These are my problems:

1. Crystal Fusion Sound is lost from new motherboard installed at the shop last year 
in December.  I downloaded something from Cirrus web site and when I tried installing, 
it gave this error: "The NTKERN.VXD device loader(s) for this device could not load 
the device driver. (Code 2)".  When I clicked on Update, I got this: "Windows was 
unable to locate a driver for this device."  That comes even with the CD-ROM in the 
bay or if Windows looks in the default location of C:\Program Files.  How can a virus 
affect the CD-ROM disk itself?

2. I can't fully re-install WIN 98SE from CD-ROM disk because of many, many files 
missing that Windows says it can't find (to proceed).

3.  Currently, on boot up, a small dialogue box appears on the desktop that says: 
"Error loading CWPROPS.CPL.  The system cannot find the file specified."  I eX the 
box away and the computer operates normally.

4.  When I try adding those missing files from Add/Remove Programs/Windows Setup, 
and the WIN 98SE is in the CD-ROM bay, I get more error messages saying (a certain) 
file is missing.  There are dozens of files Windows can't find on the CD-ROM disk.

Luckily, no damage was done to all the other programs that are operating normally, 
including surfing the Net.  But what happened?  

Also, my Cookie Jar disappeared and I can't re-install it because clicking on the 
.exe file that I saved gives this error message: "Run-time error 429.  ActiveX component 
can't creat object."

There is another absolutely mysterious fault from all these errors that I can't figure 
out.  In My Documents, I have over 600 .doc files and 104 folders with more .doc 
files.  But only one .doc file doesn't open properly, it's frozen.  I'm a writer. 
 That frozen file is a 380 page novel.  I have a few more novels of that length that 
open normally that I can edit, etc.  Fortunately, I found that I can use that corrputed 
file if I open it in Preview.

So, with all these errors, I'm just wondering if a virus infected the hard drive 
or if the motherboard is defective.  I want to figure this thing out before I take 
the computer to an expensive repair shop.

Any information from you good people would be a Christmas gift for me.  So thanks 
for reading this.  Best wishes for the Season. 

Tip: Run a free scan for common Windows errors ad

re: Problems in WIN 98SE Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 1:28 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) Dave A. wrote: |1. [...]"The NTKERN.VXD device loader(s) for this device |could not load the device driver. (Code 2)". | Sounds to me like you've tried to install NT-specific software on a 9x system. |2. I can't fully re-install WIN 98SE from CD-ROM disk |because of many, many files missing that Windows says it can't find (to proceed). | That's a shame. Here's a zero-cost solution to that: cache of http://lightlinux.blogspot.com/2009/01/antix-8-test-release-reviewed.html cache of http://desktoplinuxreviews.com/2009/07/29/antix-m8-2 Jim Lynch's reviews run for 5 pages; the really good stuff there is on Page 4. (Even that *partial* software listing makes M$ "operating systems" look miserly.) ...and that OS doesn't make you jump thru a lot of silly hoops --not to mention that it has been UPDATED this calendar year. ...and, once again, it is gratis (FREE). |3. [...]"Error loading CWPROPS.CPL. The system cannot find the file specified." | Again, I suspect you've tried installing NT-only software. |4. When I try adding those missing files |from Add/Remove Programs/Windows Setup[...]I get more error messages | You are going to LOVE the "package manager" that is included with the modern OS I pointed to. It doesn't fetch junk software that won't run on your system and it handles all this dependency nonsense for you. |Also[...]ActiveX[...] | ActiveX is a bad joke. At best it is an infection vector. In addition, it is a single-source lock-in mechanism. As an example, South Korea will be mired in the 20th Century forever because of their stupid decision to base their economy (e.g. banking) on ActiveX. They are also tied to M$ in perpetuity--never allowing for competitive bidding. BTW, the OS I pointed to is highly impervious to infection IN ITS OUT-OF-THE-BOX CONFIGURATION. |[...]one .doc file doesn't open properly, it's frozen. |That frozen file is a 380 page novel. | Use your backup copy. Oh, you don't have a backup copy? Hmmm. When knowledgeable people have problems with M$Office files, they use OpenOffice.org to open them. It's extremely rare when that fails. (OOo is more M$-compliant than Micros~1's own junk is.) ..and, once again, this is Free(dom) Software. Caveat: The current versions of OOo (3.x) will not run under Win9x unless you first install KernelEx. (The much-less-capable) OOo2.x is also available from oldapps.com. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 3:52 pm Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) Was the motherboard gauranteed to be compatible with Win 98? If it's new enough, most are not. It may run, but be severly limited as it may be running legacy drivers. What size is the hard drive? There is a size limit in Win 98 and going over that size limit will corrupt the drive and start producing errors when regions above the limitation in size is attempted. Either way, it sounds like several issues going on. What are the total specs of the computer, including the brand and model of the motherboard? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 8:51 pm Posted by dhm (1069 messages posted) 3. [...]"Error loading CWPROPS.CPL. The system cannot find the file specified." Again, I suspect you've tried installing NT-only software. Guess again. I searched my hard drive (Win98 and Win2K partitions) and they don't have it. Bing can't find it. Google can't find such a file. In case of a misspelling I asked for a listing of all my .CPL files. I found nothing like it. I put "CWPRO" into Google. I found a company by that name but it make audio-visual displays for corporations in England. I'm surprised because Dave A seems such a precise person. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Friday, December 25, 2009 at 9:11 am Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) Thanks to all who replied. I need time to absorb the information and act on it while I find the answers to those questions. A bit more info might help: The old motherboard was INTEL and all its drivers on the CD-ROMs that they left me are not compatible with the new one whose processor is AMD Athlon XP 2000+. The INTEL board had SIGMATEL sound files. The new one has Crystal SoundFusion sound files. This sound system must use the file "Rundll32cwprops.cpl,CrystalControlwnd." This file shows up in msconfig/Startup and also in Startup Programs that says that the file is loaded from "Registry [Machine Run]," and the command is that "Rundll32..." etc. mentioned earlier. I searched for the entire line in Registry, but it wasn't found. I searched for "Rundll32cwprops.cpl" and that wasn't found, and a search for "cwprops.cpl" by itself didn't produce any result either. So that sound file apparently had disappeared from the computer somehow. After a while, I'll post back with what else I found or will do. Thanks again. On Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 11:03 am, Dave A. wrote: >These are my problems: > >1. Crystal Fusion Sound is lost from new motherboard installed at the shop last year >in December. I downloaded something from Cirrus web site and when I tried installing, >it gave this error: "The NTKERN.VXD device loader(s) for this device could not load >the device driver. (Code 2)". When I clicked on Update, I got this: "Windows was >unable to locate a driver for this device." That comes even with the CD-ROM in the >bay or if Windows looks in the default location of C:\Program Files. How can a virus >affect the CD-ROM disk itself? > >2. I can't fully re-install WIN 98SE from CD-ROM disk because of many, many files >missing that Windows says it can't find (to proceed). > >3. Currently, on boot up, a small dialogue box appears on the desktop that says: >"Error loading CWPROPS.CPL. The system cannot find the file specified." I eX the >box away and the computer operates normally. > >4. When I try adding those missing files from Add/Remove Programs/Windows Setup, >and the WIN 98SE is in the CD-ROM bay, I get more error messages saying (a certain) >file is missing. There are dozens of files Windows can't find on the CD-ROM disk. > >Luckily, no damage was done to all the other programs that are operating normally, >including surfing the Net. But what happened? > >Also, my Cookie Jar disappeared and I can't re-install it because clicking on the >.exe file that I saved gives this error message: "Run-time error 429. ActiveX component >can't creat object." > >There is another absolutely mysterious fault from all these errors that I can't figure >out. In My Documents, I have over 600 .doc files and 104 folders with more .doc >files. But only one .doc file doesn't open properly, it's frozen. I'm a writer. > That frozen file is a 380 page novel. I have a few more novels of that length that >open normally that I can edit, etc. Fortunately, I found that I can use that corrputed >file if I open it in Preview. > >So, with all these errors, I'm just wondering if a virus infected the hard drive >or if the motherboard is defective. I want to figure this thing out before I take >the computer to an expensive repair shop. > >Any information from you good people would be a Christmas gift for me. So thanks >for reading this. Best wishes for the Season. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 12:25 am Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) It sounds to me as though your hard drive has become corrupted unleashing a cascade of events. The first thing I would do is run ScanDisk to see if it finds any bad sectors. Make sure the box that reads "Automatically fix errors" is UNCHECKED to make sure things aren't made worse by being "fixed". Is your Win98SE CD an original or an old CD-R copy? At least it should have been readable if it is an original. CD-R copies can lose data. Have you written anything we may have heard of? I wouldn't mind listening to the audiobook version if it's out. