Win 98 boot error

[eddiebep]

For the past 10 days I have had the following message appear when booting my computer-I am using windows 98 second edition.

the message is:

While initializing device IOS:

ERROR: Real mode system memory allocation failed.


I have had to use my Norton GoBack to restore the drive in order to get the computer to properly boot. My question is: Why would I get this error message, what could be causing it and is there a way to fix what may be wrong?

Many thanks for your help.

Eddiebep

[eddiebep]

Here is a recent HijackThis scan....
Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:12:32 PM, on 1/27/06
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SPOOL32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\DANTZ\RETROSPECT\RETRORUN.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON GOBACK\GBPOLL.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCEVTMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCSETMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\SYMTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\HIDSERV.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON ANTIVIRUS\IWP\NPFMNTOR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON UTILITIES\NPROTECT.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON GHOST\GHOSTSTARTSERVICE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT HARDWARE\KEYBOARD\SPEEDKEY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\LOADQM.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT HARDWARE\MOUSE\POINT32.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\VIEWPOINT\VIEWPOINT MANAGER\VIEWMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCAPP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCPD-LC\SYMLCSVC.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON GHOST\GHOSTSTARTTRAYAPP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\SNDSRVC.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\AMERICA ONLINE 8.0A\AOL.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\AMERICA ONLINE 8.0A\WAOL.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\AMERICA ONLINE 8.0A\AOLWBSPD.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RNAAPP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\TAPISRV.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\MY DOCUMENTS\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft IntelliType Pro] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Hardware\Keyboard\speedkey.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [POINTER] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Hardware\Mouse\point32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ViewMgr] C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec Core LC] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NPROTECT] C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Utilities\Nprotect.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GhostStartTrayApp] C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Ghost\GhostStartTrayApp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Hidserv] Hidserv.exe run
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Retrospect Launcher] C:\PROGRAM FILES\DANTZ\RETROSPECT\RETRORUN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [GBPoll] C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton GoBack\GBPoll.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ccEvtMgr] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ccSetMgr] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SymTray - Norton SystemWorks] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SymTray.exe "Norton SystemWorks"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [NPFMonitor] C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton AntiVirus\IWP\NPFMntor.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ScriptBlocking] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Script Blocking\SBServ.exe" -reg
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [NPROTECT] C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Utilities\Nprotect.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [GhostStartService] C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON SYSTEMWORKS\NORTON GHOST\GHOSTSTARTSERVICE.EXE
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Norton SystemWorks] "C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\cfgwiz.exe" /GUID {05858CFD-5CC4-4ceb-AAAF-CF00BF39736A} /MODE CfgWiz
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\VxD\MSTCP: Domain = aoldsl.net

[eddiebep]

just a bump-im still having the same problem-only thing saving me is norton go back-please help!

thank you!

[azzey]

Something you might want to take a look at:

http://experts.about.com/q/Windows-95-98-1061/Gateway-366c-initializing-device.htm

Someone has the same problem. Perhaps give the same solution a try? It doesn't say whether or not it did work, though.

It might be worth your while to reload Windows, however.

[ski]

Reseat the RAM.
If no luck, then it may be bad. Run Memtest86 to check it. If multiple RAM modules are installed, then install just one module at a time while running the test.

If the RAM checks out ok, then d/l the following utility, and determine if your MB has a VIA chipset:
http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?pid=3&lang=en
If it does, then press and hold the Ctrl key during startup, select 'Step By Step Confirmation' from the menu using the arrow keys, press Enter, type Y for all items except viagart.vxd(type N when it appears), and continue until Windows loads.
If the error message does not appear, then d/l and run the 4-in-1 driver file at the following link:
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=420&OSID=6&CatID=1110
(NOTE: Do a Ctrl-Alt-Del on the Desktop, and shut down all programs except Explorer and Systray before running the file.)