I received an older HP model 6330 Pavillion loaded with windows 98. The person who gave it to me seems to have erased one of the drivers. I can only start it in safe mode. When I try to start it normally I receive the following message:

While intialilzing Device Ios:
Error: An I/O subsystem driver failed to load
Either a file in the . / iosubsys subdirectory is corrupt,
or the system is low on memory

Unfortunately I don't have a copy of windows 98 to reinstall.



Thank you for any assistance offered.

Microsoft has this page on that error:

"While initializing device IOS, an I/O subsystem driver failed to load" error message when you start your Windows 98-based computer

"Unfortunately I don't have a copy of windows 98 to reinstall."

If the HP came from the factory pre-loaded with windows, the setup files may be in c:\windows\options\cabs, or, in a hidden partition on the hard disk.

Post back if there is a c:\windows\options\cabs directory (folder) on the system.

Originally Posted by Dan Penny

"Unfortunately I don't have a copy of windows 98 to reinstall."

If the HP came from the factory pre-loaded with windows, the setup files may be in c:\windows\options\cabs, or, in a hidden partition on the hard disk.

Post back if there is a c:\windows\options\cabs directory (folder) on the system.

No such luck I did a search for that directory and received the message: There are no items to show in this view.

As we'll have to be working in DOS a bit to find things out, enable the MS WIN98 Boot Menu. Boot into Safe Mode. Click Start, Run, type in msconfig. Click on Advanced (near the bottom right corner.) Place a check mark in "Enable Boot Menu".

Restart and choose Command prompt only. At the resulting C:\> prompt, type in fdisk/status. Post the results.

Originally Posted by Dan Penny

As we'll have to be working in DOS a bit to find things out, enable the MS WIN98 Boot Menu. Boot into Safe Mode. Click Start, Run, type in msconfig. Click on Advanced (near the bottom right corner.) Place a check mark in "Enable Boot Menu".

Restart and choose Command prompt only. At the resulting C:\> prompt, type in fdisk/status. Post the results.

I have reached the part where I click advanced. Upon doing so I am not given an option of enable boot menu. The only items I can check are:

Force compatibility mode disck access
Enable Startup menu
Disable Scandisk after bad shutdown
Disable Fast Shutdown
Disable UDF file system
Enable Pentium FO (Lock cmpXchg) workaround.

Currently Enable startup menu and disable fast shutdown are checked.

Enable Startup Menu is what I meant. Sorry.

fdisk/status?

Originally Posted by Dan Penny

Enable Startup Menu is what I meant. Sorry.

fdisk/status?

Here is the result:



Fixed Disk Drive Status
Disk Drv Mbytes Free Usage
1 3832 100%
C: 3832



(1MByte=1048576 bytes)

C:/>

OK, no other "factory" partitions on the disk.

According to this a Windows reinstall is recommended. I too recommend it;

"This issue can occur when the IOSubsys folder is damaged.

RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, rename the IOSubsys folder, and then reinstall Windows 98. "

You can probably pick up a Win98 or Win98SE CD on one of those sites. (Auction?, I don't know, never used one. Is EBAY one of those???) There's an auction section on this site. Or in a computer store (maybe, 98 is old).

If "stock" Win 98 drivers are insufficient for the installed hardware, Everest Home Edition will provide detailed information about the system hardware. With this information drivers can usually be found.

Alternatively, you could purchase a (more expensive) SYSTEM RESTORE package from H.P., which would contain all of their hardware specific drivers. However, if the system has changed much (hardware wise) since it left the factory, some Restore software won't run because of the differing hardware configurations. I cannot attest as to whether HP's does this. Again, never used one.