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 8:27 am Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) That's what I believe too. I also believe it's infected with one heck of a virus. I don't use any anti-virus program and haven't for a long time. These problems just happened in the past two weeks. Anyway, do anti-virus programs get rid of viruses or are they just to protect computers from getting them? I ran ScanDisk a couple of times last week with "Fix Errors" enabled. But I don't think that caused my problems since I've done that many times in years past. Luckily, my WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS files are all intact, so too is my DOS spreadsheet. The virus or corruption on the hard drive doesn't affect DOS at all. I'm getting along fine with the computer, it's just that I can't listen to all my music, or download any program or online-news item that requires Microsoft DirectX or ActiveX to play or read them. I've deleted CookieJar entirely and am using "Empty Temp Folders 238" program that I downloaded, which is neat and serves my purposes adequately. My WIN98SE Updates CD was bought and installed on top of my WIN98 on July 21, 2000. So if it's true that those CDs lose data, then maybe that's the cause of the corruption. Terrible thought, though. I've re-installed MS Word 97 a few times and got back all of its functions except that mysterious bug that freezes the novel I'm revising (only one .doc file out of hundreds). I'm resigned to gaining access to it by the back way of opening it up through the Preview pane, then resizing it to full view. Everything works normally after that. What I'm worried about is that, because I'm still using a very old WIN98SE that certainly is corrupted, if not crawling with viruses, tons of my research and .doc files will corrupt a new computer if I do buy the latest one with WIN7 installed. I'd like to give you my website address to get a glimpse of my books but I'm afraid the moderator might block this message if I do. Thanks for replying. On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 12:25 am, Arminius wrote: >It sounds to me as though your hard drive has become corrupted unleashing a cascade >of events. The first thing I would do is run ScanDisk to see if it finds any bad >sectors. Make sure the box that reads "Automatically fix errors" is UNCHECKED to >make sure things aren't made worse by being "fixed". > >Is your Win98SE CD an original or an old CD-R copy? At least it should have >been readable if it is an original. CD-R copies can lose data. > >Have you written anything we may have heard of? I wouldn't mind listening to the >audiobook version if it's out. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 11:16 am Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) The new motherboard should have come with a CD that has the sound, video and other drivers that Win 9X needs. If you didn't get it and the box with the accy's that were with it, you may have been ripped off, as in, you bought a refurb or OEM and there are a lot of those being dumped into computers as replacements. If you have the motherboard CD and you don't find a Win 9x directory with the drivers, then the board doesn't support Win 98. What is the brand name and model of the motherboard? We can verify that it is Win 9X compatible and if there are drivers for it. You have a better chance of an AMD processor board supporting Win 9X than an Intel chipset (Intel support is totally gone now) but support is all but gone for Win 9x on newer boards. It may run on legacy drivers on an AMD board, but not as well as it could with the proper drivers installed. Without knowing the specs of the board, we are just wating time. In the device manager, what devices show a problem? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 12:30 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) Thanks for that information, C.K. I want to answer you right away. Since stores are closed until Monday, I won't be able to get those CDs from the computer guy who installed the new motherboard. When I get the chance, I'll go to him and ask for the CDs. I have an "Intel Express Installer CD" and another one called "Intel D845GLVA Win98SE Drivers" with these 8 files: 5.10.3686.certified iata_enu.exe infinst_enu.exe setup.exe v6.4PRO98ME.only.exe VA84510A.86A.0052.P19.EB.EXE VA84510A.86A.0052.P19.IB.EXE win9x.exe My hard drive crashed back in 2000. I had to buy a Western Digital hard drive, Model WD800JB-00JJco, and a WIN98 that says "For PCs without Windows" and a WIN98SE "Second Edition Updates." The shop installed them all on the original OEM motherboard, then they installed the INTEL CDs, which they gave me. But last December 2008 that motherboard fried and the computer guy installed this motherboard that has CrystalFusion sound system. I'm very hesitant to install the INTEL CDs on that corrupted Crystal SoundFusion system, but will do so if you guys say it's OK. The invoice doesn't say what type motherboard it is, nor can I find it in Properties wherever. Device Manager shows Crystal SoundFusion and ECP Printer Port not working. The original motherboard had SYMATEC sound system, and that's what shows up as default whenever Windows is looking for something to load for the sound system today. Should I go into the Registry and delete everything about SYMANTEC in the hopes that Crystal SoundFusion will fill its place? Maybe Crystal is just sleeping, waiting for SYMATEC to get out of its way. Shows you what I know about computers. But I'll get all the information I can and post it right away. Thanks. On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 11:16 am, C K wrote: >The new motherboard should have come with a CD that has the sound, video and other >drivers that Win 9X needs. If you didn't get it and the box with the accy's that >were with it, you may have been ripped off, as in, you bought a refurb or OEM and >there are a lot of those being dumped into computers as replacements. If you have >the motherboard CD and you don't find a Win 9x directory with the drivers, then the >board doesn't support Win 98. > >What is the brand name and model of the motherboard? We can verify that it is Win >9X compatible and if there are drivers for it. You have a better chance of an AMD >processor board supporting Win 9X than an Intel chipset (Intel support is totally >gone now) but support is all but gone for Win 9x on newer boards. It may run on >legacy drivers on an AMD board, but not as well as it could with the proper drivers >installed. Without knowing the specs of the board, we are just wating time. In >the device manager, what devices show a problem? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 1:16 pm Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) If you have an AMD processor, then you don't have an Intel chipset, so the Intel drivers you are trying to use will flat out NOT work. Don't even try to install them. You just do more damage. Intel has never made a chipset that will support AMD processors. Why should they? AMD is their competition. Mucking around in the registry won't work either. Download this utility below and run it. Unless it is a completely off brand board, it should tell you what you have.. http://www.piriform.com/speccy If it can't identify your board, processor and chipset, then you don't have drivers installed to support the board properly and are running crippled and in legacy mode. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 1:39 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) Got it, downloaded it, executed it, but Speccy came up with this error message: "Error Starting Program" "A required .DLL file, WINHTTP.DLL, was not found." You can bet that I won't mess with the Registry or install INTEL files on the computer now. Thanks for the warning. I'm going to the computer guy Monday morning for those CDs. On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 1:16 pm, C K wrote: >If you have an AMD processor, then you don't have an Intel chipset, so the Intel >drivers you are trying to use will flat out NOT work. Don't even try to install >them. You just do more damage. Intel has never made a chipset that will support >AMD processors. Why should they? AMD is their competition. Mucking around in the >registry won't work either. Download this utility below and run it. Unless it is >a completely off brand board, it should tell you what you have.. > >http://www.piriform.com/speccy > >If it can't identify your board, processor and chipset, then you don't have drivers >installed to support the board properly and are running crippled and in legacy mode. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:02 pm Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) Try this one. I just tried it on my test bed Win 98 SE and it works. http://www.supershareware.com/download/astra32---advanced-system-information-tool.html It is trial but will run at least once so you can check your system. If it doesn't run, you are looking at a fresh install of Windows making sure you have the correct drivers for the board. You will spend a lot of time troubleshooting and still not be successful is my gut feeling. Sometimes a repair install will correct these issues, and sometimes not, which is why I always try to image the original drive to a second disk and run the repair install on the imaged disk. If it doesn't work (or you have the same issues), then I know it won't work on the original either. Time to save data and install Windows clean (new install).. Let us know how it goes.. Can never have to much information on different problems we all come up against! :-) Good Luck! