Apparently insoluble windows protection fault!

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

Hi everyone,

My windows ME pc has developed a 'Windows protection fault. Please restart
your computer. System halted.'
It was fine at 8pm Friday and Saturday morning, nothing.
I have run through the troubleshooting article (273738) all to no avial.

Safe mode works fine, my boot disk works fine and my install disk of windows
ME also boots the PC up ready for a fresh install.

3 things I am a bit concerned about
i) scanreg /restore tells me that no restore points exist!!??!!
ii) The 'Launch System Restore' button in msconfig tells me 'System restore
cannot protect your computer. Please restart your computer, and try system
restore again.'
iii) Periodically scandisk keeps telling me that the reported free space on
my C and D HD's is incorrect. Even if I take it up on the offer to fix the
problems they see to come back. Scandisk reveals no other problems on either
drive.

I am getting to the end of my tether with this now. If I have to reinstall
windows ME it won't be a problem but I cannot understand why if safe mode
works this should make any difference.

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

since neither scanreg/restore or System Restore work, try something else...

from a DOS Window in Safe Mode, type:

scanreg /fix

then reboot.

run a Scandisk with all the options turned on (except Surface Scan)


see if that helps any.


Rick




warbossdoozer wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> My windows ME pc has developed a 'Windows protection fault. Please restart
> your computer. System halted.'
> It was fine at 8pm Friday and Saturday morning, nothing.
> I have run through the troubleshooting article (273738) all to no avial.
>
> Safe mode works fine, my boot disk works fine and my install disk of windows
> ME also boots the PC up ready for a fresh install.
>
> 3 things I am a bit concerned about
> i) scanreg /restore tells me that no restore points exist!!??!!
> ii) The 'Launch System Restore' button in msconfig tells me 'System restore
> cannot protect your computer. Please restart your computer, and try system
> restore again.'
> iii) Periodically scandisk keeps telling me that the reported free space on
> my C and D HD's is incorrect. Even if I take it up on the offer to fix the
> problems they see to come back. Scandisk reveals no other problems on either
> drive.
>
> I am getting to the end of my tether with this now. If I have to reinstall
> windows ME it won't be a problem but I cannot understand why if safe mode
> works this should make any difference.
>
> Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

As you no longer have any SR points, you *might* be able to restore the
registry (and a couple of other files) back to Friday's first boot by using
scanreg /restore from your floppy Startup disk see:-
"Description of the Windows Registry Checker Tool (Scanreg.exe)"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;183887

See the Note: under "More Information"

Bit surprised that para 3 of 273738 didn't reveal anything.

You could also check Device Manager in Safe Mode to see if there are any
flagged items.

Mart


"warbossdoozer" <warbossdoozer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6B812491-14A7-4A95-8177-F257DC080039@microsoft.com...
> Hi everyone,
>
> My windows ME pc has developed a 'Windows protection fault. Please restart
> your computer. System halted.'
> It was fine at 8pm Friday and Saturday morning, nothing.
> I have run through the troubleshooting article (273738) all to no avial.
>
> Safe mode works fine, my boot disk works fine and my install disk of
> windows
> ME also boots the PC up ready for a fresh install.
>
> 3 things I am a bit concerned about
> i) scanreg /restore tells me that no restore points exist!!??!!
> ii) The 'Launch System Restore' button in msconfig tells me 'System
> restore
> cannot protect your computer. Please restart your computer, and try system
> restore again.'
> iii) Periodically scandisk keeps telling me that the reported free space
> on
> my C and D HD's is incorrect. Even if I take it up on the offer to fix the
> problems they see to come back. Scandisk reveals no other problems on
> either
> drive.
>
> I am getting to the end of my tether with this now. If I have to reinstall
> windows ME it won't be a problem but I cannot understand why if safe mode
> works this should make any difference.
>
> Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

Ooops!! -

> i) scanreg /restore tells me that no restore points exist!!??!!

Missed that line!! - well spotted Mike.

In that case, follow Mikes advice.

