I'm trying to fix a friends pc and he is getting the following error:

"Memory access violation in module kernel32 @ 5692:14766882" (NB: This
number appears to be different everytime the pc starts!)

The window with this message appears when booting the pc, after the bios
set-up prompt, but before windows starts. The window heading is "Error
occurred".

The pc is a Pentium PIII 500 cpu
Compaq desktop base unit and Compaq motherboard (with 2 x USB & 2 x serial
ports)
NB: Onboard sound chip disabled via BIOS screen (as SoundBlaster card
installed instead)
Compaq 17" svga colour monitor
Compaq Keyboard (PS/2 type)
Compaq Mouse (with wheel) (PS/2 type)
128Mb ram memory (PC100)
Western Digital 10Gb hard drive (Ultra DMA compatible)
3Dfx Voodoo3 graphics card 16Mb (AGP)
Creative Labs SoundBlaster 16 digital PCI sound card
1.44Mb floppy disc drive (standard)
x32 CD drive (Compaq)
The pc is using Windows 98se

I can get into the safe mode menu, and select safe mode, but even from
here the pc stalls with the same message when windows attempts to load.

If I select the step by step option, there are no obvious drivers loading
which I think might cause a problem? in fact the bare minimum drivers are
being loaded anyway by default on this pc.

If I try the dos prompt option, I can get to the c:\ prompt and look at
the c drive etc, but if i try to load windows from here I get the same
problem.

If you leave the error message onscreen, after a while the screensaver
starts.

If you click the "ok" button on the error message the screen is left blank
apart from the windows wallpaper, and there are no screen icons,
shortcuts, start button, etc, and you can do nothing with the pc except
control, alt, del and switch off the pc.

I've checked that all cards are in their slots properly and there are no
loose wires etc, and the memory module is seated ok. I have also reseated
the memory module in another slot, but still the problem persists.

Anyone got any ideas what this is and how to cure it please....


*Peter* - http://www.cix.co.uk/~pjgtech/home.html