installation problem

I;m trying to install Windows 98 SE on a Dell Dimension XPS R350. I've
got a new OEM version of the software (unused and sealed). I've tried
doing a clean installation by formatting the hard drive and doing a
setup from the CD. The installation goes well to start with until it
starts to look for hardware. After an automatic restart it gives a
message: "Windows partition error:
C:\WINDOWS\system\vmm32.vxd missing/unable to load"

After this if I go into safe mode it can't see the CD drive. I know
that vmm32.vxd is a holder for lots of drivers but how can I get
around this problem? Is it specific to Dell PCs?

thanks for any advice, I'm sure this is a well-known problem.

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:50:30 +0000, Alan Mills
wrote:

I;m trying to install Windows 98 SE on a Dell Dimension XPS R350. I've
got a new OEM version of the software (unused and sealed). I've tried
doing a clean installation by formatting the hard drive and doing a
setup from the CD. The installation goes well to start with until it
starts to look for hardware. After an automatic restart it gives a
message: "Windows partition error:
C:\WINDOWS\system\vmm32.vxd missing/unable to load"

After this if I go into safe mode it can't see the CD drive. I know
that vmm32.vxd is a holder for lots of drivers but how can I get
around this problem? Is it specific to Dell PCs?

thanks for any advice, I'm sure this is a well-known problem.

I'm following up my own post already!
I had another go - this time the installation did appear to go to
completion but on starting up it goes to the Windows 98 flag screen,
shows this for about half a minute, then goes to a blank screen with
just a flashing cursor - no error message at all.
Help, pleas!

The vmm file is built during installation and a problem with it is unrelated
to the Dell.

I would fdisk the drive and remove all partitions. Then use fdisk to create
a primary partition and then format the partition. I would remove all cards
except the video. Then try another install. If you continue to have
problems, I would suspect hardware (ram or hard drive?) problems. You can
check the hard drive without having a system installed by downloading
diagnostic software from the web site of the maker of the hard drive. It
runs from a floppy disk and tells you the health of the hard drive.

--
Regards


Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo



"Alan Mills" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:50:30 +0000, Alan Mills
wrote:

I;m trying to install Windows 98 SE on a Dell Dimension XPS R350. I've
got a new OEM version of the software (unused and sealed). I've tried
doing a clean installation by formatting the hard drive and doing a
setup from the CD. The installation goes well to start with until it
starts to look for hardware. After an automatic restart it gives a
message: "Windows partition error:
C:\WINDOWS\system\vmm32.vxd missing/unable to load"

After this if I go into safe mode it can't see the CD drive. I know
that vmm32.vxd is a holder for lots of drivers but how can I get
around this problem? Is it specific to Dell PCs?

thanks for any advice, I'm sure this is a well-known problem.

I'm following up my own post already!
I had another go - this time the installation did appear to go to
completion but on starting up it goes to the Windows 98 flag screen,
shows this for about half a minute, then goes to a blank screen with
just a flashing cursor - no error message at all.
Help, pleas!

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:12:03 -0600, "Ron Badour"
wrote:

The vmm file is built during installation and a problem with it is unrelated
to the Dell.

I would fdisk the drive and remove all partitions. Then use fdisk to create
a primary partition and then format the partition. I would remove all cards
except the video. Then try another install. If you continue to have
problems, I would suspect hardware (ram or hard drive?) problems. You can
check the hard drive without having a system installed by downloading
diagnostic software from the web site of the maker of the hard drive. It
runs from a floppy disk and tells you the health of the hard drive.

Thanks for your suggestions Ron. In fact I had done pretty much what
you suggested after I sent the first post and it all works fine now.
The second post was sent in a bit of a panic and by the time I turned
away from my main comuter to see what was happening with the Dell it
had finished the installation and was waiting for me to do something!
I still need to sort out the sound card driver but that's not a
Windows 98 problem.

The Dell should have come with a Resource CD. Install the program on the CD
and then use it to install any drivers that are needed.

--
Regards


Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo



"Alan Mills" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:12:03 -0600, "Ron Badour"
wrote:

The vmm file is built during installation and a problem with it is
unrelated
to the Dell.

I would fdisk the drive and remove all partitions. Then use fdisk to
create
a primary partition and then format the partition. I would remove all
cards
except the video. Then try another install. If you continue to have
problems, I would suspect hardware (ram or hard drive?) problems. You can
check the hard drive without having a system installed by downloading
diagnostic software from the web site of the maker of the hard drive. It
runs from a floppy disk and tells you the health of the hard drive.

Thanks for your suggestions Ron. In fact I had done pretty much what
you suggested after I sent the first post and it all works fine now.
The second post was sent in a bit of a panic and by the time I turned
away from my main comuter to see what was happening with the Dell it
had finished the installation and was waiting for me to do something!
I still need to sort out the sound card driver but that's not a
Windows 98 problem.

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:49:28 -0600, "Ron Badour"
wrote:

The Dell should have come with a Resource CD. Install the program on the CD
and then use it to install any drivers that are needed.
Problem is that the Dell is secondhand with no software (it's for my
granddaughter) so I'm starting from scratch. The Dell support site is
good but suggests 8 possible drivers - I need to narrow it down unless
I can find a simple generic driver.

Use Everest to exactly identify the sound chip. Should help at the Dell
download site.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Also, even old Dells have a Service Tag on the machine somewhere. If you
plug that in at the Dell site, it should tell you the original configuration
of the machine. Of course, the sound be a card that was added afterwards.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP -- Shell/User

"Alan Mills" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:49:28 -0600, "Ron Badour"
wrote:

The Dell should have come with a Resource CD. Install the program on the
CD
and then use it to install any drivers that are needed.
Problem is that the Dell is secondhand with no software (it's for my
granddaughter) so I'm starting from scratch. The Dell support site is
good but suggests 8 possible drivers - I need to narrow it down unless
I can find a simple generic driver.

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:51:22 -0800, "Gary S. Terhune"
wrote:

Use Everest to exactly identify the sound chip. Should help at the Dell
download site.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Also, even old Dells have a Service Tag on the machine somewhere. If you
plug that in at the Dell site, it should tell you the original configuration
of the machine. Of course, the sound be a card that was added afterwards.

Gary - thank you so much. Everest solved the problem for me - it
immediately identified the type of sound hardware. I downloaded the
drivers from the Dell support site and it's working fine now. I had
tried the Service tag but the info that came back was not specific
enough for me. Everest is a very useful piece of software - I'll
certainly hang on to it for future use.

Thanks once again for your help,

Alan Mills (in Devon, England)

Glad to be of service, Alan. It's nice to keep the old machines in service.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP -- Shell/User

"Alan Mills" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:51:22 -0800, "Gary S. Terhune"
wrote:

Use Everest to exactly identify the sound chip. Should help at the Dell
download site.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Also, even old Dells have a Service Tag on the machine somewhere. If you
plug that in at the Dell site, it should tell you the original
configuration
of the machine. Of course, the sound be a card that was added afterwards.

Gary - thank you so much. Everest solved the problem for me - it
immediately identified the type of sound hardware. I downloaded the
drivers from the Dell support site and it's working fine now. I had
tried the Service tag but the info that came back was not specific
enough for me. Everest is a very useful piece of software - I'll
certainly hang on to it for future use.

Thanks once again for your help,

Alan Mills (in Devon, England)