should I press on, regardless, or is there something I need to do to
resolve
the SCANDISK error before proceding? I'd hate to blunder into losing
all
my
data, for example, if there's something simple I can do up front.

Thanks.

"Joan Archer" wrote:

See if this helps courtesy of MikeM.
Joan

VMM32.VXD is a composite file that is built from thirty or more other
files
when Win Me is installed and differs from system to system depending
upon
the
hardware in use. If you boot to DOS using a floppy can you see if you
have
the file vmm32.vxd in your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder? If not then you
may
well
have to reinstall Win Me. One way you can check whether vmm32.vxd is
missing
or not is by typing the following at the A:\ prompt:

DIR C:\VMM32.VXD /S
Does this find the file? If yes, is it in your windows\system folder?

If present you should see something like:

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM

VMM32 VXD 1,032,968 15/08/00 14:34 VMM32.VXD
1 file(s) 1,032,968 bytes

Don't worry about the details, your date and size will most likely be
different, what is important though is to locate the file and confirm,
hopefully, that it is in your windows\system folder)

but if absent you will see:
File Not Found

If the file is still present, and I hope it is, see MS KB258471 -
"Error
Message: The Following File Is Missing or Corrupted:
C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=258471 for a possible solution to
the
problem.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Walter P wrote:
I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file
error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows
ME startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the
next recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a
data
error while reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents
SCANDISK
from fixing the drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly
appreciated.

Op Fri, 22 Oct 2004 11:25:06 -0700 schreef "Walter P"
:

I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows ME
startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the next
recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a data error while
reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents SCANDISK from fixing the
drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

It looks like the FAT (File Allocation Table) on your harddrive is
corrupt. (This might explain why DOS doesn't see more than the DIR
command is reporting at the moment)
You might try using some sort of specialized recovery software.

In my experience this kind of mess will almost alway force you to
reformat (maybe even repartition first) your harddrive.
If you're very unlucky it's a hardware fault from your harddrive.

Good luck, you'll need it !

Bart
--
Bart Broersma

(ff _ANTISPAM_ wegpoetsen uit dit adres natuurlijk)

I'd be inclined to agree with this assessment.

It may be worth trying the disk manufacturer's test program before deciding
on any attempted recovery -
download the test program from the manufacturer's website. Use it to create
the floppy boot disk, and then boot the machine and try the quick test
procedure - after reading the instructions! (some of the more rigorous tests
may break a failing drive completely, or overwrite data)

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Bart" wrote in message
...
Op Fri, 22 Oct 2004 11:25:06 -0700 schreef "Walter P"
:

I'm trying to get around a "missing or corrupted" VMM32.VXD file error
message when booting. I can start up in SAFE MODE using the Windows ME
startup disk, but get the following error message when taking the next
recommended step, running SCANDISK: "SCANDISK encountered a data error
while
reading the FAT on Drive C. This error prevents SCANDISK from fixing the
drive".

Is this a show-stopper?

Any suggestions how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

It looks like the FAT (File Allocation Table) on your harddrive is
corrupt. (This might explain why DOS doesn't see more than the DIR
command is reporting at the moment)
You might try using some sort of specialized recovery software.

In my experience this kind of mess will almost alway force you to
reformat (maybe even repartition first) your harddrive.
If you're very unlucky it's a hardware fault from your harddrive.

Good luck, you'll need it !

Bart
--
Bart Broersma

(ff _ANTISPAM_ wegpoetsen uit dit adres natuurlijk)