Ok, here's the deal:

I'm working on a Compaq P-2 300Mhz system, and it has no CD-ROM drive, no internet access, and only a floppy drive as access outside of the computer. It's running Windows 98SE. Now, during startup, the startup process fails. I run safe mode and everything boots up fine. I dug through the bootlog.txt file, and it shows many font files that fail to load. Well, the fonts aren't the cause to keep the computer from starting, so I decided to start up with a step-by-step confirmation. Everything loads until I get to msmouse.vxd. If I tell it to load, the computer stops working. If I tell it NOT to load, the computer also stops working. I cannot get past that point. Reloading the computer is not an option (no CD-Rom drive), and I cannot connect to anything else (no network card or internet connection). The only way I can upload anything is by way of floppy. The more interesting thing is, is that the drivers have not changed for the longest time, and that one just now stopped working.

Any ideas?

Could you connect a second HD inside the computer with an image of 98SE on it and install it from that ? hmmm a vxd file is a virtual device driver wich seems super odd as a mouse isnt realy a virtual device lol my guess is that although the msmouse.vxd will not load that its not the real problem something before that is couseing a problem most likely another driver or program is loading into the space provided to msmouse.vxd wich one I dont know you will have to do a step by step boot up and then not load up certan things one at a time to find out wich one its conflicting with.

In this situation, I don't have a second hard drive. Plus, I have already done the step-by-step bootup and every time it stops in msmouse.vxd... but, everthing before the msmouse.vxd in the step-by-step startup WILL load...

Uhm, maybe stupid, but have you thought of the idea that the next item could be the thing that makes your system unable to start? If it doesn't matter if you do or do not load msmouse.vxd, then maybe it's the next thing. Try and tell me

So far there is no way I can get past msmouse.vxd. That's what the step-by-step bootup is for. If it stops on one, then there is something wrong with that one. The next file in line won't even appear, as the computer stops on msmouse.vxd.

1. Boot to Safe Mode (if possible) and run RegEdit.
2. Before you do anything else, export the registry to a backup file. Make sure you choose to export all and not just a key!
3. Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
4. Select and DELETE the Enum entry.
5. Reboot and let the OS re-detect the hardware.

you can try that out but i suggest going to these two sites

Its apparently a problem with currupt drivers that and you need to let win98 to dectect them again.

http://www.nocrash.com/ncbbs/msgs/2814.shtml
http://freepctech.com/pc/002/files007.shtml

I'm on the system trying that now. I'll let you know what goes on.

Well, hey, Thanks a million Actz. I did what you said, and the computer runs great now

BTW: The person I was working to fix their computer here, they want you to come over for the beer they'll give you (they were extremely worried when I couldn't fix the problem )

Thanks alot

no problem

hehe i'll have a beer over here cheers

Just thought I would say (despite this being a 9 month old thread) I had the same problem, except in my case I just installed Windows 98...

I went ahead and deleted the registry information like you said, and wham! It works great. Thanks a bunch!

(well, I am mostly just bumping this thread to keep it online for future googlers)

After encountering a similar problem and searching around on another computer, this seems like the most useful place.

Twist on my machine though: attempting to start up in safe mode encounters the same problem as attempting to start normally.

I'm able to start in dos (A:) with the help of the original Windows ME disc, but I'm not sure what to do from there.

If you have a statup floppy, (were going to assume you do since you got as far as the A: prompt) and your origional ME (yea, another one of the rare breed) disc this is what you have to do.
When you insert your floppy you'll get a screen that gives you choices. Select the one that says start with cd-ROM support (something like that), watch carefully and see what letter is assigned to your CD-ROM drive (proly D or E) then let it finish its thing till you are at the A: prompt. Now you have to change the drive letter to your assigned CD drive letter: To do that type E: (or whatever the letter was), then hit ENTER. You will then see a new letter prompt. Then put in your ME disc and type setup.exe and hit ENTER, then it should start the process of reloading ME, follow the instructions. If this works don't forget to run all your critical updates.
If this doesn't work let me know and my pal and I will come up with another solution but we won't get into those right now till you've tried this. Good luck mon, let us know what happens.

