Windows 98 Installation problems

[Sillygirl]

I am trying to install Windows 98 on my PC. When I access the CD-Rom and type setup, it starts scandisk, completes it, I hit exit, and the PC reads copying Windows files - please wait and the C:\prompt comes up and setup does not continue. I have tried to then bypass the scandisk by typing in D:\setup /IS and it bypasses scandisk. An error shows up which reads "While initializing device VCACHE, Windows Protection Error. You need to restart your computer."
Can anyone help me with this?? I am at wits end!

 

[Sillygirl]

OK - BOYS - here is what I'm working with:
Motherboard: ABIT KG7
Processor: AMD 1400MHZ
Video Card: ATI RADEON VE Sual Display 32 mb
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live MP-3
Floppy: Mitsumi
CD Rom A-open 52x CD ROM
CD-RW: Yamaha 16x10x40
Hard Drive: Western Digital 40 GIG
Modem US ROBOTICS
Heat Sink: Thermaltake 7000 RPM Copper
Memory: Crucial 184 PIN DDR DIMM 265 MB
DVD ROM: Toshiba 16x SD-M1502
so - what do you think??

 

[Arachkid]

Hello Again SG:

Sorry to hear that you're still having problems. At least it's known that the W98 loading procedure is correct and that you've provided two pieces of information vital to analyzing the problem: the machine ran previously and the hardware configuration. I'm going to assume that the pc ran with this exact hardware and that the W98 cd you're attempting to load is the same one used to initially load the machine. If I'm assuming wrong, please let me know.

The hardware configuration you're running is very similar to the machine I'm using tonight, an AMD 1400 TBird on a GigaByte AMD 761 board. I also have an AMD 1900 XP on an ABIT KR7A RAID board.

The vcache error you consistently get is not mentioned verbatim in the Microsoft knowledge base but would seem to indicate a memory problem. I also use Crucial memory and while I've never had a bad stick, I'm sure this does happen. If you only have a single 256MB stick I would advise changing it to a known good or new stick. This would be the least invasive repair attempt, and with memory prices low, probably the least expensive. I run 512MB in all my AMD machines, so your purchase wouldn't be a waste.

I also got a vcache error often when building the TBird machine, but hopefully the problem I had is not yours. The heatsink fan I used drew more current from the motherboard fan header connection than it could supply and the fan ran intermittently,- the CPU would intermittently overheat and produce errors when trying to load W98, many of which were vcache. You seem to be saying that all of your loading errors are vcache, so I'm leaning toward the memory fix first.

If the memory switch results in no change in the error, my next suggestion would be starting the machine off with only the minimal hardware installed necessary to load W98: floppy drive, cd drive, video card. I build all my machines starting out this way, although some prefer to throw all the hardware into the mix and let Windows sort it out.

Good luck and keep posting(no pun intended).

 

[fasttoon]

Hey SillyGirl,

Quality components listed, what is the psu?

I agree with Arachkid in using the minimum components to start up, also you might want to check if all components are correctly seated/installed, ie video cards, heatsinks, drives, etc. If it works with minimum components then most likely psu problem.

Crucial is a very good brand, I think less than 1% failure, Arachkid is correct from what I understand of vcache error being memory related, of course if its the psu not giving steady power to the memory it will create the same errors as well.

I would start with a min of components, if still problems, switch out psu, then memory, of course do whichever is most convenient to you.

Hopefully that will point you in the right directions.

 

[DavidDude]

You need a boot disk that has cdrom support and make sure it isn't one that creates a ram drive because for some reason it creates an error while seting up windows
Thats the most I can say from what I heard DavidDude00@Daw Corp, 1999-2002
%

 

[Speccie]

Hi SillyGirl, Not to distract you but I have just been through a 'Windows Protection Error'when Windows 98se was initialising its devices. I have never seen one before. After burning the midnight oil, (no mere machine ever beat me) I found that an active pin on the parallel port cable was pushed back. The point I am trying to make is that it might be worth disconnecting any unecessary I/O devices. In fact It may be worth pulling the cards not needed to fire up the system and replacing them one at a time if it makes a difference.

regards Michael

 

[Sillygirl]

Drumroll please - PROBLEM IS SOLVED!....THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYONES advice in helping me solve the VCACHE problem. Your kind posts helped me to press on. This has been VERY frustrating. It was in fact the memory chip. I'm not sure the original memory chip was really a Crucial brand memory chip. It was purchased from a vendor that said it was however it did not have the "Crucial" sticker on the chip itself. Hmmmm.... Anyway, THANKS SO MUCH.

Lori

 

[Speccie]

Way to go
regards Michael..... can it be irritating or what??

 

[Arachkid]

Hello Again and CONGRATULATIONS SG:

Ahh yes,- the old specious vendor ploy. It was because of nonsense like this that I started building my own PCs. Perhaps this vendor has a history at ResellerRatings.com .

I'm glad we were able to help.

Good Luck