Reg Boot Errors & ghost entries (W98)

[gangsta]

I've been getting a "Bad Command or file name" error which I thought was prior to loading Windows. However I found nothing in Autoexec.bat to cause this so I suspected this was a windows boot error . Thus I checked the bootlog, and found 2 strange items I would like some input on:

ITEM1:
apparantly windows is trying to load a driver that has no file name then giving an error in the second line

[0003E33B] Dynamic load device
[0003E33C] Dynamic load failed : [0003E33C] File not found

which is probably why I am getting the thet Bad Command error in DOS.

Now how do I fix this problem; where should I look for the specific registry/INI entry causing this. I've already been looking under all the reg branches I know about but came up with nothing to resolve this strange error. This only started a month ago and I can't remember when exactly or how.


ITEM2:
Yet another entry with no name given????? located between V86MMGR(above it) and SPOOLER(below it) in the SYSCRIT loading stage.
What the heck is this

[0003E321] SYSCRITINIT =
[0003E321] SYSCRITINITSUCCESS =

why is this command accepting a file with no name given and even giving a SUCCESS confirmation as well ... ? And how in the world did this get in there.
I checked the Registry and I don't have any VxDs or SYS files with no name "empty quote" entries.

It occurred to me that the missing item may be VSHINIT (V Shield?), see section below, because of the fact I found it in the DEVICE INIT stage placed exactly between V86MMGR(above it) and SPOOLER(below it), which are the same two drivers surrounding the line in which that empty name was located -- in-between them in the SYSCRIT stage as this below shows.

[0003E3E8] DEVICEINIT = V86MMGR
[0003E3E8] DEVICEINITSUCCESS = V86MMGR
[0003E3E8] DEVICEINIT = VSHINIT
[0003E3E8] DEVICEINITSUCCESS = VSHINIT
[0003E3E8] DEVICEINIT = SPOOLER
[0003E3E8] DEVICEINITSUCCESS = SPOOLER

but then my stupid theory came crashing to the ground when I found this:

[0003E315] Loading Vxd = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VSHINIT.VXD
[0003E315] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VSHINIT.VXD

which shows this file does exist normally indeed, a quick look under System, and the Reg key, confirmed that all VSHINIT files are there with real names.

so I am back to square one ... what to do?

[reghakr]

gangsta,

I try re-naming autoexec.bat and config.sys to the .old extension and restart. Post back with the contents of those original files.

For the bootlog entries:
Are you using a modem or broadband connection to access the internet?

I have a similar entry and it's because I've disabled some .vxd's that are related to the modem, which i don't use. I suspect they would go away if I actually physically removed the modem from the computer.

reghakr

[gangsta]

I have not been fooling with auto & config before this started .

dos=high,umb
buffers=40
device=c:\windows\himem.sys /testmem:off
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE

AUTOEXEC.BAT

@ECHO OFF

SET BLASTER=A240 I2 D1 H7 P330 T6
SET CTSYN=C:\WINDOWS
C:\PROGRA~\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM

SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\


I have both a 56K & ISDN modems on this PC. There are some left overs from the old internal ISDN modem I guess (which I removed 2 years ago, & replaced with an external )

the two are not compatible with each other. Although I have uninstalled the old one properly but some left overs are still showing up on system information utilities here and there.

by the way I have not disabled any modem vxds , it is just that some of the older vxds were not given retierment when their mother-modem got uninstalled.

I did disable the vxd related to hacker-tracer, vnbt386, & vnetbios however. I am sure these three are not related to this problem.

[reghakr]

There's no way to eliminate the SBLive entries unless you uninstall the DOS drivers.

I still think you should rename the files and give it a try. Again, how do you connect to the internet?

Also, rename the c:\bootlog.txt file to bootlog.old, then create a new one by choosing the Bootlog option after hitting F8 on startup. Then look the new over over. Different results?

reghakr<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by reghakr on 04/28/02 12:14.</FONT></P>

[gangsta]

OK I wasn't talking about SB Live , that thing was just part of my Autoexec.bat from the begining, it came preinstalled on my PC. And I am not having any SB problems ....
But that is off our topic.

I have done what you suggested (created a new bootlog file).
But the same abnormalities remain.

I also have entries in bootlog for Drivers loading in Config & Autoexec --I hope this is not Windows re-loading them again??: (this is actually the start section of my bootlog)

[0003CEE2] Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
(Logo disabled)
[0003CEE5] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
[0003CEE5] Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE
[0003CEEB] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE
[0003CEEB] Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\DBLBUFF.SYS
[0003CEEB] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\DBLBUFF.SYS
[0003CEEB] Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
[0003CEEB] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
[0003CEEF] C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM[0003CEEF] starting
[0003CF67] Loading Vxd = VMM
[0003CF67] LoadSuccess = VMM
[0003CF68] Loading Vxd = C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE
[0003CF69] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE


as you can see SBLIVE starts fine. This is the same as my previous bootlog file.

