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Thread ID: 2048	1999-07-12 09:04:00	Start-up problems with SYSTEM.INI and VMM32\NTKERN.VXD file	Guest (0)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
2424	1999-07-12 09:04:00	My brother-in-law has a problem with his recently obtained second-hand Compaq 1540(166MMX, 2.1GB H/D; 48MB RAM, Win 95). Up until the other day it was running fine but it has since developed start-up problems. On starting the computer it kept giving the message: 'EMM 386 not loaded (or something similar) please restart the computer.' We were able to get the computer to start in Safe Mode. One of the things we noticed then was that the Autoexec file was completely blank. It is not related but we have also lost access to the CD-ROM (removed by mistake through the Device Manager). He thinks the problem first started at about the same time that a pole fuse outside his house blew (although he has got the computer plugged into a surge protector). We tried various things like checking for hardware conflicts etc but couldn't see anything wrong while in Safe Mode. In the end we reinstalled Windows 95 from the CAB files on the H/D. After this Windows managed to start but loaded very slowly. It also showed the following message on boot-up before windows started: 'File VMM32\NTKERN.VXD is damaged and may be required by SYSTEM.INI to start windows. Press any key to continue..' I am pretty sure that when reinstalling Windows it gave us the option to keep the more recent variation of this file which was on the H/D than the one that Windows was trying to replace it with. We ending up keeping the original. After this, Windows was able to start up completely on several occasions. However after a few starts when we were trying to sort out drivers for the display adapter etc, Windows again refused to load and kept showing this same message. It will still start in Safe Mode. I am presuming that the Registry has somehow been damaged, possibly by the power surge. My brother-in-law has no registry back-ups with the computer (there wasn't even a Windows 95 disc or an emergency floppy start-up disc). I was going to try the troubleshooting procedures for registry problems shown in the July 1999 PC World to see if we could repair the registry. Are we on the right track? Does anyone have any other ideas? Is it normal for the Autoexec.bat file to be completely blank? Many thanks	Guest (0)
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