Startup message about Registry or System.ini, then computer shuts down (W98)

[glomedia]

I don't know how much this has to do with the registry, but my laptop suddenly won't load the O/S (neither in normal mode nor Safe mode). I can get the command prompt (C:>), but I don't know what DOS command to enter from there.

I'll start with the problem, then I'll describe the two things I was doing immediately before it occurred. I restarted my laptop and got this message:

<font color=red>Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows or a Windows application.

The Windows registry or SYSTEM.INI file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists.

If you deleted this file on purpose, try uninstalling the associated application using its uninstall or setup program.

If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try reinstalling that application to replace the missing file.

Press a key to continue</font color=red>

I do, but same message repeats. 30 seconds later, this new message appears:

<font color=red>Either memory is insufficient to run KRNL386.EXE or the value of the Windowmemsize entry in the SYSTEM.INI file is too large. You need to run the Setup program again.

Press any key to continue...</font color=red>

WHAT I HAD BEEN DOING IMMEDIATELY BEFORE:

(1) I accidentally double-clicked the installer for a program called "CallCenter." Since I already installed it a while ago (and have had no trouble with it, nor did I install any new devices with it), I canceled the install. But a dialogue appeared stating that some temporary files wouldn't be deleted. <font color=red>Is this the problem? Is there a DOS command I can enter to clean out my TEMP FILES directory?</font color=red>

(2) The reason I restarted my computer is because I updated to a newer version of my anti-virus program (which I've done before with no problem), and it prompted me to restart once the updated files were installed.

P.S. One of the startup mode choices is "Logged," which creates a BOOTLOG.TXT file (which I assume may shed light on the problem). But how do I read this file?

Can someone please help?

[BertImmenschuh]

Since you get the DOS prompt you might try typing scanreg /restore at the C: prompt. It might restore one of the 5 backup registries and let you boot Windows.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=scanreg+%2Frestore&btnG=Google+Search

<font color=blue>Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.</font color=blue>
<font color=green>Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.</font color=green>

[glomedia]

Thank you so much Bert. I had forgotten what command to type in for restoring the registry. I restored it, then restarted; but alas, nothing changed. I still get the same error messages.

I have two new pieces of information to share.

Item 1: Someone provided me with this link, which describes my error message exactly: <a target="_blank" href=http://support.earthlink.net/mu/1/psc/img/walkthroughs/windows_me/2172.psc.html>http://support.earthlink.net/mu/1/psc/img/walkthroughs/windows_me/2172.psc.html</a>

Unfortunately, I can't get into Windows 98 in order to follow their instructions. I have a CD given to me by the vendor of my laptop, but it will only INSTALL Windows 98 onto my HD (overwriting everything currently on there). It won't boot up into Windows 98. It has a "GHOST" image file on it. <font color=red>Does anyone know how/if I can extract whatever it is I need on that CD to make it boot up into Windows 98?</font color=red>

Item 2: I logged my last (unsuccessful) startup attempt (which creates a bootlog.txt file). These are some of the more suspicious looking entries from that file. Does anyone know what they mean of if they are the cause of my problem?

<font color=red>[001230F6] Loading Device = C:\AECU.SYS
[001230FE] LoadFailed = C:\AECU.SYS
(Logo disabled)

</font color=red> ... next are a bunch of lines that say "Loading Device" followed by "LoadSuccess"...
<font color=red>
[001231A5] 386 processor.
$You should not load Windows into high memory.

Do not use "load high" commands to start Windows.
$Windows is already running.
$Cannot run Windows while the currently installed protected-mode software is running.
Quit the protected-mode [00123209] Loading Vxd = vnetsup.vxd</font color=red>

Note: I don't see any line [00123209]. The closest number is [00123211] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\system\VMM32\IFSMGR.VXD

The following lines occur a few screens later:
<font color=red>
[00123245] Starting Unknown (HTREE\ROOT\0)
[00123245] Started Unknown (HTREE\ROOT\0)
[00123245] Enumerating Unknown (HTREE\ROOT\0)
[00123245] Enumerated Unknown (HTREE\ROOT\0)
[00123245] Starting Unknown (HTREE\RESERVED\0)
[00123245] Started Unknown (HTREE\RESERVED\0)
[00123245] Enumerating Unknown (HTREE\RESERVED\0)
[00123245] Enumerated Unknown (HTREE\RESERVED\0)
</font color=red>

Thanks so much to any of the experts here who can decipher this.

[sola5561]

Hello,

You should do as following:


To use the F8 key to start Windows 98/Me in Safe mode
Restart the computer.
As the computer restarts, press and hold down the F8 key until the Windows 98/Me Startup menu appears.
When the Windows 98 (or Me) Startup Menu appears, select Safe Mode and press Enter.
Windows starts in Safe mode. (This can take several minutes.)

And then you go to your desktop, try open System Tools / system restore/ restore your system an early time.

Good Luck.