--
now when we reach the "ghost" entry; it still shows up the same place:

[0003CF9C] SYSCRITINIT = V86MMGR
[0003CF9C] SYSCRITINITSUCCESS = V86MMGR
[0003CF9C] SYSCRITINIT =
[0003CF9C] SYSCRITINITSUCCESS =
[0003CF9C] SYSCRITINIT = SPOOLER
[0003CF9C] SYSCRITINITSUCCESS = SPOOLER

and the missing one as well:

[0003CFBB] Dynamic load device
[0003CFBC] Dynamic load failed : [0003CFBC] File not found

--
Plus today I have noticed there are quite a few repeated and duplicate loading being logged here ... for example take a look at this:

[0003CFA6] Dynamic load device pci.vxd
[0003CFA7] Dynamic init device PCI
[0003CFA7] Dynamic init success PCI
[0003CFA7] Dynamic load success pci.vxd
...
....
[0003CFAA] Dynamic init device PCI
[0003CFAA] Dynamic init success PCI
[0003CFAB] Dynamic load success PCI.VxD
[0003CFAB] Dynamic load device PCI.VxD
[0003CFAB] Dynamic init device PCI
[0003CFAB] Dynamic init success PCI
[0003CFAB] Dynamic load success PCI.VxD
[0003CFAB] Dynamic load device PCI.VxD
[0003CFAB] Dynamic init device PCI
[0003CFAB] Dynamic init success PCI

--
Is this below MS VPN support:

[0003CF69] Loading Vxd = vnetsup.vxd
[0003CF6A] LoadSuccess = vnetsup.vxd

I don't use this at all .

can I just go ahead and shave some of this fat ..

My PC [PIII 550 128RAM BX440] takes close to 3 mins to show the desktop then I have to wait another 1 or 2 min for ZA to finish loading up properly otherwise the system shows ZA as [Not Responding] until I wait that whole time. Or shut down ZA & relaod it which just goes thru the same slow procedure!.

BUT Shut down is 20 secs or less ... strange huh!

This thing had only 64MB when I bought it. I tossed that out and replaced it with one 128 MB around two years ago (for some reason it wouldn't accept both). Now 128MB doesn't seem to cut it.

My other PC using Celeron 433 on i815 with 64MB loads entire Win 98 in less than 8 secs or 10 secs at the most. That one has a ton of games on there.

now what do you think about this Bootlog bottle-neck problem. My only reason of wanting to remove all these fossil VxDs (from the P550 PC) is because they seem to slow down my system a lot compared with my other 433 mhz pc. Not to mention the fact that they increase the likelyhood a of system crash due to the conflicts they might create with future installs, plus obviously I DO NOT NEED THEM AT ALL.

[gangsta]

Sorry I forgot to answer this; I connect using standard DUN 1.4

[reghakr]

gangsta,

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

I also have entries in bootlog for Drivers loading in Config & Autoexec --I hope this is not Windows re-loading them again??:

<hr></blockquote>

This is exactly why you DON'T need an autoexec.bat and/or config.sys.

I have the same entries except the SBEINIT.COM with 0 byte autoexec.bat and config.sys files.

I don't know about the vnetsup.vxd. It looks like it's required for Client for Microsoft Networks. Do you have this in ControlPanel&gt;Network?

I would at least remove the SET PATH line from the autoexec.bat file.

reghakr

[gangsta]

How about that Double Buffering driver windows is loading. I don't have any SCSI hard disks and don't plan on getting any.

does the Floppy/LS/Zip drive require the double buffering loaded?
(i.e. thru Internal EIDE/ or external LPT or USB or PC card?)

[reghakr]

gangsta,

From what I understand some ESDI drives require double-buffering. I do understand .exe's, dll's, ocx's very well, but I'm not that good with .vxd's

Truthfully, this is something a typical user would NEVER think of, and I doubt there are many very experinced users who are dsabling .vxd's because of the resources they use. I only started computing in 1995, but I've never had a question such as yours.

I would guess there are a few programs that you don't use that could be uninstalled saving you much more resources than disabling some vxd's will do for you.

Even simple things like removing items from startup and making sure Active Desktop is turned off, and turn off Animate windows, menus, and lists.

I hope someone can answer your question, but that's about all I can say.

reghakr

[Mosaic1]

Reghakr,
I agree. Leave the vxd's alone.

Quote from
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.forrestandassociates.co.uk/pcforrest/win_startup.html>http://www.forrestandassociates.co.uk/pcforrest/win_startup.html</a>

If not specified, Windows 9x enables double buffering if it detects that it is required.

Let the Operating system decide this one.

AS for Pci.vxd, I have multiple references too but only one instance. I think perhaps this is a loader for PCI devices. Leave it alone.

I would suggest he Download Bootlog Analyzer and let it analyze the bootlog. Choose to Show delays and show failures to see where the bottlenecks really are located.

