FIRST ARTICLE Q306482 Error Message When You Start Computer in Normal Mode: Invalid VxD Dynamic Link Call to Device 3, Service B View products that this article applies to. Article ID : 306482 Last Review : December 20, 2004 Revision : 1.2 This article was previously published under Q306482 On this page SYMPTOMS CAUSE RESOLUTION APPLIES TO SYMPTOMS When you attempt to start your computer in any of the Windows operating systems listed at the beginning of this article, you may receive the Windows splash screen, and then the computer restarts. Next, the Startup menu appears, with Safe Mode selected. If you select Normal Mode, you may receive the following error message: Invalid VxD dynamic link call to device 3, service B. Your Windows configuration is invalid. Run the Windows Setup program again to correct this problem. The computer shuts down. You can start in Safe mode without problems or error messages. Back to the top CAUSE This behavior can occur if the System.ini file is blank. Back to the top RESOLUTION To resolve this issue, extract a new copy of the System.ini file to your hard disk. To do this, follow these steps. NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps. 1. Restart the computer, and then, when prompted, select Safe Mode. 2. Browse to C:\Windows. If no files are visible, click Show Files. 3. On the View menu, click Folder Options. 4. On the View tab, click to clear the Hide file extensions for known file types check box, and then click to select the Show all files check box. 5. Click OK. If no files are visible, click Show Files. 6. Right-click System.ini, click Rename, type System.old, and then press ENTER. 7. Double-click the Sysbckup folder in the same directory. 8. On the View menu, click Details, and then click Name to sort the files by name. 9. Find the most recent rb*.cab file from before the date and time that the problem started. Double-click this file. 10. Right-click System.ini, and then click Extract. 11. In the Choose a Folder in which to save the files box, browse to C:\Windows, and then click OK. 12. Close the .cab file, and then browse to C:\Windows. 13. Double-click System.ini. If System.ini is blank, repeat steps 9 through 12, using the next most-recent .cab file. 14. Close System.ini, and then restart the computer.NOTE: With Windows 98 it is also possible to replace the System.ini file by restoring to an earlier registry. One of the files that is replaced with an earlier version is the System.ini file. For additional information about how to restore to an earlier version of the registry, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 221512 How to Manually Restore the Windows 98/Me Registry SECOND ARTICLE Q192397 Err Msg: While Initializing Device NTKERN: Windows Protection... View products that this article applies to. Article ID : 192397 Last Review : December 16, 2004 Revision : 1.2 This article was previously published under Q192397 If this article does not describe the error message that you are receiving, view the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article to view more articles that describe error messages: 315854 Windows 98 and Windows Me Error Message Resource Center On this page SYMPTOMS CAUSE RESOLUTION Method 1 Method 2 Method 3 MORE INFORMATION APPLIES TO SYMPTOMS When you are installing Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and your computer restarts for the first time, you may receive the following error message: While initializing device NTKERN: Windows Protection Error. You need to restart your computer. You may also receive one of the following error messages after Windows 98 Setup is completed: • Invalid VxD Dynamic Link Call to Device 3 Service B While Initialing Device filename Windows Protection Error. You need to restart your computer. If you try to start your computer in Safe mode, you may receive the following error message: Himem.sys Has Detected Unreliable XMS Memory at address. Back to the top CAUSE This behavior can occur if there is defective random access memory (RAM) in your computer. Back to the top RESOLUTION To resolve this issue, remove or replace memory chips in your computer to eliminate bad memory. For information about how to remove or replace your memory chips, please consult your hardware documentation or manufacturer. To work around this issue, use any of the following methods: Method 1 If your computer has over 16 megabytes (MB) of memory, it may be possible to work around this issue by configuring your computer to only use 16 MB of memory. To do so, use the following steps: 1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to open the System.ini file in the Windows folder. 2. Add the following line to the [386enh] section of the System.ini file: MaxPhysPage=01000 3. Save this file, and then quit Notepad. 4. Restart your computer, and then restart the Windows 98 Setup program. NOTE: If you cannot start your computer in Safe mode, restart your computer, press and hold down CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Command prompt only. Use a text editor (such as Edit.com) to edit the Windows\System.ini file. Method 2 Run the Windows 98 Setup program from Safe Mode Command Prompt Only. To do so, restart your computer, press and hold the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only. Method 3 Use the System Configuration tool to limit the amount of random access memory (RAM) available to Windows. To do so, follow these steps: 1. Restart Windows in Safe mode. To do so, restart your computer, press and hold the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Safe Mode. 2. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information. 3. On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility. 4. On the General tab, click Advanced. 5. Click the Limit Memory To MB check box (where is a number) to select it, and then set the memory limit value to 16 MB. 6. Click OK, click OK, and then restart your computer.