Reload WINME from OEM hard drive CAB files

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chris fraser - 27 Aug 2005 19:17 GMT

I have a Compaq Presario 5006CA that over the last several months has slowly
been acting up, i.e. rebooting after shutdown started, locking up after
shutdown started, system freezing for 30 or so seconds while surfing the net
and, most recently, video display problems. My video settings were locked at
16 color 640x480 resolution. After trying to change them to anything else and
after rebooting nothing gets changed. Also, my mouse would not work in normal
bootup, only selective bootup with my system.ini file disabled.

A local computer store advised to uninstall my video drivers and to delete a
few files and then to reboot. This would cause to computer to want new
drivers, which I would direct to the c:\cpqdrv\nvidia folder. This was BAD
advice. Now I cannot boot up at all. I get the Compaq screen and the WINME
screen but then the system just keeps rebooting over and over and over.....
Using the startup disk and booting under safe mode does the same thing. I
cannot load windows AT ALL!!!^%$~@ I don't want to lose any photos, etc on
hard drive so factory restore on my Recovery CD is not an option. I just want
to reload WINME from my hard drive CAB files. I can get to C:\ and can access
folders that way so I figure this may be an option. One of the files I had to
extract was VMM32. I guess that was one of the files that was deleted. If any
other files need to be extracted I will certainly give it a try or if
reloading WINME is easier in an attempt to address the other issues I would
try that as well.

Any help would be appreciated!
Chris Fraser

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Mike M - 27 Aug 2005 19:45 GMT

Chris,

Oh my goodness. By extracting and attempting to use vmm32.vxd from the
Win Me cab files it comes as no surprise that you are having problems.
This file is only a stub and used when installing Win Me to build the real
vmm32.vxd file which is a composite of 30 or more virtual device drivers.
If you no longer are using the copy of vmm32.vxd that was built when Win
Me was first installed then you are missing many of the device drivers
that are essential for the operation of Win Me.

You would do yourself and your PC a great service if you were able to
restore the copy of vmm32.vxd that you replaced with the stub from the Win
Me cab set.

How long ago did all these problems start? Do you have a system restore
checkpoint that predates your deleting the correct vmm32.vxd? If so have
you tried restoring to that checkpoint?

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> I have a Compaq Presario 5006CA that over the last several months has
> slowly been acting up, i.e. rebooting after shutdown started, locking
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> Any help would be appreciated!
> Chris Fraser

Reply to this Message

Chris Fraser - 27 Aug 2005 22:08 GMT

> Chris,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Me was first installed then you are missing many of the device drivers
> that are essential for the operation of Win Me.

I suspected that this was a "fatal" error! You have to forgive my memory as
this happened about 1 week ago and I cannot remember all the specifics and
the computer is temporarily "dead".

> You would do yourself and your PC a great service if you were able to
> restore the copy of vmm32.vxd that you replaced with the stub from the Win
> Me cab set.

I don't understand what you mean with stub. I used the ext (?) command at
the DOS prompt (which is all I can access) and was prompted for the file
name, source directory and destination directory. The source was
C:\windows\options\cabs (I believe! It definately was the CABS folder
though!) and destination was c:\windows\system.

> How long ago did all these problems start? Do you have a system restore
> checkpoint that predates your deleting the correct vmm32.vxd? If so have
> you tried restoring to that checkpoint?

This last error happened about 1 week ago. The rebooting and locking up
after shutdown started has been happening for a couple of months but haven't
had much time to investigate. The system freezing has been for a couple of
years. I posted it on Explorer group but no suggestions worked so I let it
be. The video display problems were about a few days before the "crash". I
know the kids were at the computer for a couple of minutes but I can't see
them causing an error this significant. I'm sure there must be a system
restore point as I leave this function activated but I cannot access WINME
to even check or perform one.

Chris

> Mike Maltby
> mike.maltby@gmail.com
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> > Any help would be appreciated!
> > Chris Fraser

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 27 Aug 2005 22:32 GMT

Chris,

> I don't understand what you mean with stub.

Let me repeat myself and hopefully you will understand what I am saying
when you read it for a second time.

"This file [that is the copy of vmm32.vxd contained in the Win Me cab set]
is only a stub and used [as a template] when installing Win Me to build
the real vmm32.vxd file which is a composite of 30 or more virtual device
drivers."

The file you now have named vmm32.vxd is missing some thirty or more
virtual device drivers required for the operation of Win Me. Without
those drivers Win Me is pretty much dead in the water. The copy of
vmm32.vxd you are using is a stub file and used as a template during the
installation of Win Me as the basis for the construction of the composite
vmm32.vxd file required for your system.

As to whether using system restore to return to a checkpoint a week old
will save your bacon or not rather depends on how you replaced vmm32.vxd.
If this file was replaced with Win Me running you might be in luck but if
done by booting to a DOS prompt from a floppy then the state manager would
not have been running at the time and the old copy of vmm32.vxd will not
have been archived.

