MMSYSTEM.DLL message

[GME]

When trying to install Windows ME over the top, I get a the message "W9xsetup has caused an error in MMSYSTEM.DLL. W9xsystem will now close. If you continue to experience problems, try restarting your computer."

Rebooting doesn't make any difference. Any clues?

Thanks,

Glenn

[GaryRouth]

Hal knows more about WinMe than I do, but I suppose I could make some guesses for you, & then Hal will correct me if I've guessed wrong. . .

Did you rename the win.com file (to something like win.bak or win.old) and boot from your WinMe cd? --- if you haven't already tried that, see if that works. (to rename it, you'll need to boot from the cd & go to a command prompt = "start computer without cd-rom support" A: rename win.com win.bak)

Were you getting General Protection Errors? (what made you want to reinstall?)
. . . Gary

[p.s. . . . and - do you have the "System Restore" feature of WinMe enabled or disabled?]

[GME]

Originally posted by GaryRouth Were you getting General Protection Errors? (what made you want to reinstall?) . . . Gary

I've beem having a few problems. First, the computer only wanted to start in safe mode. After that was resolved (still does it every now and then) I'm getting a kernel32.dll error whenever I run Outlook Express (nothing seems to fix it). Currently I have no sound, and if I run scandisk it locks up (it runs okay from the boot disk). A while ago, someone suggested I install windows over the top, and when I finally tried it, I got yet another error message.

[andyms18a]

sound like you have sevral problams may be its time to format the hdd and do a clean install of windows if your win me cd is an upgrade then you will need to have your win95/98 cd ready as during the install of me it will ask for it just place it in the cd drive when its veryfied remove and replace the me cd

[GaryRouth]

Have you run a complete system antivirus scan lately? (with up-to-date definitions?) That particular error with Outlook Express can be due to a virus http://support.microsoft.com/default...NoWebContent=1

If you can still access the Internet with that computer, you can try TrendMicro's free online scanner HouseCall http://www.trendmicro.com Sometimes it will catch things your regular antivirus might have missed, especially if it too has been hit by a virus.

If you haven't upgraded the hardware in the system since you bought it, and can make backups of what you need to save, and if you have a Recovery Disk set from your system builder --> you can run a complete recovery = which will reformat your hard drive, and restore the system to the state it was in when it first arrived from the factory. All data since then will be gone: you'd have to restore that from backups (after scanning them for viruses first!).

This has the same effect as the clean install that andy mentions, but it usually has all the bundled software reinstalled also, and all the drivers you need already installed. If you've changed the video card, motherboard, processor, hard drive - you might be just as well off doing a clean install yourself, for the Recovery Disk only contains drivers for your system "as shipped".
_____________
The sound problems seem like they are also related to what might be a somewhat chaotic situation with your drivers.

The Safe Mode at Startup points to probable driver trouble as well.
________
Did everything run fine for a long time, then change suddenly? Could be virus-related. Also - if you added memory, and it didn't go well, you could be having data corruption. You can test the memory with DocMemory over at http://www.simmtester.com And if you've changed drivers around a bit, some might be conflicting with others.
________
Before you try any further fixes, I'd absolutely recommend some thorough antivirus scanning.
Then:
The quickest try at a fix is to try System Restore: but this will only work if you have a restore point far back enough to be before your current system troubles.

The next chance is that over-the-top reinstall: boot from a CD, rename the win.com to win.bak, start Setup, when Windows asks what Directory, choose "Other" and type in C:\Windows [and NOT C:\Windows.000]

For the next two options you need to back up everything you wish to save before you start. 1) Recovery Disk set 2) Clean install. Both of these involve completely reformatting the hard drive & starting all over.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[p.s. ... here are some more links for those OE errors: http://www.all-windows.com/oe_kernel32.html --- you can happily ignore these if you are reformatting & starting over]

[GME]

Firstly, thanks everyone for the help and suggestions.

Sorry for not getting back here sooner, I've been having problems (not computer related) that kept me away.

My computer passed the virus and memory tests, so I guess the next step is to install over the top by booting from the cd.

Thanks,

Glenn