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:16 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) You could always remove the computer's cover and see if the make and model of the motherboard are on it somewhere. Then you can head over to the manufacturer's website read the specs and download the drivers for it. You really ought to back up all your work on CD-R at this point. I got a hunch you may have to do a complete reinstall, though I cannot recommend Win98SE for online use anymore. If you know the guy at the computer store he may install Windows 2000 for you if you ask him very nicely. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:25 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) Dave A. wrote: |I also believe it's infected with one heck of a virus. | As mentioned, Linux doesn't suffer from that nonsense. Something I didn't mention: You DON'T have to *install* Linux to try it. (Unlike M$'s junk, Linux and the apps can be run from the plastic disk.) Here are 3 "distros" that will run on ancient iron --and they use lightweight desktops that will run with smaller amounts of RAM; all 3 include OpenOffice.org. cache of http://distrowatch.com/pqui cache of http://distrowatch.com/xfld cache of http://distrowatch.com/linguasos (Linux Mint's Xfce Edition and Mint Fluxbox Edition are even better than those, but those spins don't have DistroWatch pages that are separate from the heavyweight Mint main trunk.) If you have the HDD space, you can also set up Linux as a dual-boot. (Linux does all the heavy lifting setting things up.) You can also put Linux on a separate HDD (which I recommend). Having Linux around also gives you a bootable environment for maintenance when fragile little Windoze breaks. |[...]do anti-virus programs get rid of viruses |or are they just to protect computers from getting them? | NOT "computers"--WINDOZE boxes. Macs, Linux boxes, *BSD boxes, Solaris boxes... DON'T suffer from this nonsense. ONLY Windoze needs that junk. Actually, I should say STILL needs that junk. A need for anti-xxxx apps is the mark of a defective OS design. ...and to get the kind of "protection" you are referring to on a Windoze box, you have to be running the anti-xxxx junk all the time, slowing the box down and sucking up resources that could be dedicated to USEFUL tasks. Again, since Linux doesn't need that junk, it doesn't waste those resources. ...and to run an alternative to M$'s "equivalent" (ostensibly "cutting-edge" version), Linux needs less of a computer to start with--about one-fourth, actually: http://cityblogger.com/archives/2009/12/21/ubuntu-vs-windows-hardware-requirements Have I mentioned that Linux is FREE? Have I mentioned that Linux has more recent versions than your ancient M$ junk? I did mention in this post that you don't need to buy new hardware to run Linux. ...and in reference to your difficulties getting modern hardware to run under your ancient M$ OS, Linux has the best hardware support of *ANY* OS. |I'm getting along fine with the computer, |it's just that I can't listen to all my music, or download any program | Your definition of "fine" is different than mine. |or online-news item that requires Microsoft DirectX or ActiveX | You need to find Web sites with developers who have a 21st Century skill set --sites that don't exclude users based on what platform is being used. That was SUPPOSED to be what the Internet was about: A homogeneous network with a hetrogeneous infrastructure. ...and I suspect that having Internet Exploder / ActiveX running was how you got infected. Choosing another browser and eschewing ActiveX are strongly advised by the US Govt's computer security experts. |My WIN98SE Updates CD was bought | Linux is FREE and doesn't limit you to 1999 technology. |and installed on top of my WIN98 on July 21, 2000. | Ubuntu Linux 9.10 "Karmic Koala" was released the last week of October 2009. Their Xubuntu spin (using Xfce) would likely run on your box. There are dozens of other distros that offer similar freedom from Micros~1 as well as providing a **modern** computing environment. |I've re-installed MS Word 97 a few times | The Linux distros I linked to will allow you to run OpenOffice from the CD --without installing anything. If you decide to install OOo and/or Linux, you won't need product keys either --no more constantly being treated like a criminal by M$. ...and by switching to Free(dom) Software, there will be no more remote kill switches in your software. http://www.goodbyemicrosoft.net/news.php?item.217.3 It escapes my sense of logic why here in the 21st Century people still tolerate the M$/payware permission-required meme. |What I'm worried about is that, because I'm still using |a very old WIN98SE that certainly is corrupted, if not crawling with viruses, |tons of my research and .doc files will corrupt a new computer |if I do buy the latest one with WIN7 installed. | Here's a crazy idea: Let *someone else* buy all-new hardware in order to run M$'s latest bloatware. When that somebody sells his 6 year old gear[1], scoop that up for a song and install Linux on it. As mention in the blogger's link above, you can get by with MUCH older hardware than someone running a recent M$ OS. Dell, HP, Acer... (as well as Linux-only vendors like System76) also provide boxes with pre-installed Linux. ...and as I've mentioned repeatedly, when you stop using M$'s OSes, there are NO MORE INFECTION WORRIES. |I'd like to give you my website address to get a glimpse of my books |but I'm afraid the moderator might block this message if I do. | We're all moderators here. ...and I've seen a lot less useful stuff included in other posts. I know I wouldn't object to a small footer containing a link to creative work. http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/config [1] By getting hardware that is just a few years newer than your Win9x box, you can run ANY Linux distro (not just the lighter distros). That also allows more eye candy and bells & whistles, if that's what you're into. Before you hand over your cash, you can also boot that box to the Linux CD to assure yourself that the hardware is all compatible with your chosen distro --something unheard of in the M$ realm. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:25 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) Arminius wrote: |You really ought to back up all your work on CD-R | Y'think? |at this point. | ...or even before. |If you know the guy at the computer store |he may install Windows 2000 for you if you ask him very nicely. | ...so that both of them will be breaking the law. 8-( [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:31 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) C K wrote: |http://www.supershareware.com[...] | |It is trial but[...] | It never fails to amaze me how the solution offered for a borked system is to install something ON THE BORKED SYSTEM so that the borked system can un-bork itself. The word "antithetical" comes to mind. Once again, even in this narrow niche, the answer is LINUX: cache of http://blog.brothersoft.com/2008/12/11/free-avira-antivir-rescue-system-cd-to-clean-unremovable-virus [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:33 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) |...so that both of them will be breaking the law. 8-( Are you talking about the law that industry lawyers were paid a lot of money to lobby for in Washington, the cost of which was eventually passed on to the consumer? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:40 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) gewg_ wrote: ||...so that both of them will be breaking the law. 8-( Arminius wrote: |Are you talking about the law that industry lawyers were paid a lot of money |to lobby for in Washington, |the cost of which was eventually passed on to the consumer? That's the one. ...and The Law is still the Law. It seems to me that the way to oppose a law you believe is unjust would be to advocate for Free(dom) Software. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 3:13 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) 'Tis the season to be jolly. Try to be jolly gewg...just for once. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 3:18 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) I tried it and it works. Here's some of it. If you need more, I'll copy it and send it. The page doesn't allow me to cut and paste. Processor – AMD Athlon XP 2000+ CPU Clock – 1666.2 MHz (12.5 x 133.3 MHz DDR) Level 1 Cache – 64+64 kB (data+instr.) Level 2 Cache – 256 kB Motherboard System Name – HP Pavilion 04 P7476A-ABA 521N Motherboard Vendor – Asustek Computer Inc. Board Model – ASUSTeK Computer Inc. A7V-VE BIOS Version – Award Modular BIOS v6.0 Chipset Name – Via Apollo KLE133 System Controller Southbridge Vendor – VIA Technologies Inc Southbridge – VT82C686B PCI to ISA Bridge DMI/SMBIOS – Version 2.3 Sound Sound Chip Vendor – Cirrus Logic Sound Chip – Crystal CS4610/14/22/24/30 SoundFusion PCI Audio Accelerator Ports LPT Ports – LPT1(0378H) LPT2(1000h) COM Ports – COM1(03F8H) Com2(02F8h) On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:02 pm, C K wrote: >Try this one. I just tried it on my test bed Win 98 SE and it works. > >http://www.supershareware.com/download/astra32---advanced-system-information-tool.html > >It is trial but will run at least once so you can check your system. If it doesn't >run, you are looking at a fresh install of Windows making sure you have the correct >drivers for the board. You will spend a lot of time troubleshooting and still not >be successful is my gut feeling. Sometimes a repair install will correct these issues, >and sometimes not, which is why I always try to image the original drive to a second >disk and run the repair install on the imaged disk. If it doesn't work (or you have >the same issues), then I know it won't work on the original either. Time to save >data and install Windows clean (new install).. > >Let us know how it goes.. Can never have to much information on different problems >we all come up against! :-) Good Luck! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 3:41 pm Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) No Intel drivers then.. Keep them far away from the board. You need the drivers for the board, or more specifically the driver disk or operating system disc for the motherboard, which would have come from HP. If you didn't originally have an HP machine, then you shouldn't have an HP board in it. If it is an HP machine, then you need the discs that came with the motherboard, or download WIn 98 drivers "IF" HP supports Win 98 on that motherboard. That was/is a replacement for an HP machine, and as such, is modified for HP so some drivers may be different. Most of the time no, but sometimes yes. You can check at the bottom of this page and see if you can download drivers that you need. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07371 The reason you probably won't find this board on the ASUS website is that it was an OEM for HP and wasn't sold OTC by Asus. There is a mistake on the specs page as it lists the processor brand as Intel when it should have been AMD. A big goof on their part.. The board was shipped with XP preinstalled on the computer that the board would have been in. As such, you may not find drivers for Win 98. Only if HP had support for Win 98 will they have drivers on their website for it. That board hasn't been made for at least 4 years, so what you have is a refurb or a new old stock. Either is possible, but more of them are reurbished boards, and many of them still have problems that show up after a while in my experience. Will be interesting what the shop has to say about it. In addition, if it has more then 512 meg of RAM, that is a problem without a change in the VCache in the INI settings. A HDD size over 128 gig will be a problem even if it is partitioned smaller for running Win 9X. Also a speed limit of 2.2 gig is in there for the CPU but you are below that. I don't remember if there was an update for that limitation or not. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q253912&LN=EN-US [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 5:46 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) If you're been reading the thread, you'll see that C.K. is giving me some info that I'll be acting on, like going to the computer guy for the Crystal SoundFusion drivers to get my sound card working again. Anyway, after reading here that I may be able to post my web site URL, here it is. Hope you enjoy reading it. And hoping it isn't blocked. http://www.firstnovels.net On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 12:25 am, Arminius wrote: >It sounds to me as though your hard drive has become corrupted unleashing a cascade >of events. The first thing I would do is run ScanDisk to see if it finds any bad >sectors. Make sure the box that reads "Automatically fix errors" is UNCHECKED to >make sure things aren't made worse by being "fixed". > >Is your Win98SE CD an original or an old CD-R copy? At least it should have >been readable if it is an original. CD-R copies can lose data. > >Have you written anything we may have heard of? I wouldn't mind listening to the >audiobook version if it's out. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 5:56 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) For my web site, o.k., here it is: http://www.firstnovels.net You gave me a lot of info to ponder. I'm not expert at computer software so I don't think I'll be trying my hand at switching to Linux. All my time is devoted to creating fiction on my word processors. I'm content working with WP5.1 for DOS, and Windows 98SE with MS Word 97 grammar check, etc. Certainly many thanks for your responses that are extraordinarily detailed. But I don't think I'm good enough to handle those things. On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 2:25 pm, gewg_ wrote: >Dave A. wrote: >|I also believe it's infected with one heck of a virus. >| >As mentioned, Linux doesn't suffer from that nonsense. >Something I didn't mention: You DON'T have to *install* Linux to try it. >(Unlike M$'s junk, Linux and the apps can be run from the plastic disk.) > >Here are 3 "distros" that will run on ancient iron >--and they use lightweight desktops that will run with smaller amounts of RAM; >all 3 include OpenOffice.org. >cache >of http://distrowatch.com/pqui >cache >of http://distrowatch.com/xfld >cache >of http://distrowatch.com/linguasos > >(Linux Mint's Xfce Edition and Mint Fluxbox Edition are even better than those, >but those spins don't have DistroWatch pages >that are separate from the heavyweight Mint main trunk.) > >If you have the HDD space, you can also set up Linux as a dual-boot. >(Linux does all the heavy lifting setting things up.) >You can also put Linux on a separate HDD (which I recommend). >Having Linux around also gives you a bootable environment for maintenance >when fragile little Windoze breaks. > >|[...]do anti-virus programs get rid of viruses >|or are they just to protect computers from getting them? >| >NOT "computers"--WINDOZE boxes. >Macs, Linux boxes, *BSD boxes, Solaris boxes... DON'T suffer from this nonsense. > >ONLY Windoze needs that junk. Actually, I should say STILL needs that junk. >A need for anti-xxxx apps is the mark of a defective OS design. > >...and to get the kind of "protection" you are referring to on a Windoze box, >you have to be running the anti-xxxx junk all the time, slowing the box down >and sucking up resources that could be dedicated to USEFUL tasks. >Again, since Linux doesn't need that junk, it doesn't waste those resources. > >...and to run an alternative to M$'s "equivalent" (ostensibly "cutting-edge" version), >Linux needs less of a computer to start with--about one-fourth, actually: >http://cityblogger.com/archives/2009/12/21/ubuntu-vs-windows-hardware-requirements > >Have I mentioned that Linux is FREE? >Have I mentioned that Linux has more recent versions than your ancient M$ junk? >I did mention in this post that you don't need to buy new hardware to run Linux. >...and in reference to your difficulties >getting modern hardware to run under your ancient M$ OS, >Linux has the best hardware support of *ANY* OS. > >|I'm getting along fine with the computer, >|it's just that I can't listen to all my music, or download any program >| >Your definition of "fine" is different than mine. > >|or online-news item that requires Microsoft DirectX or ActiveX >| >You need to find Web sites with developers who have a 21st Century skill set >--sites that don't exclude users based on what platform is being used. >That was SUPPOSED to be what the Internet was about: >A homogeneous network with a hetrogeneous infrastructure. > >...and I suspect that having Internet Exploder / ActiveX running >was how you got infected. >Choosing another browser and eschewing ActiveX >are strongly advised by the US Govt's computer security experts. > >|My WIN98SE Updates CD was bought >| >Linux is FREE and doesn't limit you to 1999 technology. > >|and installed on top of my WIN98 on July 21, 2000. >| >Ubuntu Linux 9.10 "Karmic Koala" was released the last week of October 2009. >Their Xubuntu spin (using Xfce) would likely run on your box. >There are dozens of other distros that offer similar freedom from Micros~1 >as well as providing a **modern** computing environment. > >|I've re-installed MS Word 97 a few times >| >The Linux distros I linked to will allow you to run OpenOffice from the CD >--without installing anything. >If you decide to install OOo and/or Linux, you won't need product keys either >--no more constantly being treated like a criminal by M$. > >...and by switching to Free(dom) Software, >there will be no more remote kill switches in your software. >http://www.goodbyemicrosoft.net/news.php?item.217.3 > >It escapes my sense of logic why here in the 21st Century >people still tolerate the M$/payware permission-required meme. > >|What I'm worried about is that, because I'm still using >|a very old WIN98SE that certainly is corrupted, if not crawling with viruses, >|tons of my research and .doc files will corrupt a new computer >|if I do buy the latest one with WIN7 installed. >| >Here's a crazy idea: >Let *someone else* buy all-new hardware in order to run M$'s latest bloatware. >When that somebody sells his 6 year old gear[1], scoop that up for a song >and install Linux on it. As mention in the blogger's link above, >you can get by with MUCH older hardware than someone running a recent M$ OS. > >Dell, HP, Acer... (as well as Linux-only vendors like System76) >also provide boxes with pre-installed Linux. > >...and as I've mentioned repeatedly, >when you stop using M$'s OSes, there are NO MORE INFECTION WORRIES. > >|I'd like to give you my website address to get a glimpse of my books >|but I'm afraid the moderator might block this message if I do. >| >We're all moderators here. >...and I've seen a lot less useful stuff included in other posts. >I know I wouldn't object to a small footer containing a link to creative work. >http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/config > > >[1] By getting hardware that is just a few years newer than your Win9x box, >you can run ANY Linux distro (not just the lighter distros). >That also allows more eye candy and bells & whistles, if that's what you're into. > >Before you hand over your cash, you can also boot that box to the Linux CD >to assure yourself that the hardware is all compatible with your chosen distro >--something unheard of in the M$ realm. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 7:16 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) Dave A. wrote: |http://www.firstnovels.net | If you use the QuickLink button on the Posting page, that will make URLs into clickable links. (I prefer it when folks remove the **target=_blank ** part.) |You gave me a lot of info to ponder. | As the resident curmudgeon, that's my job. 8-) Most folks don't realize how broad their options are and that they DON'T have to constantly *pay* for computing improvements nor rely on outdated software that has no security updates available. |I'm not expert at computer software |so I don't think I'll be trying my hand at switching to Linux. | There's no need to do it all in one bound. You can convert to a Free Software environment in stages. cache of http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/a-home-users-successful-migration-strategy-from-windows-to-ubuntu-2 A wide range of Open Source Software apps are available for your platform (whatever that may be). The more of those Gratis and Libre apps you use, the greater your realization how many artificial barriers M$ puts in your way --as well as how mediocre/non-unique/bad M$ software is. Examples: M$O 97 doesn't make PDFs; OpenOffice3 does[1]. M$O 97 doesn't support OpenDocument Format; OpenOffice does. (ODF files are smaller than *.DOCs and can be MUCH smaller.) As a first step, I strongly suggest you stop using Internet Exploder routinely and use e.g. Firefox[2] whenever possible. As for Linux itself, you can do test drives / practice runs from the CD. Another option is to set up your box as dual-boot. As mentioned, having Linux can save your bacon when Windoze takes a dump. |I don't think I'm good enough to handle those things. | It's a safe bet that there is a bunch of nerds in your area that can get you started, showing you various installed distros and guiding your choice with hands-on demos. http://google.com/search?q=Linux.Users.Groups Not only do they bring their computers to meetings to demonstrate, there's usually a stack of Linux CDs (of various distros) waiting to be passed out --and what they don't have on hand, they can download and burn. After choosing a first distro, most newbies just have The Old Hands install it: http://google.com/search?q=Installfest When you get fed up with M$ pushing you around and/or get tired of fighting infections, that's a good time to make the total break. [1] OOo3.x requires KernelEx be installed to run under Win9x. [2] Again, the latest versions of Firefox don't run under 9x without KernelEx. Starting to see a trend with your 10 year old OS and running modern apps? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 9:44 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that there is still a free antivirus program available that runs on Windows 98. It is worth looking into in case your problem was caused by a virus after all. http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-free-home-antivirus-antispyware.html [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 10:50 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) |Arminius wrote: ||You really ought to back up all your work on CD-R || |Y'think? ||at this point. || |...or even before. You are really knowledgable gewg. Too bad you have to spoil it by being such a d!ckhead all the time. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 5:23 am Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) Now I need to know the HP Pavilion model number of that computer that the motherboard was installed in. I was on HP's drivers page and they want the model number of the computer, not the motherboard's, to search for drivers. Can you interpret the numbers on that list I posted and let me know? Thanks. On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 3:41 pm, C K wrote: >No Intel drivers then.. Keep them far away from the board. You need the drivers >for the board, or more specifically the driver disk or operating system disc for >the motherboard, which would have come from HP. If you didn't originally have an >HP machine, then you shouldn't have an HP board in it. If it is an HP machine, then >you need the discs that came with the motherboard, or download WIn 98 drivers "IF" >HP supports Win 98 on that motherboard. That was/is a replacement for an HP machine, >and as such, is modified for HP so some drivers may be different. Most of the time >no, but sometimes yes. You can check at the bottom of this page and see if you can >download drivers that you need. > >http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07371 > >The reason you probably won't find this board on the ASUS website is that it was >an OEM for HP and wasn't sold OTC by Asus. > >There is a mistake on the specs page as it lists the processor brand as Intel when >it should have been AMD. A big goof on their part.. > >The board was shipped with XP preinstalled on the computer that the board would have >been in. As such, you may not find drivers for Win 98. Only if HP had support for >Win 98 will they have drivers on their website for it. > >That board hasn't been made for at least 4 years, so what you have is a refurb or >a new old stock. Either is possible, but more of them are reurbished boards, and >many of them still have problems that show up after a while in my experience. > >Will be interesting what the shop has to say about it. > >In addition, if it has more then 512 meg of RAM, that is a problem without a change >in the VCache in the INI settings. A HDD size over 128 gig will be a problem even >if it is partitioned smaller for running Win 9X. Also a speed limit of 2.2 gig is >in there for the CPU but you are below that. I don't remember if there was an update >for that limitation or not. > >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q253912&LN=EN-US [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 9:11 am Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) At the end of the system info string, you will see the number 521N. That is HP's model numbers. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?product=77567&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&tmp_track_link=ot_we/prodlink/en_us/77567/loc:0&cc=us As you can see here, HP does not support this motherboard with Win 9X drivers: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=77567& The only drivers are here, and I don't see any sound drivers... http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=228&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=77567 You may find drivers on Driverguide.com for the sound device. (you will have to register) May be drivers else where too.. Google may come up with some answers.. Looks like the repair shop may have ripped you off.. :-( [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 10:53 am Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) Read down through this link: http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-95/pci-card/169835.html Otherwise, I think HP would have to supply a driver, but they probably only have a driver for XP and as you don't actually have an HP computer, they are unlikely to help. If you are missing some chipset drivers, you may not get sound anyway, even if the sound drivers would happen to work. Everything is controlled/directed through the chipset. I wouldn't count on the repair shop having the drivers. You should go play the lottery quick if they do! ;-) Good Luck! [Reply or follow-up to this message] ps.... Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 11:05 am Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) I downloaded the driver package mentioned in the link to the forum I posted and unzipped it.. If you try it, make sure you open the readme.txt file for install directions. If you have other device problems in the device manager, I think you will have on going issues with that board.. Again, good luck! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ps.... Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 12:28 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) C.K.: The download went smoothly to my desktop. I unzipped the files and clicked on .exe file. Everything else went smoothly as well, and even the SoundFusion icon showed up in my task bar. I opened up the properties and saw the familiar synthesizer and equalizer tabs. So everything was supposed to work properly. I opened up a YouTube classic Polovetsian Dances piece and the sound should have roared out of the speakers, but no sound at all. I checked my speaker and computer cable connections and they're ok. So it seems that the files have been installed. Only other thing I can think of is that the motherboard is defective. I'm going to the shop tomorrow morning and tell the computer guy everything we did, that he gave me a modified HP Pavilion motherboard that was meant to be installed with a Windows XP operating system, that it lasted for a year, but the conflict between WIN98SE and WIN XP fizzled. That's the gist of what happened after I studied and deduced everything you outlined in your responses. Your links were amazing: I printed out five pages of the schematics, specifications, and two photos of the motherboard. Yep, that's the one they installed in my tower computer frame, all right. I sure have to thank you very much for all the work you've put in to find a cure for this sound-less problem of mine. I'll let you all know what he does about it. Did you go to my web site? Hope you like it. On Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 11:05 am, C K wrote: >I downloaded the driver package mentioned in the link to the forum I posted and unzipped >it.. If you try it, make sure you open the readme.txt file for install directions. > >If you have other device problems in the device manager, I think you will have on >going issues with that board.. Again, good luck! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 12:49 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) Arminius: Thanks for that link. I installed avast! and ran it. It found no infected file on the WIN98SE CD itself. What a relief. I checked a few other Zip discs I have that I thought could be infected because I save Word97 .doc files in them. They too were o.k. Then I ran it for C: drive and it was o.k. But in D: drive, which is the other half of my hard drive, avast! found a virus. Maybe this was the culprit after all: D:\Downloaded Program Files\Popupsh.ocx Malware name: Win32: Trojan-gen Malware type: Virus/Worm Apparently I must've downloaded something from the Internet that I didn't need, maybe I didn't want "popup" ads in the online news that I click on. So again, thanks. I just installed the correct sound files that C.K. found for me. This time the download and installation went smoothly, but still no sound. I'm going to the shop tomorrow and see what they can do about it. I'll let you all know. Have you seen my web site? On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 9:44 pm, Arminius wrote: >One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that there is still a free antivirus program >available that runs on Windows 98. It is worth looking into in case your problem >was caused by a virus after all. > >http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-free-home-antivirus-antispyware.html [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 1:13 pm Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) Just noticed in the avast! Log Viewer that the virus was found in C:\ drive as well as D:\ drive that I just told you about. But only that one virus. Six others are ad-aware items found in C:\ProgramFiles\Common Files...and so on. On Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 9:44 pm, Arminius wrote: >One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that there is still a free antivirus program >available that runs on Windows 98. It is worth looking into in case your problem >was caused by a virus after all. > >http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-free-home-antivirus-antispyware.html [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ps.... Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 4:51 pm Posted by C K (6910 messages posted) Good website! You spent more than a few years at sea it looks like! I bookmarked the site so I can read more later.. I wish you luck at the computer shop! The drivers you downloaded would work on non OEM sound systems, or should anyway.. The chips were used on over the counter sound boards (retail/OEM, not from a big computer manufacturer), so that leaves us with either a bad motherboard, the device just not being standard for the drivers or the wrong drivers. At least they installed without giving an error, which means that at least the installer for the drivers, correctly identified the device and installed the drivers. Supposedly, Dell also used the same sevices, but may or may not have done the same modifications. They all usually do as they order them by the truck load. What really irks me is the amount of old used hardware that is being dumped on unsuspecting customers. I couldn't live with myself if I did it to my customers. (I've been building and repairing for over 20 years now, and actually worked with Windows 1.0) I just had the gut feeling from your description that you well may have had hardware issues as a major root cause, then mixed with other problems along the way. It's always a learning experience. Let me know how it goes. You can send an email to me through the site if you want anytime. Always try to help where ever I can and sometimes it won't be of any help posting here, or if it's personal in nature. :-) If you keep the motherboard, you may end up installing a new sound card into a slot if everything else works. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 7:51 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) One wouldn't expect a virus on the CD if it is a genuine original. In case you have a chance to read this before you head off to the computer shop it is worth opening the case to your computer and inspecting the motherboard for swollen or leaking capacitors. There is no point in paying someone to tell you your computer is beyond repair if you can make that determination yourself. http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5 http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=7 http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195 I saw your website and I wish you all the best. It must be a tough business to break into and make enough money to pay the bills. The last time I actually sat down and read a book it was Herman Melville's "Omoo" in the mid 1990's. However since I got into audiobooks this year I have gone through about 30-40 titles, both fiction and non-fiction. Unfortunately a bad narrator can spoil a good story. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Monday, December 28, 2009 at 2:53 am Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) Reading about bad caps brings me back to the old days of vacuum tubes and blown electrolytics. I've had my share of them in my ship's radio shack. Thanks for the links. I'm about to disconnect the computer now and take it to the shop in a few hours, so this'll be the last message for now. See you when I get back. On Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 7:51 pm, Arminius wrote: >One wouldn't expect a virus on the CD if it is a genuine original. > >In case you have a chance to read this before you head off to the computer shop it >is worth opening the case to your computer and inspecting the motherboard for swollen >or leaking capacitors. There is no point in paying someone to tell you your computer >is beyond repair if you can make that determination yourself. > >http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5 > >http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=7 > >http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195 > > >I saw your website and I wish you all the best. It must be a tough business to break >into and make enough money to pay the bills. The last time I actually sat down and >read a book it was Herman Melville's "Omoo" in the mid 1990's. However since I got >into audiobooks this year I have gone through about 30-40 titles, both fiction and >non-fiction. Unfortunately a bad narrator can spoil a good story. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 12:04 am Posted by Ed (741 messages posted) In case it helps, the file CWPROPS.CPL is a control panel applet for a SoundFusion sound system, so its absence is merely an aspect of your sound problem. What you have is essentially just a sound fault. Here are some suggestions for curing a lack of sound. Try them one by one, in the order listed, moving on to the next ONLY if the earlier ones haven't solved the problem. These represent the most common problems, in my experience. No doubt there are others. This represents the result of 9 years of my troubleshooting sound faults in Win 9x computers. Note: A lack of sound is never a fatal problem, because it can always be cured - in the last resort - by buying and installing an add-on PCI Sound Card (one that is sold with Windows 98 drivers!), which will come with all the necessary replacement software. 1. REVERT TO A REGISTRY BACKUP (if you have one) Boot to DOS (restart in DOS mode, or use a bootable floppy disk from http://www.bootdisk.com) and type the following at the C:\ prompt - SCANREG /RESTORE Note the space before the forward slash in this command. Follow the on-screen instructions, and try to restore the *oldest* backup of the registry (they're listed by date) as that's the one with the best chance of being from before the problem arose. By default Windows keeps 5 backup copies of the Windows Registry in C:\Windows\SYSBCKUP as .CAB files, one per day, so that (theoretically) you can go back to before the problem arose. (I always keep a copy of at least one known working backup .CAB file on my Desktop, that I can copy it back into C:\Windows\SYSBCKUP in an emergency). When the on-screen message tells you that the registry has been successfully restored, restart the computer normally. 2. RE-INSTALL THE DRIVERS If the above hasn't solved the problem, try reinstalling the sound drivers from the original audio software CDs. 3. DELETE THE SOUNDCARD IN DEVICE MANAGER If the above hasn't solved the problem, try having Windows re-detect the software drivers, by deleting the soundcard in Device Manager. Go to: Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Device Manager and highlight the device, then click Remove. Then reboot the computer. Point the Plug-and-PLay wizard to the location of the drivers on the original software disk (A: disk or CD) if the wizard can't find them on the hard disk. Or try pointing the wizard to these locations (try each in turn): C:\Windows C:\Windows\INF C:\Windows\System C:\Windows\System\IOSUBSYS C:\Windows\System32\Drivers 4. A MISSING SOUND FILE Symptom: An error message that "The file 'sndvol32.cnt' was not found" (or some other file belonging to the audio sub-system). Solution: Restore the missing file (i.e. each missing file, one at a time), by copying it from a Windows installation CD or from one of the compresed .CAB (cabinet) files in C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CAB The standard unzip program WinZip.exe will open a .CAB file so that you can view its contents and manually extract a file from it. 5. AN ERROR IN THE BIOS Solution: (1) In the BIOS (reboot, and press DEL during the powering-up sequence) change the setting 'pnp OS controlled' (or similar setting) to NO, to let the BIOS set the devices instead of the operating system. (2) Change the 'reset config' option (or similar) in the BIOS to "enabled", to let the BIOS look again at the device configuration. (3) Reboot. NB: This lets the BIOS control the devices (including sound devices) on boot-up, instead of the Windows plug-and-play wizard, but ONLY on systems which have this option in the BIOS program. 