Unless you are able to restore the original copy of vmm32.vxd I feel that
you are going to have to reinstall Win Me over itself. You can do this by
running the copy of setup.exe in the C:\windows\options\cabs folder
although there are a couple of things that you should try and do first.
Firstly if you have installed WMP9 rename the file wmploc.dll to
wmploc.old or alternatively delete it as otherwise you are likely to see a
SUWIN error during setup that refers to verx. Secondly and more
important, it is essential that, if installed, you try if at all possible
remove IE6 as otherwise you will end up with a bit of a version soup as
the Win Me reinstall will attempt to install IE5.5.

For more details about reinstalling Win Me including a tool that can be
used to remove IE6 see Noel Paton's comments at
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/reinME.htm

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> I suspected that this was a "fatal" error! You have to forgive my
> memory as this happened about 1 week ago and I cannot remember all
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> as I leave this function activated but I cannot access WINME to even
> check or perform one.

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Chris Fraser - 28 Aug 2005 00:06 GMT

> Chris,
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> installation of Win Me as the basis for the construction of the composite
> vmm32.vxd file required for your system.

I understand now!!!

> As to whether using system restore to return to a checkpoint a week old
> will save your bacon or not rather depends on how you replaced vmm32.vxd.
> If this file was replaced with Win Me running you might be in luck but if
> done by booting to a DOS prompt from a floppy then the state manager would
> not have been running at the time and the old copy of vmm32.vxd will not
> have been archived.

As this was done from DOS prompt I guess I am toast!!!

> Unless you are able to restore the original copy of vmm32.vxd I feel that
> you are going to have to reinstall Win Me over itself. You can do this by
> running the copy of setup.exe in the C:\windows\options\cabs folder
> although there are a couple of things that you should try and do first.

The page listed below talks about the specific CAB file for setup.exe (i.e.
BASE2.CAB). I assume this would be found by looking in the various CABS
folders?

> Firstly if you have installed WMP9 rename the file wmploc.dll to
> wmploc.old or alternatively delete it as otherwise you are likely to see a
> SUWIN error during setup that refers to verx. Secondly and more
> important, it is essential that, if installed, you try if at all possible
> remove IE6 as otherwise you will end up with a bit of a version soup as
> the Win Me reinstall will attempt to install IE5.5.

Seems easy for WMP9 and IE6 (with file noted below). I will give it a shot!!

> For more details about reinstalling Win Me including a tool that can be
> used to remove IE6 see Noel Paton's comments at
> http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/reinME.htm

I have the page above printed off and IEREMOV.ZIP downloaded and files
transferred to floppy. Do I need to backup the registry first with SCANREG
/BACKUP? Will this work from command prompt? The file IEREMOV.REG will it
run from c:\ as the .BAT will? Anything else I should be aware of before I
venture into this mess?

Thanks for all your help Mike! This seems to be what I expected to do.
Hopefully it will go smoothly (if not you will see another post!!!!).

Regards,
Chris

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 28 Aug 2005 00:16 GMT

Chris,

> The page listed below talks about the specific CAB file for setup.exe
> (i.e. BASE2.CAB). I assume this would be found by looking in the
> various CABS folders?

No, read it again. It is using BASE2.CAB as a means of identifying the
folder concerned. Win Me is installed by running the copy of setup.exe in
that folder.

I'll leave it for Noel to answer any questions you might have about using
IEREMOV.ZIP. It's a bit late for him now (gone midnight in the UK) so you
may have to wait for him to see your post tomorrow.

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

>> Chris,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 61 lines]
> Regards,
> Chris

Reply to this Message

Noel Paton - 28 Aug 2005 08:47 GMT

(buck-passer!<vbg>)

IE6REMOV.ZIP contains three files - one a simple text file telling what to
do with the other two (in Windows).
the .BAT file will work in DOS, but the .REG file will not.
With luck, the reinstall should still work OK - but I can't guarantee it for
two reasons
1) I didn't write the page, and the guy who did (Koldbear) has unfortunately
'gone to a far better place'
2) I've never tried it in this way.

Extract the .BAT file either to the HD, or a floppy, and run it from the
command prompt.

When the reinstall of ME is complete, you will need to thoroughly check out
your IE install - and use Windows Updates to reinstall IE6SP1. If that
fails, then you will need to use my advice posted on uninstalling and
reinstalling IE in ME - http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/ReInIE.htm

Signature

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

> Chris,
>
[quoted text clipped - 75 lines]
>> Regards,
>> Chris

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Chris Fraser - 28 Aug 2005 18:40 GMT

Thanks Mike,

I saw the posting from Noel and will use the info from him and our
discussions in next day or so to reinstall WINME and then IE. I will post
back with results. Again, thanks for your help!!!
Chris

> Chris,
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Mike Maltby
> mike.maltby@gmail.com

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