Help with an error message

[wxlf.lee]

Hello, im new and had no other idea how to ask for help, i apologize if this isnt the correct forum to post this question
I have a Gateway computer I used when I was younger that ive recently fished out of the crawl space to revive it from the dead. It runs Win ME
I'm having trouble getting it to boot as I'm met with this error
"The following file is missing or corrupted C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32.VXD"
I have a Windows ME boot floppy and three Gateway system restore CD's.
It's not reading either or giving me any other prompt besides this. I've scoured YouTube and it seems that people on there either have access to the desktop or a boot CD that gives them a different prompt.
My Hard Drive is not making any noise that may indicates its broken.
Ive went into the BIOS and set up the proper boot order and made sure its reading the floppy
the last time i regularly used this PC was around '08 and the last time i booted it was around '15 when i was feeling sentimental. both times it booted fine.
if there is any help you can throw my way i would greatly appreciate it.

 

[ajacocks]

Hello @wxlf.lee .

We don't have a ton of discussion around Windows ME, here, but that says to me that the installation of Windows on the hard drive is corrupt, and will need to be reinstalled.

- Alex

 

[tradde]

Can you get it to boot into "repair" mode? Or was it "restore" mode? There is a key sequence you can press on booting to get into this mode so you can try to repair your PC. Hopefully someone else will know more.

 

[Caluser]

Welcome. Hope you enjoy your time here at vcfed.org

 

[seaken]

It's been a while since I played with WinME. But as I recall you can get to a command line using a special technique booting from a floppy disk. I'm not remembering right now but you should do a search for booting into DOS from a floppy. WinME was purposely setup to not boot into DOS. But with a simple change in the start up file it can be done.

Once in DOS you can copy the missing file from the CD. You will probably have to extract it from a cabinet file.

A re-install from the CD may also work but may end up losing track of your already installed applications.

Anyway, do some reading on booting from ME. There is a lot of help with this on the internet. But not too much discussion here on VCF since ME and Pentium 3/4 is too recent and not usually considered "vintage".

Seaken