6. AN ERROR IN SYSTEM.INI Solution 1: In the [boot] section of SYSTEM.INI check that the following 2 lines are correct as follows: drivers=mmsystem.dll power.drv sound.drv=mmsound.drv Solution 2: Obtain a standard SYSTEM.INI file (without 3rd party drivers) from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/140441/EN-US/ Solution 3: (1) In the [boot] section of SYSTEM.INI, add the following line: sound.drv=mmsound.drv (2) Reboot to SAFE MODE (press F5 during power-up), then go to: Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Device Manager and delete every entry under "SOUND, VIDEO and GAME CONTROLLERS" (3) Reboot. (Provided you have the correct drivers on your hard disk, this reboot will rebuild the "Sound, Video and Game Controllers" section back to normal, if the above sound.drv line is in SYSTEM.INI) NB: SYSTEM.INI is located at C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI NB: To edit SYSTEM.INI go to START > RUN and type SYSEDIT then click on "Okay". 7. AN ERROR IN WIN.INI Windows sound drivers are sometimes loaded by the Win.ini file, in the "load=" line in the [windows] section. If you have an old copy of WIN.INI check it to see if a sound driver is loaded by that line. If so, check that the active copy of WIN.INI has the same line. Loading the audio driver in Win.ini is all that is required to force Windows to recognise it. NB: WIN.INI is located at C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI NB: To edit WIN.INI go to START > RUN and type SYSEDIT then click on "Okay". 8. A DEVICE DRIVER CONFLICT Symptom: An exclamation mark or question mark is displayed against the device in Device Manager (Start > Settings > Control Panel > System). Solution 1: Restart the computer, then go to the start-up menu (by pressing F8 during the powering-up sequence) and there select the option "Step-by-step confirmation". Start each device, when offered it, EXCEPT the faulty device (i.e. say NO to that device only). NB: This is only a work-around, as it must be done every time the computer is started. Solution 2: (1) Reboot into Safe Mode (press F5 during power-up) (2) Remove Multimedia from Windows Setup: - Go to: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs - Choose the Windows Setup tab - In the list of installed components, uncheck "Multimedia" and click "Apply"; once the files are uninstalled click "OK" (3) Remove and reinstall the sound drivers: - Right-click on "My Computer" and choose "properties" - Choose the "Device Manger" tab - Click on the plus sign beside "Sound, Video and Game Controllers" and remove all items under this category (select the item and click "Remove") Note: You have to click the plus sign beside "Sound, Video and Game Controllers" again each time to re-open the category - Once all items have been removed and "Sound, Video and Game Controllers" no longer appears in the list, click "Close" (4) Reboot. As Windows reboots it will redetect the sound card and reinstall the drivers and multimedia components (NB: You may need your driver disks and Windows installation disks; and you will almost certainly need to apply the next step, below, too!) 9. NO AUDIO DRIVERS INSTALLED Symptoms: (1) An error message (including "no audio drivers installed") is displayed when trying to play a sound file in Winamp; or (2) The error message "MMSYSTEM032 error: The specified format cannot be translated or supported" is displayed when trying to play a format of audio file (e.g. WAV or MP3 format). Solution 1: A. Go to the website of the manufacturer of the Chipset used on the motherboard, and download the driver files for that specific chipset. NB: For this, obtain the make and model of the motherboard (as below) and download a manual for the motherboard from the website of its manufacturer, which will give the m/board's specification (including the type of chipset used on it). NB: This information is sometimes available in the Device Manager (where the chipset is described as, for example, "Intel xxxxxxx Controller"): Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Device Manager NB: If it is an Intel chipset, the website of Intel (for Intel audio chipsets for Desktop PCs) is: http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/ B. Go to the website of the Motherboard manufacturer, and download the driver files for the type of controller chip that's installed on the motherboard. NB: For this, you need to know the make and model number of the motherboard. Open the computer's case, and read the model number printed on the motherboard. Solution 2: Right-click on, and install, all the INF files in C:\WINDOWS\INF Solution 3: Install the WDM (Windows Driver Model), to install - or reinstall - the WDM generic sound drivers. NB: The fault can be due to booting into Safe Mode and removing the sound drivers from device manager, because they showed up as "ghost" devices (e.g. while trying to overcome other device driver problems). General Note on Rebooting: If rebooting a system that uses a Sound Card instead of on-board audio, make sure the Sound Card is plugged in before rebooting; otherwise the computer will not detect it or configure its settings. 10. WDM (Windows Driver Model) Trick If (but ONLY if) the above hasn't cured the fault, the problem may be that a device which is necessary for the sound drivers to work properly is not installed (EVEN if Device Manager says the sound device IS working properly!) Boot to SAFE mode. Then open the Device Manager and remove all Multimedia Sound and Video devices. Also remove any other device that didn't load correctly during the last normal boot (e.g. that has an exclamation mark against it in Device Manager). Look specifically for a device called the "Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator". This is the device which is usually missing, but having more than one instance of it can also cause problems. Remove it (or ALL of them), if present. Reboot the computer. Be sure to choose CANCEL when you are prompted to locate the drivers for the "PCI Multimedia Audio Device". (This is the actual sound device, but you must install the "Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator" before installing it, so choose CANCEL.) But load all other devices (if any) that the boot-time wizard wants to reinstall. Then reboot. Keep rebooting until the only device found on bootup is the "PCI Multimedia Audio Device" (but, as before, choose CANCEL when offered it, every time: don't install it yet). Then go to START > SETTINGS > CONTROL PANEL and open the "Add/Remove hardware" wizard. With it, manually add the device called "Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator", which you'll find in the Microsoft group (in Windows 98 it should be the only one listed there). Install it. Then, even though not prompted to, reboot (to let the driver load correctly and fresh). On this reboot, you can now (finally!) install the driver files for the "PC Multimedia Audio Device" when prompted. Your original Windows CD would be helpful here: in my case I'd always been loading the WDM (Windows Driver Model) version of the audio drivers, but I found that the non-WDM version was the one that worked, so look for that driver and load it (identifiable from the fact that it WON'T have "(WDM)" listed as part of the "pretty name" of the driver). As soon as the sound driver loads, you should hear sound. If not, reboot once it's completed loading. Ed On Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 11:03 am, Dave A. wrote: >These are my problems: > >1. Crystal Fusion Sound is lost from new motherboard installed at the shop last year >in December. I downloaded something from Cirrus web site and when I tried installing, >it gave this error: "The NTKERN.VXD device loader(s) for this device could not load >the device driver. (Code 2)". When I clicked on Update, I got this: "Windows was >unable to locate a driver for this device." That comes even with the CD-ROM in the >bay or if Windows looks in the default location of C:\Program Files. How can a virus >affect the CD-ROM disk itself? > >2. I can't fully re-install WIN 98SE from CD-ROM disk because of many, many files >missing that Windows says it can't find (to proceed). > >3. Currently, on boot up, a small dialogue box appears on the desktop that says: >"Error loading CWPROPS.CPL. The system cannot find the file specified." I eX the >box away and the computer operates normally. > >4. When I try adding those missing files from Add/Remove Programs/Windows Setup, >and the WIN 98SE is in the CD-ROM bay, I get more error messages saying (a certain) >file is missing. There are dozens of files Windows can't find on the CD-ROM disk. > >Luckily, no damage was done to all the other programs that are operating normally, >including surfing the Net. But what happened? > >Also, my Cookie Jar disappeared and I can't re-install it because clicking on the >.exe file that I saved gives this error message: "Run-time error 429. ActiveX component >can't creat object." > >There is another absolutely mysterious fault from all these errors that I can't figure >out. In My Documents, I have over 600 .doc files and 104 folders with more .doc >files. But only one .doc file doesn't open properly, it's frozen. I'm a writer. > That frozen file is a 380 page novel. I have a few more novels of that length that >open normally that I can edit, etc. Fortunately, I found that I can use that corrputed >file if I open it in Preview. > >So, with all these errors, I'm just wondering if a virus infected the hard drive >or if the motherboard is defective. I want to figure this thing out before I take >the computer to an expensive repair shop. > >Any information from you good people would be a Christmas gift for me. So thanks >for reading this. Best wishes for the Season. