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In Win98 I get "Initializing Device IOS Windows Protection Error"

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Stateman

IS-IT--Management
Dec 12, 2000
2
US
I am working on a friend's cpu and get the following error during boot "Initializing Device IOS Windows Protection Error You Must Reboot". It is an AMD-K6 450 running Win98. Sometimes it will boot but most of the time I either get that message or an error on VFBACKUP. When it does boot I try to install Win98SE but it craps out. HELP!!!
 
That error refers to a device conflict. Two or more items sharing resources.
Remove the sound card and modem from the computer, and it will probably start.
Restart in safe mode, remove the modem, sound card, all com ports and anything in "Other Devices", then restart.
Shutdown, and put the sound card in, restart and install it.
Shutdown, and put the modem in, restart and install it.
If you're running out of resources (IRQ's) disabling com 2 (and com 1 if you have a PS2 mouse) can free up two for use by other devices.

Jim
reboot@pcmech.com
Current moderator at
Staff contributor/moderator at
Windows 9x/ME instructor.

Jim's Modems:
 
I had the same problem. Than I found out that the "AMD K#" has inherited this problem.

You need to get the amdk6upd.exe file and install it. I believe you can find that file at From there on out you will NOT see that message anymore.
That drove me nuts for months when it first happen to me. It was almost on every reboot.

Go here and learn all about it and get the fix:
 
gpwolf is right. Its a specific issue with AMD k6-350 and up. With 350's it happens 30-70% of boots, with faster processors it quickly gets to 100%. It is really a microsoft issue, and they released a patch. The link is:


This only happens on Win95 SR2, also called the OEM2 release.

David Moore
dm7941@sbc.com
 
After seeing all the post about the AMD-K6 power problems I poped the case to check the CPU fan. The CPU fan was not working. I replaced the fan and it seemed to fix the problem. Thanks for the input.
 
We are having the same problem with a Dell P-566, it crashed one day after having no problems for several months. The error message is: "While initializing device IOS, windows protection error, You must restart...." now it will not even start in safe mode and, can't get past the first part of the win98 install.
Sometimes the error message says "while initializing device configmg" or "device vgartd....".
Interestingly, it will boot to the command promt only, and the hardware diagnostic CD found no problems. A new hard drive seemed to work but eventually that crashed.
The next thing we will try is new memory, or a new motherboard, and hopefully one of those will fix it.
 
To follow up, the problem was caused by a bad memory module. We replaced it after trying almost everything, including installing a new motherboard. The memory had worked alright for a year before going bad. So we can appreciate problems that can be caused by intermittant memory!
 
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