Windows Err Msg: WDCTRL Validation Failed at Phase <x, x>

ID: Q119674

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

This article lists the meaning of the various phases that are displayed in the following error message at Windows startup if 32-bit disk access is enabled

The Microsoft Windows 32-bit disk driver (WDCTRL) validation failed at phase <x, x>.

where <x> is a specific phase.

MORE INFORMATION

Below are the various phases that can appear in the above error message and a brief description of each:

Phase 0: Int 13h, AH=8, GetDriveParms results failed; compare with FDPT (Fixed Disk Parameter Table, pointer got through int 41h/46h-xxxx)

Phase 1: Number of heads differ

Phase 2: Number of sectors differ

Phase 3: Number of cylinders differ

The next phases are read:

Phases 4 - A -> HCS:0/0/1 (Head/Cylinder/Sector notation)
Phases B - 11 -> Sector #503 (to control sector mapping)
Phases 12 - 18 -> HCS:last-1/last-1/last-1

Phase 4/B/12: Read Sector 1/503/"last-but one" through int 13 failed

Phase 5/C/13: Status reg of Controller says failure

Phase 6/D/14: Wrong sector count

Phase 7/E/15: Wrong sector number

Phase 8/F/16: Wrong cylinder number

Phase 9/10/17: Wrong sector size (not equal to 512 bytes) or drive

Phase A/11/18: Wrong status from controller or difference in direct read data from int 13 read data.

KBCategory: kbother kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: win31 wfw wfwg winboot

Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 err msg wdctrl fastdisk

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :