Fix "NDIS Windows Protection Error" in Win98 & Memphis Betas

[LoneCrusader]

When installing Windows 98 (First Edition/RTM/4.10.1998) and the various Memphis Beta builds, you may receive the following error:

While initializing device NDIS:
Windows Protection Error. You need to restart your computer.

This error is related to processor speed and is covered in this MSKB article:
Q312108

A HotFix was issued for Windows 98, 312108USA8.EXE, which can be found here:
312108USA8.EXE
The HotFix contains an updated NDIS.VXD, version 4.10.2000.


This guide will enable you to quickly resolve this problem and get on with installing your Windows 98/Memphis system.

There are two methods for addressing this error, either correcting it after you have encountered it, or anticipating it and applying this fix before installation.


To fix the error after you have encountered it:

Download the 312108USA8.EXE HotFix linked above.
Use WinZip, WinRAR, 7Zip, etc to extract the file NDIS.VXD contained inside.
Place the extracted NDIS.VXD in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ folder of your 98/Memphis installation, either overwriting the older NDIS.VXD or rename the older one to something else, say NDIS.OLD.

Reboot your system and everything should continue normally.


To anticipate the error and correct it before running SETUP:

Download and extract the updated NDIS.VXD same as above.
Place the extracted NDIS.VXD in your \WIN98 setup folder with the 98 SETUP.EXE, WIN98_xx.CAB's, etc.
Windows 98/Memphis SETUP will automatically use the updated file rather than extract the older version from the CABs.


This has been tested so far with these versions (all I have at the moment):

Windows 98 Final/RTM 4.10.1998
Windows 98 Memphis Build 4.10.1900
Windows 98 Memphis Build 4.10.1702
Windows 98 Memphis Build 4.10.1691
Windows 98 Memphis Build 4.10.1681
Windows 98 Memphis Build 4.10.1658
Windows 98 Memphis Build 4.10.1650
Windows 98 Memphis Build 4.10.1629


I will add more versions that are tested working when I have more to test or feedback on other versions. If you test this with another version, please post your results here.



Note:
This error also affects Windows 95. For a Windows 95 solution, see this:
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/141402- ... it-broken/

[Jecag]

I've found your FIX95CPU patch (which tbh I've been using for quite a long time) to work with these problems when installing 95. I've personally never encountered this error when installing Windows 98 FE/SE.

[CaptainPeanut]

I didn't encounter this error either, and I installed Win98 FE in a 2GHz CelerOWNED

[MegaDragon998]

I installed win98 FE many times on 2ghz no error...

[CaptainPeanut]

That's what I said ¬¬

[MegaDragon998]

That's what I said ¬¬

I know...just saying that i havent encourtened any errors

[betascollector]

In Virtual PC 2007, if your PC have Hardware Visualization, just uncheck the option from Options window. This will fix the problem.

[LoneCrusader]

I've found your FIX95CPU patch (which tbh I've been using for quite a long time) to work with these problems when installing 95. I've personally never encountered this error when installing Windows 98 FE/SE.

I didn't encounter this error either, and I installed Win98 FE in a 2GHz CelerOWNED

I installed win98 FE many times on 2ghz no error...

Exactly. Because the error does not present itself unless you use a 2.2GHz processor or greater.
See the KB article.
"Windows protection error in NDIS with a CPU that is faster than 2.1 GHz"

It does not affect 98SE at all. Not certain about 98SE Betas.

In Virtual PC 2007, if your PC have Hardware Visualization, just uncheck the option from Options window. This will fix the problem.

Can't speak to this one way or another, I use real hardware and VMware, not VirtualPC. I would call it a "workaround" rather than a fix. The HotFix is the right way to fix it.

[Jecag]

But I have a 3.1GHz processor o.o

[LoneCrusader]

But I have a 3.1GHz processor o.o

Interesting. I always get the error without fail when installing 98FE on a >2GHz processor. In fact, until I learned how to fix the error for 95, this is what forced me to upgrade unwillingly a few years back from 95B to 98SE. I even stockpiled some P4 2.0GHz processors specifically for building high-end 95 systems.

I'll hazard a guess that your results are not typical. You're absolutely certain that you've used 98FE on this system and that you don't already have the HotFix NDIS.VXD 4.10.2000 in your \WIN98 folder? I believe I saw an OEM disc once that had done this...

Another thought - if you don't have any networking hardware installed or install any networking protocols etc during SETUP then NDIS.VXD may not be installed to begin with...

[MegaDragon998]

I used hardware virtualization with it

[Lukas Marsik]

Look like I am the only one, before this PC I own now which does have 2.1GHz CPU, I owned one with a 2.3GHz CPU and I encountered the error many many times while installing Memphis,
I remember, I applied the .vmx fix to it to go past the ACPI RSOD, I was so happy that I got it to install in VMware and then... NDIS.VXD prevented Memphis from loading :/

[CaptainPeanut]

Nope. NDIS.VXD 4.10.1998

[LoneCrusader]

Hmmm...
Well, I don't need to argue this. The existence of the MSKB article and the HotFix proves that the error exists, whether everyone has encountered it or not.

Added another successfully tested version to the first post, Build 4.10.1702.

I am encountering problems installing builds older than 4.10.1629 in VMware, the installation just freezes up before displaying any error and refuses to complete. I will update further once I have resolved this.

[Patrick]

Or you could try setting the VM type to "Windows 98" or "Windows 95" in VMWare. This applies a patch that fixes this error most of the time.

[LoneCrusader]

Probably true enough. However, like the Virtual PC suggestion above, this is a workaround, not a fix. My goal is to fix the problem, not work around it or "downgrade" hardware (or virtual hardware) to avoid it, because I use 9x systems on real hardware. The HotFix is the right way to fix it.

[cantasan99]

You should write how to fix NTKERN Windows protection error.
I have a fix!
Install the VPC 2004 on 2000 / XP computer.
Disable ACPI and Power Management.
Then... Install the Windows. I installed Memphis build 1351.

Good tests!

[LoneCrusader]

You should write how to fix NTKERN Windows protection error.
I have a fix!
Install the VPC 2004 on 2000 / XP computer.
Disable ACPI and Power Management.
Then... Install the Windows. I installed Memphis build 1351.

Good tests!

I have not had the opportunity to look into the NTKERN errors with early Beta builds.

However, the process would be the same as I have outlined here for NDIS.VXD, except there is no nice official HotFix file readily available. You would just have to use "trial and error" and hope to find a later version of NTKERN.VXD that will work with the Beta you are trying to fix...

For example, if you are trying to use Memphis 1351 and get the NTKERN error, try using NTKERN.VXD from Memphis 1387. If that doesn't work, try Memphis 1400, etc etc.

It is best to use the closest possible version to the build you are installing. The further the builds are apart, the greater the possibility for further incompatibility.

[flicktrace75]

Will try your Patch later.

[rloew]

Memphis 1351 and 1387 need at least 3 files patched to work above 2.1 GHz to avoid Windows Protection Errors. They have the same problem as Windows 95.

[x010]

Memphis 1351 and 1387 need at least 3 files patched to work above 2.1 GHz to avoid Windows Protection Errors. They have the same problem as Windows 95.

The reason is mostly because they are based on Windows 95(and are alphas of Windows 98).

[James]

Memphis 1351 and 1387 need at least 3 files patched to work above 2.1 GHz to avoid Windows Protection Errors. They have the same problem as Windows 95.

The reason is mostly because they are based on Windows 95(and are alphas of Windows 98).

Yes, they are. Please refrain from making pointless posts, please.

[LoneCrusader]

Memphis 1351 and 1387 need at least 3 files patched to work above 2.1 GHz to avoid Windows Protection Errors. They have the same problem as Windows 95.

Which files will require patching?

To correct these errors under 95, FIX95CPU updates the following files:

NDIS.VXD (RTM+OSR2)
INT13.VXD (RTM+OSR2)
IOS.VXD (RTM+OSR2)
VFBACKUP.VXD (RTM+OSR2)
HSFLOP.PDR (RTM+OSR2)
CDFS.VXD (different versions for RTM/OSR2 now included as of V3)
DISKTSD.VXD (different versions for RTM/OSR2 now included as of V3)
ESDI_506.PDR (different versions for RTM/OSR2 now included as of V3)
SCSIPORT.PDR (different versions for RTM/OSR2 now included as of V3)
NTKERN.VXD (OSR2 ONLY as of V3)
WININIT.EXE (RTM ONLY as of V3)

All of the CPU clock speed issues except one (NDIS.VXD at 2.1GHz) were fixed as of the release of 98FE, so no doubt somewhere along the line of Memphis development the older 95 issues will gradually fade out. Maybe Memphis 1351 and 1387 won't require all of the same files to be fixed that 95 does...?

[rloew]

I have identified 5 Files that have a specific piece of bad code. There may be more but they may be harder to find.
Except as noted, the Memphis Versions are shown below. The first four affected files are in various Versions of Windows 95.

NTKERN.VXD: 999, 1132, 1351 and 1387. 1400 and above are OK.
IOS.VXD: 999, 1132, 1351, 1387 and 1400. Later versions OK.
ESDI_506.PDR: 999, 1132, 1351 and 1387. 1400 is OK.
SCSIPORT.PDR: 999, 1132, 1351, 1387 and 1400. Later versions OK.
CS3KIT.EXE: 1387 only.

NDIS.VXD has different timing code, which I am currently examining. I have found the problem code in all 98 Memphis Builds, none in 98SE Memphis Builds.

[cantasan99]

I have identified 5 Files that have a specific piece of bad code. There may be more but they may be harder to find.
Except as noted, the Memphis Versions are shown below. The first four affected files are in various Versions of Windows 95.

NTKERN.VXD: 999, 1132, 1351 and 1387. 1400 and above are OK.
IOS.VXD: 999, 1132, 1351, 1387 and 1400. Later versions OK.
ESDI_506.PDR: 999, 1132, 1351 and 1387. 1400 is OK.
SCSIPORT.PDR: 999, 1132, 1351, 1387 and 1400. Later versions OK.
CS3KIT.EXE: 1387 only.

NDIS.VXD has different timing code, which I am currently examining. I have found the problem code in all 98 Memphis Builds, none in 98SE Memphis Builds.

Should we change this files? Which version (example 95) should we use?