SUWIN error when installing ME

[kelly]

Dell laptop - reinstalling WinME to see if I can get a Linksys PCMCIA wireless card to work (see other thread). Booted from the ME install CD, got thru several windows. It's ready to install the files and I get:

SUWIN caused a General Protection error fault in module USER.exe at 0019:039B.

Google search brought up lots of pages that I'll start sifting thru, but posting here in case some one is familiar with the problem.

- tony

[qldit]

Good Afternoon kelly, that problem normally relates to a key problem or a clock setting kind of error.
Is there any possibility there might be something already on the drive that it might be seeing?
From time to time, I have had to actually zerowrite a drive to ensure that is no odd problems with a clean load.
The madboot floppy disk image is very useful for this kind of work and is available from the Tucows site. It makes a bootable floppy with all the tools you might need for preparing a hard drive.
It is better than the W-ME start disk because it has some nice handy tools on it, apart from scandisk.
Cheers, qldit.

[kelly]

Thanks - the drive already has WinME on it. In the installation process, the installer realized that an OS already exists. It asks if I really want to wipe it out and I agree because that's what I want to do.

I checked the clock in the BIOS - it's OK. The Date & Time was set to the wrong time zone. I changed the time zone and Date & Time hung. So maybe you're on to something.

[qldit]

Good Morning kelly, it is quite possible the operating system is trying to re-install and integrate itself into all the existing programs and data currently on that drive.
If there is any malware currently on the drive that may cause downstream problems.

Cheers, qldit.

[kelly]

I fdisk & formatted the drive - no more error
thanks

[qldit]

Good Morning Kelly, as a general rule try to ensure that all respective m/b drivers and software is loaded directly after your clean system load.
Quite often minor chipset drivers not being loaded can make a considerable difference to operational effectiveness.
This is especially so with regard to peripheral gadgets and their operation.

With 98 and ME loads I always load Ronaldo's Rtools, this is a simple little program that copies necessary operating files and keeps a restoration program in a special folder on the hard drive.
If any subsequent boot malfunctions happen, or corruption happens, it is easy enough to simply boot the machine on a floppy then navigate to the Rtools directory and simply type "repair", although this may sound superflous, you have no idea how precious it can become.
The normal system restore program in ME is nearly as useless as the one in XP.
This Rtool action restores all the relevant boot material and when the machine is rebooted usually restores normal operation.
It is actually a free program designed for W-95 and 98 but works equally well in W-ME, it is a gem to have loaded.
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/7219/p10.htm
From time to time you do need to backup the respective saved files especially after loading any extra programs and confirming all is well, but that is only a mouse click.

There are several capabilities this program has but the restore and delete junk items are the only ones I ever use.

By the way I consider W-ME to be one of the best MS products ever released, I have instances in excess of 6 years without major problems.

The free Avira antivirus program works excellently in it!
http://www.free-av.com/

Cheers, qldit.