I would take your advice and look at the boot too by using Step by step confirmation. Say yes to everything and find the exact source of that error.
But that's just me. Bad Command or file name is a DOS error code so far as I know.

[gangsta]

@reghakr,
thanks but been there done that..
I played around with some memory/HD/reg tweaking and all of that improved my loading time a little (now down to ~1 min startup, 8~10 sec shutdown)
Although I removed a few Vxds as well which am sure contributed in some way towards decreasing my boot time to this.

@Mosaic1,
I do not trust Windows at all. If Windows knew whats good for it there would be no crashes, freeze-ups, or trojan infections. Just another dumb OS that we have to keep under constant watch if we don't want our computer screwing up on us.
Until they have an OS that could read our minds I'd rather do it this way.

now back to the bootlog, here is what I have-

Fails:
3:51:13 0.00 LoadFailed = ndis2sup.vxd
3:51:18 3.44 Dynamic load failed : [0003CFBC] File not found
3:51:29 0.00 INITCOMPLETEFAILED = SDVXD
3:51:31 0.00 INITCOMPLETEFAILED = SECPROV
3:51:31 0.00 INITCOMPLETEFAILED = FILESEC

Delays:
3:51:06 0.33 Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE
3:51:06 6.67 C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM[0003CEEF] starting
3:51:15 0.28 LoadSuccess = vflatd
3:51:21 1.78 Dynamic load success DIDMULTI.VXD
3:51:24 1.67 DEVICEINIT = MSMINI
3:51:27 0.50 Initing esdi_506.pdr
3:51:28 0.61 Initing esdi_506.pdr
3:51:29 0.39 Init Success esdi_506.pdr
3:51:29 0.50 Dynamic load success C:\WINDOWS\system\serial.vxd

What is vflatd? It is not on my HD so where is it loading from?
Or is this a command for another Vxd?

NDIS2SUP.VXD, Windows NDIS Real Mode Mapper version 4.00.950 (1993 copyright), is probably a fossil added by my previous modem that I deleted its folder. But the NDIS2SUP.VXD still resides in C:\WINDOWS\ now.
I don't understand why it wouldn't load unless it may be corrupt perhaps?

but DIDMULTI.VXD is for my current modem so I have to keep this one.

No idea about the other stuff ....

[Mosaic1]

vflat.vxd is a part of the vmm32.vxd You won't find it in a search of the hard drive.

esdi_506.pdr Windows Ide Driver. Loads multile times for multiple devices.If no load, you are in Compatibility Mode. And/Or you don't have a CDROM in Windows.

Read this for more answers: Regarding Bootlog Failures. They are not always indicative of a problem. example NDIS2SUP.VXD InitCompleteFailed = SDVXD

<a target="_blank" href=http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q127970>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q127970</a>

I have to say I have been reading your posts and I find your attitude towards MS a bit harsh. I would tell you again to leave these vxd's alone unless you know their function. Windows does know more about the boot sequence than you do. Be careful. I can and have renamed a few vxd's but they are not listed in your BL as a problem. These are the three associated with a Tape Drive. You don't need them unless you have a Tape drive. They slow down boot and can cause floppy seeking and a few other mysterious ailments.

They are:
Drvwppqt.vxd Drvwq117.vxd and
Drvwcdb.vxd

PS When are you planning on writing your own Operating System? Windows bashing is a very popular sport. There are problems. And there are changes in the environment to which programmers must react. I am not saying Windows is perfect.
However to dismiss it so casually without the technical knowledge to back up that opinion is in my opinion unnecessary.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Mosaic1 on 05/02/02 01:14.</FONT></P>

[Mosaic1]

Also. Did you perform the step by step confirmation to find the source of the error? It is a very good diagnostic.

[gangsta]

thanks
I guess if ndis2sup isn't using any resources I have no problem with it staying where it is now.

I'd never remove any system file with out having a pretty good idea what it does or what it is for.
For example you should have seen my other post asking about some SCSI vxd drivers if they can be removed, since I don't use SCSI, but despite of that I came to the forum and asked about them before I made any final decision.

And speaking of that, I am sure I have those TAPE drivers s you mention, and you know how many people use tape nowadays ... I do not need them.

Now you are linking what I said in another thread about MS business practices with what I am saying here about problems on my PC (which happens to run their OS). These are two different issues and shouldn't be mixed up unless you truly believe what I said over there to be true ...

My favorite OS is DOS so you cannot call me an MS basher unless I am able to call you a "trim-OS" basher or something !!!

by the way, when did you write an OS I am just curious?

Remember that Seinfeld episode when Kramer took it upon himself to paint black the white highway lines, then when the city was gonna get him, he went to fix it and spilled the thinner all over the place, and Newman's truck exploded after he hit the abandoned sewing machine, dragging it over the thinner, which sat the truck on fire....
well, that is how Windows does these things.