Invalid VxD Dynamic Link Call to Device Number 000A

 Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
Article ID: Q84579
The information in this article applies to: 

  - Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

After completing Setup, you receive the following error when attempting to start Microsoft Windows 3.1 in 386 enhanced mode 

   Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows in 386
   enhanced mode.

   You need to run the Setup program again.
   Vxxxxxxx.386
   Press a key to continue
where Vxxxxxxx.386 is the name of the virtual device driver that Windows cannot find. After you press a key, the following message appears: 

   Invalid VxD dynamic link call to device number 000A, service 0007.
   Your Windows configuration is Invalid. Run the Windows Setup
   program again to correct this problem.
Device number 000A means that the error was caused by a call to the virtual display device referenced in the [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file. The missing device is listed in the [386Enh] section in a statement similar to one of the following: 

   display=*VDDVGA

   -or-

   display=Vxxxxxxx.386

CAUSE

These errors occur after you upgrade from Windows 3.0 to Windows 3.1. Windows 3.1 may not always update the valid virtual display driver (VDD) with the new version from the original Windows 3.1 disks.

WORKAROUND

The following steps outline the location of the proper virtual display driver and tell you where it should be located so that Windows can find it.

NOTE: The following steps apply ONLY to video drivers that are shipped with Windows 3.1. If a third-party display driver is used, these steps should still work, but all references to SETUP.INF should be replaced with OEMSETUP.INF (located on the third-party driver disk) along with the virtual device driver.

  1. Print or view the SETUP.INF file. The SETUP.INF file is located in the Windows\SYSTEM directory. The SETUP.INF file is a text file, but it is too large to be edited in Notepad. You can view it in Write, but be absolutely sure you select the No Conversion button when opening the file so it is not converted to Write's format.

  2. Check the [DISPLAY] section of SETUP.INF for your video mode to determine which VDD should be used. (The VDD should either be *VDDVGA or Vxxxxxxx.386.)

    NOTE: The format of the line in SETUP.INF can be found at the beginning of the [DISPLAY] section.

  3. If the proper VDD is *VDDVGA, change the display= line in the [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file as follows and go to step 5. 

          display=*VDDVGA

  4. If the VDD referenced is Vxxxxxxx.386, you need to expand the correct file from the original Windows disks.

    NOTE: The name of the file is Vxxxxxxx.38_ and you must use the EXPAND.EXE program from Windows Disk 3 to expand it. Use the following command to expand the file to the Windows\SYSTEM directory (this example assumes that your Windows directory is named "WINDOWS": 

          expand a:vxxxxxxx.38_ c:\windows\system\vxxxxxxx.386

  5. Restart Windows.

If the procedure above doesn't correct the problem, try expanding the WIN386.EXE file from your original Windows 3.1 installation disks. If the WIN386.EXE file on your system is corrupted, it can cause the symptoms mentioned above.

KBCategory: kbsetup kbdisplay kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: windrvr winshell
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.11 VxD EGA VGA

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Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
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