Windows 3.1: "Error loading 256_1024.DRV" "Error loading VGA.DRV" \ VOGONS

Windows 3.1: "Error loading 256_1024.DRV" "Error loading VGA.DRV"

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First post, by appiah4

Posted on 2021-05-17, 07:12

appiah4 Offline

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I took out a CD card from my IBM PS/1 and copied some files over to it. I then stuck it back into the PS/1 and Windows 3.1 started refusing to start.

"Error loading 256_1024.DRV"

I thought maybe the CF got corrupted so I ran scandisk which found nothing. When I did a surface scan it obviously said it detected errors but I think that's just par for the course.

Regardless, thinking maybe the file was corrupted anyway I switched back to the VGA driver, and got this:

"Error loading VGA.DRV"

So Windows 3.1 can't seem to load any graphics drivers whatsoever. Any ideas why? I troubleshooted this for hours before I got frustrated and wiped the CF clean, then installed OS/2 Warp Connect on it (much more fitting for the system anyhow) but I fail to see how transferring files to a CF can mess up its contents?

Reply 1 of 4, by evasive

Posted on 2021-05-17, 08:33

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Sounds more like a graphics card issue then. Do you have any DOS diagnostics you can run on that card?

Reply 2 of 4, by appiah4

Posted on 2021-05-17, 10:25

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evasive wrote on 2021-05-17, 08:33:

Sounds more like a graphics card issue then. Do you have any DOS diagnostics you can run on that card?

The card seems to run everything I throw at it just fine. Windows just refuses to run.

Reply 3 of 4, by weedeewee

Posted on 2021-05-17, 10:31

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Are the files still on the card? and in the correct directory.

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Reply 4 of 4, by appiah4

Posted on 2021-05-17, 10:39

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weedeewee wrote on 2021-05-17, 10:31:

Are the files still on the card? and in the correct directory.

Yes they are, and the file sizes appear to be correct. The file's contents, I am not sure of.

Out of curiosity I booted the system with another CF card from another PC and ran DOOM again and it ran flawlessly.

Something messed up on the CF card I think, though I can't understand why or how. I'm just wondering if accessing FAT16 CF cards with modern Windows is prone to doing this. I know that it adds stupid shit like the invisible System Volume Information directory etc to the card so who knows what else it does..

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