Mart


"Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:elwQOSOsFHA.2880@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> As you no longer have any SR points, you *might* be able to restore the
> registry (and a couple of other files) back to Friday's first boot by
> using scanreg /restore from your floppy Startup disk see:-
> "Description of the Windows Registry Checker Tool (Scanreg.exe)"
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;183887
>
> See the Note: under "More Information"
>
> Bit surprised that para 3 of 273738 didn't reveal anything.
>
> You could also check Device Manager in Safe Mode to see if there are any
> flagged items.
>
> Mart
>
>
> "warbossdoozer" <warbossdoozer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6B812491-14A7-4A95-8177-F257DC080039@microsoft.com...
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> My windows ME pc has developed a 'Windows protection fault. Please
>> restart
>> your computer. System halted.'
>> It was fine at 8pm Friday and Saturday morning, nothing.
>> I have run through the troubleshooting article (273738) all to no avial.
>>
>> Safe mode works fine, my boot disk works fine and my install disk of
>> windows
>> ME also boots the PC up ready for a fresh install.
>>
>> 3 things I am a bit concerned about
>> i) scanreg /restore tells me that no restore points exist!!??!!
>> ii) The 'Launch System Restore' button in msconfig tells me 'System
>> restore
>> cannot protect your computer. Please restart your computer, and try
>> system
>> restore again.'
>> iii) Periodically scandisk keeps telling me that the reported free space
>> on
>> my C and D HD's is incorrect. Even if I take it up on the offer to fix
>> the
>> problems they see to come back. Scandisk reveals no other problems on
>> either
>> drive.
>>
>> I am getting to the end of my tether with this now. If I have to
>> reinstall
>> windows ME it won't be a problem but I cannot understand why if safe mode
>> works this should make any difference.
>>
>> Any advice would be welcome.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

wininit.ini is not anywhere on my C drive.

Scanreg /fix produced no results.

Tried a scandisk on both C and D drives again no difference.

Thanks for the ideas though.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

With no wininit.ini file and having run scanreg /fix on C: you are still
unable to launch system restore when in Safe Mode. That is unfortunate.
What exactly does the error message when you try to do so? How large is
the _RESTORE folder on the C: drive? You will have to enable the viewing
of such folders in Windows Explorer though - Tools | Folder Options |
View, check the box "Show hidden files and folders" and UNcheck the box
"Hide protected operating system files".

Do you see any RG cab files in the C:\_RESTORE\Archive folder? If so you
may be in luck and be able to use those as they will contain copies of the
registry backed up by system restore each time that a check point was
created.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


warbossdoozer <warbossdoozer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> wininit.ini is not anywhere on my C drive.
>
> Scanreg /fix produced no results.
>
> Tried a scandisk on both C and D drives again no difference.
>
> Thanks for the ideas though.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

> What exactly does the error message when you try to do so?

Word for word
'System Restore is unable to protect your computer. Please restart your
computer, and then run System Restore again.'

> How large is
> the _RESTORE folder on the C: drive? You will have to enable the viewing
> of such folders in Windows Explorer though - Tools | Folder Options |
> View, check the box "Show hidden files and folders" and UNcheck the box
> "Hide protected operating system files".
> Do you see any RG cab files in the C:\_RESTORE\Archive folder? If so you
> may be in luck and be able to use those as they will contain copies of the
> registry backed up by system restore each time that a check point was
> created.
> --

I don't have a _restore folder on the C drive. I do have a CABS folder on
the d drive which contains some CAB files but none of them start with RG.
They are things like driver7.CAB or net3.CAB.

Does this info help any?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

If you are running Win Me as you say you are you DO have a _RESTORE folder
on your C: drive. Please re-read my post which explains how to configure
Windows Explorer to see such folders. If you don't have this folder then
you aren't running Win Me and thus posting to the wrong newsgroup.

I've no interest in any other CAB files you might have on your system
other than for the specific ones about which I was asking although I would
also be interested to know of any rb00?.cab files in the Windows\sysbckup
folder - these are the ones used by scanreg /restore. The cabs folder on
your D:\ drive is the Win Me cab set and are the files used to install Win
Me. These are usually located in the C:\windows\options\cabs folder but
some OEMs including Compaq decided to place them in other locations.

