Driver File Omissions - Check It Out

[Brian R.]

This is a general information post for anyone who can use this information...

If one goes into the Device Manager (System Properties) and list the driver files associated with, for example, your video card, modem, sound card, NIC, etc., you will see every file Windows is using to operate that device. Most of the file listings are of the form:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SERIAL.VXD

for example from my modem listing.

A potential problem exists when Windows cannot find a specific file it is looking for. When this happens, it puts the name of the absent file in parentheses after the name of the generic driver file it is using as a replacement. This looks like this:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32.VXD (vcomm.vxd)

In this case, vcomm.vxd is missing from the c:\windows\system directory.

The cure for this problem is to go to the correct cab file on the Windows installation disk and extract the vcomm.vxd file into the c:\windows\system directory and then reboot.

You will then find the correct file listing in the device manager.

You can find the identity of the cab file you need (for a specific driver file) by searching the Microsoft web site for the "file name" and "cab". I have found most of the files I need (Win98SE) are in Win98_53.cab or Win98_54.cab.

I have found, at least in my two Win98SE installations, that every display adapter, mouse, NIC, IDE controller, and modem is missing at least one file with VMM32.VXD substituted in each case.

FYI


[This message has been edited by Brian R. (edited 20 September 2000).]

[Nick L]

thanks, another windows secret revealed

[Wombat]

Ummm, actually, no.

If you look around a little more on the web, you'll find that vmm32.vxd is a mass driver, sort of a monolithic scheme. It has all the functionality of those little drivers built into it. And it's actually faster this way. If you're comfortable messing around with your system, you can even get vmm32.vxd to be rebuilt, if you fancy.

[Brian R.]

If it's faster or better in some way, why would Windows request other files? Why not just load vmm32.vxd all the time and not report missing files? I don't get it. To me smaller is better.

[Rags]

The reason win98 reports it is because this sometimes causes problems and necessitates puting the proper file in it's place. There is also a utility in win98 that you can do this with if you want to dig around hard enough

Rags

[Brian R.]

For a reasonable explanation see:
http://www.infinisource.com/techfiles/vmm32.html

Actually, the reason I brought it up is a guy at work recommended strongly that we replace all cited files to be used instead of vmm32.vxd. Since he knows more about Windows than I do, I pass his recommendation along.

[This message has been edited by Brian R. (edited 21 September 2000).]

[Kruzin]

Relocated to the General Hardware forum