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rixxagain

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win98 stack overflow.

Trying to install win98 full version, on 166mhz machine w/ 16megs ram.  While loading, the CDROM and floppy will start flashing very fast and then lock.

Error message reads:  an internal stack overflow has caused this session to be halted.  Change the stack setting in the x config.sys file and try again.

This error message was read to me over the phone.  I can't find an "X" config.sys file.  I have found stacks in config.sys - but don't know what to do with them.  I don't know what a stack overflow is either.  Any help - much appreciated.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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slink9

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The config.sys file I use for Win98SE.

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\DBLBUFF.SYS

DOS=AUTO,UMB,HIGH

DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /SHADOWRAM:ON /TESTMEM:ON /VERBOSE:ON
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS HIGHSCAN I=B000-B7FF V

DEVICEHIGH /L:1 =C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE
DEVICEHIGH /L:1 =C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
DEVICEHIGH /L:1 =C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DISPLAY.SYS CON=(EGA,850,1)
DEVICEHIGH /L:1 =C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS

BUFFERSHIGH=35,0
FILESHIGH=150
FCBSHIGH=4
STACKSHIGH=9,256
LASTDRIVEHIGH=Z

COUNTRY=044,850,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\COUNTRY.SYS

SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1024 /MSG /P

and for AUTOEXEC.BAT

@ECHO OFF
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MODE CON LINES=50

C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\NETWOR~1\VIRUSS~1\40~1.XX\scan.exe C:\
@IF ERRORLEVEL 1 PAUSE

C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MODE CON RATE=32 DELAY=1
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MODE CON CODEPAGE PREPARE=((850) C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EGA.CPI)
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MODE CON CODEPAGE SELECT=850

LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\KEYB UK,850,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\KEYBOARD.SYS
LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DOSKEY

SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 T2
SET DIRCMD=/OEGN /W /P /4 ,
LFNFOR ON
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\;C:\BATCH;C:\UTILS;C:\PK-WARE;C:\TC\BIN;C:\SAGE\UTILS;C:\PROGRA~1\BORLAND\DELPHI5\BIN;C:\PROGRA~1\BORLAND\DELPHI5\PROJECTS\BPL;C:\PROGRA~1\PHP;
SET PKTMP=C:\TEMP
SET PKZIP.CFG=C:\PK-WARE
SET PROMPT=$L$T$H$H$H $D $P$G
SET TEMP=C:\TEMP
SET TMP=C:\TEMP
SET SNDSCAPE=C:\WINDOWS


I do a LOT of DOS development in Windows, so a lot of the stuff here is for DOS.

The STACKSHIGH is set to the maximum.

Also, sometimes Windows wants the SYSTEM.INI file altered too!

[386Enh]
MinSPs=10

This entry also relates to stacks.

Regards,

Richard Quadling.
Avatar of trekie1
trekie1

if this is a clean HD that your installing to (freshly formated)  then it sounds as if you may need to use a different boot disk,,,,,,make your self a new win98 startup disk or download one from   www.bootdisk.com

also you would have far less trouble if you copy the win98 dir off the cd to the HD and setup from there
rixx I noticed you said this,,This error message was read to me over the phone,,,so I'm assumming you dont have hands on this machine,,,,anyway you mite check and see if they have the win98 cd in the drive while booting,,,,the cd itself is bootable and useing the floppy to boot also may be confuseing the boot order somehow,,,try useing one or the other but not both,,,,,

semper fi

James
Avatar of SysExpert
A couple of things that occir to me.
1) I have seen viruses ( boot viruses especially ) cause this.

fdisk /mbr form a known clean boot flopy may help.

2) Bad RAM or motherboard can cause this, but usually not during a fresh install.

3)  a problem with minsp's setting.

    Resolutions: Stack problems - minSp
                                       
There is a well documented error regarding Stack space limitations :
                  Here is the solution :
                  -------------------------------------------------

 Go to start-run, type "sysedit" without the quotation mark and OK to open the System
    Configuration Editor. Select the system.ini window.

 Go to the section and add the following line to the [386Enh] section of the  System.ini file.

                                         [386Enh]
                                         MinSPs=12

     Save the system.ini. Exit the System Configuration Editor and restart the computer.
                                             
  If the problem persists, increase the number of spare stack pages in increments   of 4 (for
     example, 8, 12, 16).
                     NOTE: Each spare stack page requires 4 kilobytes of memory.
                     There should never be an odd number. It should be in increments of "4" as noted!!!

I hope this helps !
Avatar of rixxagain

ASKER

Here's what we found out.   I cannot verify that this is true, or that it is the answer to the prob.
The user said that he had Norton anti-virus on the system, and thatb  that cant be removed with a format.  It was the norton that was causing the prob w/ stacks.
Again - this was presented to me - I didn't discover this.  I'll give the points to whoever tells me if this can happen, how, and how it is corrected.]
Thx
Rixxagain
Well here is some info that covers stack and shutdown problems with NAV.

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/c9193164d07a9a0f8525667a0055a1f1/93182855d99ebe0dc125688700516280?OpenDocument
Norton  Doc on shutdown  and related problems !

I hope this helps !
Norton anti-virus on the system, and thatb  that cant be removed with a format.
 It was the norton that was causing the prob w/ stacks.....
dont really understand why norton cant be removed or uninstalled or at least disabled ??   it needs to be before a reinstall I'm thinking,,,,,also if norton is on this system ,then it must allready have windows,,, so this must be a rerun..... useing win98 full version may also be causeing a problem if the comp allready has windows,,,most full versions wont install over a previous version......needs to rename win.com to win.old
 to do this seems to me he/she needs to get rid of norton,,disable or whatever,,,,rename win.com to win.old...............rename config.sys to config.old.............boot with new win98startup disk and reinstall
I have to say - this link gave me the most insight on how to fix the stack overflow errors.  Good job.  Took me right where I needed to be.

The deal with the anti-virus was the onboard anti-virus in the bios - wouldn't allow the OS to load.  It just needed to be disabled.  

Thx to all for the help.

Rixxagain

I thought that I did this already.
Sorry for the delay
Rixxagain