Regards,
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


warbossdoozer <warbossdoozer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>> What exactly does the error message when you try to do so?
>
> Word for word
> 'System Restore is unable to protect your computer. Please restart
> your computer, and then run System Restore again.'
>
>> How large is
>> the _RESTORE folder on the C: drive? You will have to enable the
>> viewing of such folders in Windows Explorer though - Tools | Folder
>> Options | View, check the box "Show hidden files and folders" and
>> UNcheck the box "Hide protected operating system files".
>> Do you see any RG cab files in the C:\_RESTORE\Archive folder? If
>> so you may be in luck and be able to use those as they will contain
>> copies of the registry backed up by system restore each time that a
>> check point was created.
>> --
>
> I don't have a _restore folder on the C drive. I do have a CABS
> folder on the d drive which contains some CAB files but none of them
> start with RG. They are things like driver7.CAB or net3.CAB.
>
> Does this info help any?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

> If you are running Win Me as you say you are you DO have a _RESTORE folder
> on your C: drive. Please re-read my post which explains how to configure
> Windows Explorer to see such folders. If you don't have this folder then
> you aren't running Win Me and thus posting to the wrong newsgroup.

Doh, sorry Mike. I found the folder _restore and in it, in a folder called
archive I have an RG112586227.CAB file. There are also some RG??.CAB files in
the windows/sysbackup folder you mentioned.

However in the meantime I think I have found the problem. In total
desperation and in preparation for having to do a full reinstall of windows I
was using control panel | add/remove prgs to clean up my system of rubbish.
As soon as I uninstalled my Nvidia Graphics drivers for my G-Force MX
graphics card the system has started booting properly again. My system is now
running in VGA mode 16 color 640x480, but more importantly everything else is
working OK (wireless network, internet connection etc.) Could my graphics
card have failed causing this problem?

I am almost loathe to reinstall the drivers but as I cannot change my screen
resolution I think I may have to. :~[

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsme.general (More info?)

Some random comments. Don't worry I will return later (possibly tomorrow
as it is approaching midnight here) and am in a bit of a rush at the
moment.

a) That you have an RG cab file in C:\_RESTORE\ARCHIVE means that you do
have a system restore checkpoint and that in extremis the registry from
this checkpoint can be used.

b) That you have RB cab files is what I was expecting and hoping you would
say and gives the lie to scanreg /restore saying that you that no restore
points exist. Yes, I do believe you in that scanreg /restore is telling
you this but I'm not sure of the reason. Each RB cab file is backed up
copy of your registry.

c) "Could my graphics card have failed causing this problem?" I don't
think that the problem is a bad graphics card but rather due to a damaged
driver which is why you were able to boot to Safe Mode but not Normal
Mode.

DO NOT reinstall Win Me. I believe this to be totally unnecessary.
Instead download and install from nVidia the latest Win me compatible
driver for your graphics card. Hopefully once you have done that this
will all become a horrible dream.

Once things have sorted themselves out I think you/we should return and
get system restore working again and also scanreg /restore.

Best of luck,
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


warbossdoozer <warbossdoozer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Doh, sorry Mike. I found the folder _restore and in it, in a folder
> called archive I have an RG112586227.CAB file. There are also some
> RG??.CAB files in the windows/sysbackup folder you mentioned.
>
> However in the meantime I think I have found the problem. In total
> desperation and in preparation for having to do a full reinstall of
> windows I was using control panel | add/remove prgs to clean up my
> system of rubbish. As soon as I uninstalled my Nvidia Graphics
> drivers for my G-Force MX graphics card the system has started
> booting properly again. My system is now running in VGA mode 16 color
> 640x480, but more importantly everything else is working OK (wireless
> network, internet connection etc.) Could my graphics card have failed
> causing this problem?
>
> I am almost loathe to reinstall the drivers but as I cannot change my
> screen resolution I think I may have to. :~[