Cannot enable External Cache without bootup errors

[lorenbar]

FYI, I'm running Win98 on an AMD K6-450 with an ASUS P5A Super Socket 7 Motherboard.

A few days ago, I reformatted my hard drive (which I had done before without problems). However, this time I was unable to re-install Win98. A friend advised me to disable the External Cache and it did the trick.

After disabling the external cache I was able to re-install Windows and all my software... except for MS Office 2000.

Everytime I've attempted to install MS Office I got error messages after the restart when it updates Windows settings during the final stage of setup.

If I enable the external cache and start Windows I get illegal operation error message with RUNDLL32 and the computer freezes. So my only hope to somewhat use my computer is to have the cache disabled. However I desperately need to have MS Office re-installed.

Is there something else I need to change in my BIOS setting to make this work???

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated!

[Bovon]

Man, I sure donno. One thing comes to mind tho, have you replaced or upgraded your ram recently?

I also have a SS7 mobo, and upgraded the ram to pc133...and the machine went to hell in a hand basket (almost) lockups and BSOD, ect. Put the old pc100 back in, and all is rosy again..

A long shot in the dark, you know.

[lorenbar]

Nope! I haven't upgraded or even changed any hardware in the past since this computer was put together 2 years ago.

The only thing I touched was BIOS settings after this problem started and curently I'm running my PC with the setup defaults loaded with the exception of the external cache that's disabled.

I just don't understand how this became so messed up out of the blue like that. Especially since I had done similar manipulation (reformat HD) in the past which always went very smoothly.

Please HELP!!

[BFlurie]

It's a K6, so it doesn't have an on-CPU external cache, correct?

It may simply be that the external cache is defective. Some programs run from DOS will diagnose it if it's enabled. The DOS prog AMIdiag.exe does it.

[Hawk35]

I had a similar issue with my K63 400 on a p5a. Constant lockups and failed installs of office 2Kpro. in troubleshooting I also disabled the external cashe, as well as virtual memory. This solved my issues enough that I was able to install office 2K (it took FOREVER). After the install I was once again able to enable virtual memory and the external cashe.

Give it a shot. Once the install is complete you should be in much better shape.

one other thing I have noticed. Since the machine has been running on the P5A it is much more suseptible to HD fragmentation. Defraging regularly has helped a LOT.

Hawk

[lorenbar]

BFlurie, how do I find out if it has a on-CPU external cache??

Hawk, where do I disable virtual memory??... The only place I found is in the Advance Settings of the Performance tab of the system properties (by right clicking the computer icon?). I did not see anything in my BIOS about it.

When you say it took forever... How long should I expect? 1 hour? 6 hours? more?
Were you also unable to boot your computer with external cache disabled before reinstalling Office 2K?

I will try your suggestions and get back to you ASAP. Thanks!!

[BFlurie]

how do I find out if it has a on-CPU external cache

Only K63's or better have an on-CPU cache.

[lorenbar]

Anyone? Anyone?... I really need some help here!!!

[lorenbar]

Hawk, I tried to disable the virtual memory like you recommended. It ended up disconnecting my display adapter (I was back to 16 colors with 640x480 display) and I notice that I also could not open my control panel or right click the my computer icon.

Is this normal behavior??... Is this how I should attempt to install Office 2K??

I got scared and restarted my PC in safe mode in order to re-enable the virtual memory.

Please advise, thanks.

[whkrems]

Disabling External Cache wasn't answer.
Go back to original configuration. Reformat & reinstall Win98.

[Philip1952]

Hi lorenbar.
You didn't say what hard drive your using. What ever brand you have. Put the floppy disk for it in and run the program for writeing zero's over the drive. This might stop you from getting a corrupt install agin. I have got to the point where I don't trust a dos format any more. I have had to many installs go bad when I just format a drive and reinstall the same programs back on it. Now I overwrite the drive with the program on the drive disk. It adds a little time but I think in the long run it is worth it.

[Philip1952]

Hi lorenbar
I went over to the Fujitsu web site. That was a waste of time. I didn't see anything that would help there. I haven't found a third party utility yet to do this for all makes of drives. (Someone jump in here and tell use of one and where). I use WD hard drives for this reason. They have a good set of tools to work with.
I had a computer a while back I couldn't get rid of a virus on. I did the format C: thing. When I reinstalled windows and all the programs. I kept getting a error on all the programs INVALID FILE FORMAT. Reinstall the program. Windows was the only thing that would run. After doing the zero program. Everything worked good. It hasn't had a lockup or crash in 3 weeks now. (I did 2 complete formats and reinstalls before doing the zero program). Same thing every time on file format.
I hope someone can find a program and let use know about it.

[DVNT1]

Sounds like your RAM is failing. Try a memory tester program that works in DOS.

I have a freeware one here... http://dvnt1.homeip.net/files/memtest.zip

Enable your external cache, boot with a diskette that doesn't load any memory managers. Run memtest.exe for 8~10 hours. Reboot to end the testing.

[lorenbar]

Thanks guys!!

DVNT1, After I enable the external cache, are you saying I should boot with my WIN98 startup disk?? But how do I get a diskette that doesn't load any memory managers???...

Another question... (I don't know much about PC myself but I'm trying to understand) you say that it sounds like the RAM is failing... I just don't understand how I managed to reinstall all my software: Adobe Illustrator, MS Money, MS Picture It 99, all my HP CD writer applications, AOL, Winzip, even MS Word and MS Excel viewers that I just got from the Microsoft website (so I could at least print my documents) and everything is working great! (maybe even better than before!) but I just can't get MS Office 2000 to install. Aren't all the above software using RAM as well??? How come I did not get error messages during installs like I did during MS Office install??

Although I do believe you're right and all signs seem to point toward a memory problem, I just don't understand how most software can work and MS office can't even install??

Can you enlighten me???

[lorenbar]

Hi Everyone!!

whkrems, thanks for your input. I actually thought about doing another reformat but have not done so yet. Will let you know if it works ASAP.

Philip1952, thanks for your suggestion, however I do not have a disk for my hard drive (I'm not even sure what the brand or reference of the hard drive is... could it be: Fujitsu MPC3102AT E or Generic IDE Disk Type 46??... All I know is that it has 9.51GB of total space). Is there a place on my PC where I can find out what type/brand it is??... Is there a place on the web where I can download the program you mentioned about writing zeros??

Thanks again for all your help guys!