A fatal exception OD has occurred at 2157:000054CA

[donnajoe83]

I have a 6 yr old computer that has Win 95 on it. I also have a Win 98 CDR "for new pc's only" which will not allow me to use as an upgrade. I was told that if I format the hard drive to clear out everything, I can install Win 98 using this CDR. Since I don't know how to format the hard drive, I opted to load a Windows 98 upgrade I borrowed from a friend. The download went well until the end when it rebooted. It booted all the way to Win 98 screen (w/o the icons), then changed to my daughters "Select User Name" screen she made in Win 95, but now reads Win 98. A second or two later it changes to a blue screen which states "A fatal exception OD has occurred at 2157:000054CA. The current application will be terminated".

I am not extremely knowledgable when it comes to troubleshooting problems on pc's. (I'm a better user and abuser, ha ha). Anyway, step by step instructions for the simpliest way to either fix this problem or to format the hard drive and install the Win 98 for new pc CDR would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! Thanks!!!

 

[BionicJohn]

This thread will help: thread615-755630

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[donnajoe83]

Thanks for your reply.

The disk I used is a Windows 98 "Upgrade". Shouldn't this version work to upgrade from Win 95???

Regardless, even if I downloaded the wrong one, how can I fix it now? Can I format the hard drive and install the Win 98 (for new pc) CDR that I have??

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, donnajoe83,

I'm not clear of the current state of play of your PC.

This page in the MS KB:
Windows 98 How-To Guide

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;w98howto&product=w98

has answers to just about all your questions.

Scroll down to "Setup".

If your PC previous had WinXP installed, you will need to FDISK/re-partition the disk to ensure it's FAT and not NTFS.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[donnajoe83]

Originally, I bought this computer with Win 95 installed on it. I do have the orig. Win 95 cdr. This computer is a no name Pentium 166MMX, 256K Pipeline Burst Cache, PCI/ISA Motherboard, Mid Tower Case, 1.44FDD, 32MB EDO RAM, 2.0GB IDE HDD, 2MB PCI SVGA, 33.5 Voice/Fax Modem, 12xCDR, etc.

I tried installing a Win 98 Upgrade cdr, created a set up floppy as part of the procedure and followed the installation instructions. During the last reboot, I got a blue screen with the following message "a fatal exception OD has occured at 2147:000054CA. The current application will be terminated".

After searching around my pc, I found in DOS the Hard Disk Low Level Format Utility and erased Drive C (figuring this would erase the hard drive and I could use the Win 98 cdr I have "for new computers&quot. This, however, did not come with a startup disk.

Then I received your last message, so I checked on the Microsoft How-To site, and looked in set up. I followed the instructions to use the Fdisk Tool and Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk and choose the FAT16 file system. Then I contiued and formatted the Hard Disk. The status of this is: Current fixed disk drive: 1
Partition C:1 ; Status A ; Type Primary DOS ;
Vol Label ; Mbytes 2012 ; System FAT 16 ; USage 100%.

I, therefore, tried to load the Win 98 "for new computer" cdr, but got a message "Bad command or file name".

I, then tried to load the upgrade, using the startup disk I created earlier. I got to the point when it asked for verification of a previous Windows. Since I had erased my hard drive, I took out the Win 98 cdr and put in my Win 95 cdr and tried to pull it up on the "D" drive. Nothing appeared on the D drive with the Win 95 cdr in it, nor on the hard drive. I had to cancel the installation.

Is there another way to prove my previous Win 95 existed?? I have the Product Code Key. How could I prove this during the Win 98 Update installation?

Or, on the otherhand, why can't I use the Win 98 cdr for new pc's?? I get a "bad command or file name" when I try to use it. Do I need a starup disk for this?? If so, how do I get one as the cdr did not come with one??

I am so confused....trying it from two different angles.
Is there anything I can do short of bring it to a pc expert?

Do you think I can reinstall Win 95 at this point?? I have the original cdr, but no startup disk (never made one...stupid me!).

Please advise A.S.A.P. as I am now addicted to fixing this problem !!

Thanks for your help.

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, donnajoe83,

I'm assuming that your PC will not boot directly from your Win98 "for new computer" cdr. So you will need to boot your PC using the Startup Floppy Diskette so that DOS can then "see" your CD drive.

IIRC correctly, the boot floppy will create a RAMDISK called D: and your CD drive will become E:

The command from the DOS Prompt to install Win98 will then be E:\setup.exe.

See:
Windows 98 Emergency Startup Disk

http://cwdixon.com/support/win98_support/win98_startup_disk.htm

particularly the last parapgraph.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[donnajoe83]

Hi Big John D:

I'm not sure what you mean "IIRC correct, the boot floppy will creat a RAMDISK called D: and your CD Drive will become E." Do you mean if I followed the fdisk procedure correctly? If so, the system check I did after that showed Partion C:1 Status A ; Type Primary DOS ; Vol Label ;Mbytes 2012 ; System FAT 16 ; Usage 100%. According to the instructions, it says I should be able to load Win 98 from there.

I believe it is correct, however, think the problem has to do with corresponding startup and system disks.

When I start up the pc without any disks whatsoever in it, I get a message: "Invalid system disk
Replace the disk, and press any key"

When I start up the pc with the Win 98 cdr "for new pc's" in it, I get the same message.

When I start up the pc using the Win 98 UPGRADE start up disk that I had previously credited when trying to load the Win 98 UPGRADE, I get the DOS prompt A:

Leaving in this Win 98 UPGRADE start up disk:

If I change the DOS prompt A: to D:\setup.exe
I get "Invalid Drive Specification".

If I change the Dos prompt to C:\setup.exe
I get "Bad Command or File Name".

If I try to change the Dos prompt to E:
I get "Bad Command or File Name".

It appears to me that the Win 98 UPGRADE start up disk will ONLY WORK with the Win 98 UPGRADE cdr that it was created for. It will enable me to get to DOS, but if I remove it, or even if I leave it in and try to use any other cdr, nothing will work.

Since I don't have the corresponding start up disk for the Win 98 cdr "for new pc's" or even for my original Win 95 cdr that came with my pc, I cannot load either one of these programs unless I get a corresponding start up disk.

Should any Win 98 startup disk work with any Win 98 cdr, or do they have to correspond with eachother??


Do you know of any other way ?

I really appreciate your advise. Thank you for responding.

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, donnajoe83,

It seems like your boot floppy does not contain the drivers for a CD drive.

On the page I referred to before:
Windows 98 Emergency Startup Disk

http://cwdixon.com/support/win98_support/win98_startup_disk.htm

scroll down to:
Contents of the Windows 98 Startup Disk

This lists what should be on your startup floppy.

To check the contents of your startup floppy, insert the diskette in the drive and boot up the PC.

When the prompt appears (A type
dir A:

Your listing should be very similar to the one on the webpage.

If not, you can download a Win98 boot disk from:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[donnajoe83]

I LOVE YOU; I LOVE YOU; I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY,
no, "REALLY" LOVE YOU !!!!!!!!

This is the shortest e-mail I've yet to send you, but it comes most sincerely......

!!!!!!THANK YOU !!!!!


(are you gonna miss my e-mails??? Probably not)

THANKS AGAIN !!!

Donna

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, Donna,

> I LOVE YOU; I LOVE YOU; I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, no, "REALLY" LOVE YOU !!!!!!!!

<blush>
All part of the service…

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.