Just so we're clear...you are advising me to re-install Windows, correct? Does that not involve a formatting of the drive? (not that the necessary backups haven't been made, but I have the computer literacy of a ten-year-old - enough to use it, but when it comes to fixing it, I've got nothing...and it was a few years ago when I installed everything on this drive and I'd be hard-pressed to even remember how)

Additionally, I did not use a startup floppy - by having the WinME disc in the CDROM drive I am asked first whether to start from the hard drive (As normal) or from the disc, and if I pick the disc, I am then asked to choose between running setup, starting with CDROM support, and starting without CDROM support.

If I start with CDROM support, it gives me the A: prompt in DOS, A: being in this case the CDROM drive.

Yes. It will only overwrite your existing copy, you don't have to reformatt your HD. We were guessing that your problem was with your mouse drivers or another corrupt file that only is letting you get so far,as you did not really explain what the problem was clearly. If this is your problem you probably have a corruption in your driver file and it is much easier to reinstall your OS than repairing the file. If this is the case, and since you have the proper disc, select SETUP and reinstall it, just follow the instructions. You won't lose your data. Always a good idea to keep your personal stuff backed up though anyway.
If this is not what you require then try to be specific on what your problem is so we can find you the proper solution and walk you through it. Hope this helps.

Another bump for the orignal post and solution. Was stepping it through and worked out that the problem was msmouse.vxd. I then googled that and got this thread with the solution. For the sake of other googlers in the future. The error I was having orginally was a "Windows Protection error Press any key to continue..." and I have windows 98. Thanks to the guy who posted the solution up top (previous page) as it is quick and easy once you work out what is wrong.

ok mostly same problom only the systum will not boot at all it is a nice systum 2.8 pross 2 gigs ram and i know win 98 is not the right os for it but it is a freinds sys and that is all he has right now a like i sed same problom only on step by step i can not get past msmouse.vxd can not boot in safe mode normal or with cd support already reformatted and reloaded windows same error same placeread this furom and 3 others and none of the fixes work plz help

btw the exact message is
insufficient memory to initialize windows

quit one or more memory-resident programes or remove unnecessary utilities from your config.sys and autoexec.bat files and restart your computer

but like i sed it has 2 gigs of ram and on a setp by step boot it displays the same mseg after msmouse.vxd

hello.

Brand new to this board but I wanted to bump this topic as the google search for msmouse.vxd lead me right here.

Firstly, I wanted to say that the thread was VERY helpful in UNDERSTANDING what the issue was. Now trying get it to fix is another matter. I hope someone can help.

(I'm at my work computer by the way)

So I have Windows ME and upon start up I get the error message:
Windows has detected a registry/configuration error

SCANREG to correct this error.

Then I have the 4 choices:

1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe Mode
4. Step by step

I enter 4 and enter 'yes' for everything but run into a wall with...
Registry File not found- may be inoperative this session.

XMS Cache problem.
msmouse.vxd

Then it tries to search the drives and even though I have a disk in it doesn;t read it. (I don't have a floppy just a CD)
Finally the gloomy message reads:
SURegCreate key failed.

Should I NOT be answering yes to all the install questions?

Help!

-Griffin

Welcome to GeekNewz Griffin, enjoy your stay! Vxd errors indicate, from what I understand, driver corruption, and short of re-installing your OS you can attempt to extract just the needed file, this link should help as the procedure should be the same for ME, it is here> http://www.smartcomputing.com/techsupport/...=&ErrorID=25580 If you are re-installing your OS make sure you have backed everything up eh! If this is what you are attempting you might have to try a couple of times before it takes but I think you have to deal with the corrupted file first or it will just keep mucking it up. This is all I can think of with my limited knowlege, there are others who will come up with better I am sure. I add that I have ME still but have not encountered this problem. I suspect that the SURegCreate Key failure might be because you didn't turn off your anti-virus program (or some other similar running process) before installation, as detailed here> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...b;en-us;Q305668
and discussed somewhat here> http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/t998671309
Hope this info is of some help to you, its the best I can come up with at present.

[size=6]What are you doing with windows ME in the first place... go back to windows 98SE or goto windows xp home. but get rid of windows ME that o/s sucks. but do what serges2 told you to do and you should be find.