Win 95 start-up

[Edday]

I have an older pc Gateway 2000 running win 95 .When it starts up it gives the message Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows or a windows application. VGARTD.VXD , then it say press a key to continue but the keyboard won't work at this point.All three of the LED's on the keyboard flashes.I tried another keyboard same problem. I have reinstalled win 95 but doesn't do anything different . Is there a fix or do I do a reformat? Thanks for the help

[jamesrpm]

Have you installed any new hardware, like a video card? That error seems to be a video driver error or gone missing.

[rave]

its a graphics problem that has kinda effected your keyboard. pls give your system specs and any new system upgrades that u have done recently.

[eldon]

Go here and have a look http://www.experts-exchange.com/Oper..._10160667.html

[Edday]

I looked at the site mentioned above no help there as I cannot get into safe mode. When I get to the place where I'm supposed get into safe mode it freezes and I have to restart to do anything and thats not much. Is there a way to restore back to another date? My niece said she updated something but don't remember what it was and thats the problem. Will I fix it if I reformat?No problem doing that.
Gateway 2000
Pll 233 mhz
32Mb memory
Quantum Fireball SE4.3A hard drive
Don't know the name of the video card until I take it out.
The only software I have is the win 95 cd
Thanks again

[andyms18a]

Restore the registry to its state when you last successfully started Windows 95. To do so, follow these steps:
Restart the computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then select Safe mode command prompt only from the Startup menu.
Type the following command to move to the Windows folder
cd \windows

where windows is the Windows 95 folder. For example, if Windows 95 is installed in the Windows folder, type the following line:
cd \windows

Type the following line:
attrib -s -h -r system.dat

Type the following line:
ren system.dat system.bad

Restart your computer. Windows 95 uses the System.da0 file when it cannot find the System.dat file. If this file works, Windows 95 renames it to System.dat.
If the error continues to occur after you follow the steps in this section, please see the next section.
Using System.1st
Restore the registry to its state when you first started Windows 95 successfully. To do so, follow these steps:
Restart the computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then select Safe mode command prompt only from the Startup menu.
Type the following command to move to the Windows folder
cd \windows

where windows is the Windows 95 folder. For example, if Windows 95 is installed in the Windows folder, type the following line:
cd \windows

Type the following line:
attrib -s -h -r system.dat

Type the following line:
ren system.dat system.xxx

Type the following line:
cd \

Type the following line:
attrib -s -h -r system.1st

Type the following line
copy system.1st c:\windows\system.dat

where windows is your Windows 95 folder.
Type the following line:
attrib +s +h +r system.1st

Restart your computer.
If the error continues to occur after you follow the steps in this section, please see the next section.

NOTE: You may find that your TrueType fonts are missing from the Fonts folder or in programs after you follow the above steps. For additional information about how to resolve this behavior, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
133732 Missing TrueType Fonts in Fonts Folder or Programs

Reinstalling Windows 95
Re-create the registry files by reinstalling Windows 95.

To do this, perform the following steps.

NOTE: If you cannot access the CD-ROM drive from the command prompt, consult the CD-ROM drive's documentation or manufacturer for assistance with loading the real-mode drivers for the CD-ROM drive.
Restart the computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then select Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
Type the following line and then press ENTER to remove all user profiles:
ren c:\windows\profiles c:\windows\oldprofiles

Rename the existing registry files by typing the following lines. Press ENTER after each line:
cd \windows
attrib -s -h -r system.dat
ren system.dat system.xxx
attrib -s -h -r user.dat
ren user.dat user.xxx
attrib -s -h -r system.da0
ren system.da0 system.yyy
attrib -s -h -r user.da0
ren user.da0 user.yyy
cd \
attrib -s -h -r system.1st
ren system.1st system.zzz

Run Windows 95 Setup.
NOTE: You may have to reinstall programs, especially those that write to the registry, after you restore the backup or use System.1st to replace the registry please note i coped the above from the microsoft help center at this site http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;131431

[Edday]

This is all really good info and I thank you but after I get to the place where I can select safe mode , command prompt,ect. I can't select anything, the pc freezes and I cannot get in the safe mode or any of the others modes.

[andyms18a]

sounds like you have a hardwair prob try reseating all cards and ram and check the fans and psu allso enter bios and load setup defults. when you reinstaled win95 did the computer not freeze during setup as a last resort befor format remove the hdd a put in another pc as a slave then open the win folder set to show all files and rename system.dat to system.bad reinstall the hdd and see if it works

[toomyg]

Do you remember what you changed before this problem can up

[GaryRouth]

Hi all -

1st - a quick try:
unplug whatever mice, scanners, speakers, USB peripherals (cameras or printers, etc.) are hooked up, but leave your original keyboard in place, and then reboot & press the CTRL keys down while booting & see if Safe Mode is now accessible.

Or if you now see an "IDE hard disk fail" that you didn't see before.
________________________
other questions:

Is the Windows 95 cd that you mention a Recovery Disk from GateWay or is it a full-version Windows installation disk?

If it's a Recovery Disk, it will have attempted to restore all the drivers for that system's original (as shipped) equipment. If the video card (or other hardware as well) has changed since, the wrong drivers will be loading at startup.

If it was a regular Windows 95 installation disk, which version? (original - or - later, such as OSR2)

If you reinstalled with a full version disk, did you install to C:\Windows or to C:\Windows.000?

If you installed to C:\Windows.000, try booting with a bootdisk from a matching Win95 version (floppy or CD, shouldn't matter), & from the A: prompt try

cd \Windows.000
win

See if that gets a successful boot. [Although I think there's a good chance it won't]
__________________
I'll guess that your reinstall didn't quite finish right. Certainly there could be hardware problems too. If you have time, might want to test what you can just to rule those out.
For the hard drive, try Powermax http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htm (Maxtor bought Quantum a while back)
For the memory http://www.simmtester.com

Those diagnostic tools create bootable floppies & run from the floppy drive, even if the hard drive has passed into electronic history.
__________________
Some Gateways have an early form of "System Restore" type software on them from a third party: called "Go Back". Does your neice know if this was running on the PC or not?
__________________

. . . truth is, if she has backups of all the data she needs, and can reinstall all the software she still wants to use, a reformat/reinstall might be the least time-consuming if the hardware has changed much from the original. I'd still test the hard drive & memory before that, just to make sure - and avoid the inevitable hair loss from the "pull your hair out" frustration of hardware failure right after redoing all the software. If she can go to Win98se, that'd be nice, no more 2.1gb partition limitations.

Sorry this is a bit disorganized -
. . . Gary

[Edday]

Thanks Gary I'll try some of the thing you have suggested. I did a format and installed full version everything went great until when the desk top came up and then it froze and no more key board or mouse.I copied win 95 to the hd and then ran setup. I have the video driver on a floppy but can't install it. Will try again Monday today I'm going fishing . Have a great day and thanks will post again

[Edday]

Something had been changed in the cmos. I took the battery out for ten minutes replaced it and everything is up and going again. All I had to do was set the clock in the bios . Thanks for all the help.

[GaryRouth]

I like those ten minute fixes. The fishing sounds pretty good too.

Glad everything is going well.
. . . Gary