windows protection error

[gleplae]

Hi,

I am attempting to build my own computer and have run across a few snags along the way and hope that I could get some assistance from people more familiar with computer building.
At present I have successfully been able to install windows 95 from the cdrom, but when I try to bootup I run into a windows protection error (“while initializing device IOS: windows protection error. You need to restart your computer”). I looked this error up on the internet and found that it could be due to a faulty driver and after creating a bootlog I found the only driver to fail was vshare. I also installed the hard drive onto my old system and it boots up windows 95 perfectly.
My system includes:
a Biostar M7NCD motherboard with
b an AMD Athlon™ XP 3200+ / 512KB Cache / 400MHz FSB / Socket A / Barton Core / Processor
c XFX GeForce2 MX 400 Video Card / 64MB DDR / AGP 4X
d Ultra 512MB PC3200 DDR 400M
e 60 GB Maxtor ATA harddrive
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Guido Leplae

[PCKlutz]

If I remember correctly, this error is due to a known conflict between Win95 and the AMD processor. Try the AMD support website to get a patch to fix this problem, or search the Microsoft website for articles regarding this conflict. MS might also have the patch.

[edrod13]

PCKlutz is correct, according to AMD:

The problem is "caused by a software timing loop that is sensitive to processor frequency and is not a processor erratum, and does not occur with Windows 98 or Above."

Here is mickeysofts help:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/d...acks/AMDPatch/

If the machine does not boot up on your new system, you might have to place the HDD in your old one to install the patch and then put it back.

One last thing, you got some nice hardware there, why not try 2k, XP or at least 98. One version of 95 does not have USB support. Not sure if that applies to your build of 95 but just trying to help.

http://www.usbman.com/Win95%20USB%20Guide.htm

[RayH]

Windows 95 natively doesn't support a processor greater than 350 MHz. It might not even support the 350 MHz.

Anybody know if Windows 98 will support processors greater than 2.4 GHz?

[GaryRouth]

For Win98/Win98se installations getting "ndis" errors with cpus in the 2ghz+ range, there's a patch that helps.

I don't think Win95's cut out for use with that Athlon, even in a multi-boot situation [to try at all, you definitely want the >350mhz patch. - and remember, if you have Win95 original, you are limited to the FAT16 file system, and partitions cannot be greater than 2gb - I don't remember the largest disk FAT16 supports]. If a Win95 environment is really necessary, there are some fairly slick "Virtual Environments" programs that run emulations of many OS's from most recent Windows/Linux/Unix enviroments. Such tools are usually used by software developers. Is this the use this machine is for?

Your system specs really do call for a modern OS. There are Academic discount versions available for very reasonable prices if you are either a student or teacher (and there's always the Linux & emulation angle)

Best of luck
. . . Gary