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 11:26 am Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) To all who replied to this problem: Thanks very much for your help and troubleshooting tips about my problems with Win 98SE. The response was remarkable. Well, here’s what happened at the computer shop. It’s a father and son business with two or three other techs. The son handled my repairs in December 2008 when the Intel motherboard fried. The son, not consulting his father, decided to install a modified HP Pavilion motherboard, which wasn’t 100% compatible with my programs that were purchased for and ran on Win 98SE. He also left the cabling dangle loosely inside the tower case that should have been connected to two front panel USB ports, thus depriving me of their use for the past year. Eventually, I believe the incompatibility of the Pavilion motherboard and Win 98SE programs showed up by crashing programs and slowing performance generally, and finally the sound went out. Talking to the father this time, I showed him many printouts of your comments, asked him to read them, and even told him that he was ripping me off by not having included a CD of drivers for the motherboard in the first place. He was a nice guy and said to keep a customer happy he’d repair the thing for no charge. First, he said that Intel didn’t manufacture the board any longer that I needed. Second, he insisted that the modified Pavilion board should work fine with Win 98SE. I couldn’t do anything else but trust him to work on it without further discussion. (I really think C.K.’s remark that I was being ripped off got to him. Thanks, C.K.!) A week passed. Finally, the father called me and said he couldn’t fix the problems so he would have to order and install the original Intel board that came with Sigma Tel Audio. How do you like that? He must have forgotten that he told me Intel didn’t manufacture that board any longer. I let it pass, and today he called and said it was installed, the sound system worked, and to stop by and pick it up. The two front panel USB ports are now functioning properly again. I ran dxdiag and the test results showed that “Sound files, Direct Sound, Direct Music” all were successful. Then I uninstalled Crystal SoundFusion’s program. Guess that’s it. Thanks again, guys. On Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 11:03 am, Dave A. wrote: >These are my problems: > >1. Crystal Fusion Sound is lost from new motherboard installed at the shop last year >in December. I downloaded something from Cirrus web site and when I tried installing, >it gave this error: "The NTKERN.VXD device loader(s) for this device could not load >the device driver. (Code 2)". When I clicked on Update, I got this: "Windows was >unable to locate a driver for this device." That comes even with the CD-ROM in the >bay or if Windows looks in the default location of C:\Program Files. How can a virus >affect the CD-ROM disk itself? > >2. I can't fully re-install WIN 98SE from CD-ROM disk because of many, many files >missing that Windows says it can't find (to proceed). > >3. Currently, on boot up, a small dialogue box appears on the desktop that says: >"Error loading CWPROPS.CPL. The system cannot find the file specified." I eX the >box away and the computer operates normally. > >4. When I try adding those missing files from Add/Remove Programs/Windows Setup, >and the WIN 98SE is in the CD-ROM bay, I get more error messages saying (a certain) >file is missing. There are dozens of files Windows can't find on the CD-ROM disk. > >Luckily, no damage was done to all the other programs that are operating normally, >including surfing the Net. But what happened? > >Also, my Cookie Jar disappeared and I can't re-install it because clicking on the >.exe file that I saved gives this error message: "Run-time error 429. ActiveX component >can't creat object." > >There is another absolutely mysterious fault from all these errors that I can't figure >out. In My Documents, I have over 600 .doc files and 104 folders with more .doc >files. But only one .doc file doesn't open properly, it's frozen. I'm a writer. > That frozen file is a 380 page novel. I have a few more novels of that length that >open normally that I can edit, etc. Fortunately, I found that I can use that corrputed >file if I open it in Preview. > >So, with all these errors, I'm just wondering if a virus infected the hard drive >or if the motherboard is defective. I want to figure this thing out before I take >the computer to an expensive repair shop. > >Any information from you good people would be a Christmas gift for me. So thanks >for reading this. Best wishes for the Season. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE [SOLVED] Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 4:16 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) Dave A. wrote: |here’s what happened at the computer shop. It’s a father and son business |[...] |The son, not consulting his father, |decided to install a modified HP Pavilion motherboard, | Are you positive it was "modified" and not simply "too new"? |which wasn’t 100% compatible with my programs |that were purchased for and ran on Win 98SE. | I doubt this has anything to do with "programs". It's even simpler than that: Hardware manufactured after ~2002 is unlikely to have device drivers written for / available for old M$ OSes. I previously contrasted this with Linux which has superior hardware support (aka device drivers)--especially for older gear. I will acknowledge that Linux does often lag several months behind with support for *new* gear, but that is the fault of the manufacturer, as the Linux Driver Project will write those **for FREE**--if given the chance. |The son[...][also left the cabling dangle loosely inside[...] |depriving me of [USB ports] | {frowns and shakes head side to side} |(I really think C.K.’s remark that I was being ripped off got to him. Thanks, C.K.!) | {smiles} |He must have forgotten that he told me |Intel didn’t manufacture that board any longer. | {frowns and shakes head again} Glad to hear things worked out. I'm interested in how much all this cost. When you get tired of fighting infections and dealing with unsupported hardware, locate the Linux Users Group in your area; they'll show you zero-cost ways to keep your old gear percolating infection-free. I'm betting they also have/know hardware guys that are better / more knowledgeble than the shop you found. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 6:33 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) |Finally, the father called me and said he couldn’t fix the problems so he |would have to order and install the original Intel board that came with |Sigma Tel Audio. How do you like that? He must have forgotten that he |told me Intel didn’t manufacture that board any longer. Unless he the father was lucky enough to track down a new board it is most likely a second hand "refurbished" board. Second hand motherboards are readily available for purchase online from used parts dealers. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE [SOLVED] Friday, January 8, 2010 at 2:58 am Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) You missed the part where I said the father was a nice guy and said he'd fix it for no charge. Didn't cost even a penny. Also, the son's motherboard was "new" in the sense that the board was made for a HP Pavilion machine running at least NT up to Vista. You're correct on everything else you wrote, so I'd like to thank you again. On Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 4:16 pm, gewg_ wrote: >Dave A. wrote: >|here’s what happened at the computer shop. It’s a father and son business >|[...] >|The son, not consulting his father, >|decided to install a modified HP Pavilion motherboard, >| >Are you positive it was "modified" and not simply "too new"? > >|which wasn’t 100% compatible with my programs >|that were purchased for and ran on Win 98SE. >| >I doubt this has anything to do with "programs". >It's even simpler than that: Hardware manufactured after ~2002 >is unlikely to have device drivers written for / available for old M$ OSes. > >I previously contrasted this with Linux which has superior hardware support >(aka device drivers)--especially for older gear. >I will acknowledge that Linux does often lag several months behind >with support for *new* gear, but that is the fault of the manufacturer, >as the Linux Driver Project will write those **for FREE**--if given the chance. > >|The son[...][also left the cabling dangle loosely inside[...] >|depriving me of [USB ports] >| >{frowns and shakes head side to side} > >|(I really think C.K.’s remark that I was being ripped off got to him. Thanks, C.K.!) >| >{smiles} > >|He must have forgotten that he told me >|Intel didn’t manufacture that board any longer. >| >{frowns and shakes head again} > >Glad to hear things worked out. I'm interested in how much all this cost. > >When you get tired of fighting infections and dealing with unsupported hardware, >locate the Linux Users Group in your area; >they'll show you zero-cost ways to keep your old gear percolating infection-free. > >I'm betting they also have/know hardware guys >that are better / more knowledgeble than the shop you found. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Problems in WIN 98SE Friday, January 8, 2010 at 3:08 am Posted by Dave A. (46 messages posted) That's probably what happened, Arminius. I'm not at all familiar with the workings of a computer shop. Oh, forgot to add that in dxdiag that I ran I got a successful test from DirectX. Then, later, I read something about ActiveX that I thought I needed but now will steer clear of downloading anything that even hints of it. On Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 6:33 pm, Arminius wrote: >|Finally, the father called me and said he couldn’t fix the problems so he >|would have to order and install the original Intel board that came with >|Sigma Tel Audio. How do you like that? He must have forgotten that he >|told me Intel didn’t manufacture that board any longer. > >Unless he the father was lucky enough to track down a new board it is most likely >a second hand "refurbished" board. Second hand motherboards are readily available >for purchase online from used parts dealers. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows 98 Discussion Forum