KRNL386.exe not found when init device SHELL

[Guest]

I just finished installing Win98 and everything was peachy. Then I installed some drivers for my K7V mobo and now whenever I boot I get the err msg:

While initializing device SHELL: cannot find or load required file KRNL386.exe

When I look in explorer, I can find the file just fine in c:\windows

I've tried stepping through the startup, and I get this error even when config.sys and autoexec.bat are not loaded.

My next step is to start disabling devices through the control panel to see if there is a driver that is corrupting the system, but dreading that kind of approach.

Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

After slowly stepping through all the device drivers, I've narrowed it down to a hardware definition error, or a device configuration error on the Primary IDE controller. I disabled this device and the system works just fine. Now you'ld think that since my hard drive is hooked up to the Primary IDE, I wouldn't be able to access it when it's disabled. But somehow I can and the system seems stable.

Now I get to log some time with ASUS technical support!

 

[Lucol]

I'd have to recommend you re-install W98, this file is pretty important, it's the kernel, or part of it if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Guest]

Well, ASUS tech support was no help. They said I had too much RAM (there is no such thing) and they e-mailed me an updated set of drivers for the 100 bus, even though it's the Bus Master that I'm having problems with.

So I got to thinking. What's weird about this? Well, after many hours of pondering, hair pulling and tinkering, I realized that I was using the ATA 100 cable on the ATA 66 IDE connector (because I ran out of ribbon cables). I scavanged a friend's PC for one, swapped the two. And Guess What? That's right. No more harware conflict! YEA!

That means that the 66 bus isn't compatible with the newer 100 ribbon cable.