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General discussion

Windows 98 Protection Error-Can't Boot My Computer

Feb 10, 2004 1:16AM PST

I have a Compaq Presario 5240. I'm using Windows 98. Day before yesterday I tried installing a new CD-Rom drive. The installation went smoothly, but the computer rejected the new Rom Drive. I later found out the drive was too fast for my motherboard. I removed it and reinstalled the old rom drive. I began to get error messages saying that there was an error found in the registry and the computer began to run a registry scan automatically. After the registry scan ran, the computer stated that no error was found or fixed. Then the computer began to reboot itself. I restarted several times and I could not get the computer beyond the Windows 98 screen. I couldn't get to the desktop.
I rebooted several more times and the computer would let me get to the desktop a few times and give me a blue exceptional error fatal screen, a message saying "Your computer has been put in windows protection mode. You must restart your computer," or the computer would start in DOS with either option #3-Safe Mode, or option #5-Start computer in Scan registry mode preselected. I would go to those options and follow the prompts, but the problem was not fixed.

I also got a windows error box several times "MSVG" Error that would cause the Windows Explorer to shut down. I then tried to use the emergency boot disk to fix the problem and resotre the computer. That only took me into DOS and the Emergency Disk help file. Lastly, I tried to restore the computer using the factory restore disks. I thought that had worked. The computer ran through all the initial screens fine. After the setup process was done, the "MSVG" Windows error message box reappeared and shut down the computer. When I rebooted I was taken back to the Windows Protection Error...message.

I don't know what to do. I thought restoring the computer to factory settings would fix the registry or whatever is wrong in the computer's boot files. It didn't. I tried to look for help on Microsoft's webpage for Windows 98 problems. I also checked Compaq's page for troubleshooting. I haven't found anything helpful.

Does anyone have any idea of what the problem is here and what I can do short of taking it to the shop and spending a lot of money? The computer's almost 7 years old. I don't want to spend too much money on it.

Any information would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.

Discussion is locked

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Re:Windows 98 Protection Error-Can't Boot My Computer
Feb 10, 2004 1:43AM PST

Either you have a hardware issue you get to fix or you use this article -> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188867

That's an odd statement about a CDROM unit being too fast. I've fitted 52X CDRW drives to 486s so I hope you have a faster CPU than 33MHz!

Bob

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Re:Windows 98 Protection Error-Can't Boot My Computer
Feb 10, 2004 8:58PM PST

7 years old sounds to be at least a P2 system. It should have no difficulty in running the cdrom drive, though once you change any hardware in the system it will put a new registry entry in the system, and windows does not clean them out once removed. Basically, you still have the entry for the drive you attempted to install, and as long as it is present, windows will look to start it up or find a driver for it, which if unsucessful will provide an error message. If you can boot into safe mode, you will have to enter regedit and find the entries for that other cdrom drive, and remove them. Once the entries are removed the error message will no longer appear.