Reference number: CH000359

IOS Errors.

Issue:

IOS Errors.

Cause:

These issue can be caused by any of the below possibilities.

1. Bad file or statement in the config.sys or autoexec.bat.
2. Issue with SMARTDRV.EXE or RMM.PDR.
3. Issue with Windows 95 and AMD K6/2 (350MHz or faster), or an Athlon (1.1GHz or faster).
4. Other Windows corruption

Solution:

Bad file or statement in the config.sys or autoexec.bat

The below steps should resolve the error "'While initializing device IOS: Error: An I/O subsystem driver failed to load' at boot"

Attempt to temporarily rename your autoexec.bat and config.sys by following the below steps:

1. Boot the computer to a MS-DOS prompt. Information on how to do this can be found on document CHDOS.
2. Once at the DOS prompt type:
   C: <press enter>
   cd\ <press enter>
   ren autoexec.bat autoexec.ch <press enter>
   ren config.sys config.ch <press enter>
3. Once the above has been successfully completed reboot the computer.

Additional information about the autoexec.bat and config.sys can be found on our autoexec.bat / config.sys page.

Issue with SMARTDRV.EXE or RMM.PDR

The below steps can resolve any of the following errors: "Windows protection error", "IOS error", "While initializing device IOS: Windows protection error. You must restart your computer.", "While initializing IOS: Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer.", "Windows initializing device IOS: Windows protection error. IOS failed to Initialize, Please restart" or "Windows initializing device IOS: Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer" in Windows 95

Attempt to temporarily rename the SMARTDRV.EXE and or the RMM.PDR:

1. Boot the computer to a MS-DOS prompt. Information on how to do this can be found on document CHDOS.
2. Once at the DOS prompt type:
   C: <press enter>
   cd\windows <press enter>
   ren smartdrv.exe smartdrv.ch <press enter>
3. Once smartdrv.exe has been temporarily renamed reboot the computer to determine if issue is still present

If issue persists, attempt to rename the RMM.PDR by following the below steps

1. Boot the computer to a MS-DOS prompt. Information on how to do this can be found on document CHDOS.
2. Once at the DOS prompt type:
   C: <press enter>
   cd\windows\system\iosubsys <press enter>
   attrib rmm.pdr -r -s -h <press enter>
   ren rmm.pdr rmm.ch <press enter>
3. Once rmm.pdr has been temporarily renamed, reboot the computer to determine if issue is still present.

Issue with Windows 95 and AMD K6/2 (350MHz or faster), or an Athlon (1.1GHz or faster)

The below steps and information should help to resolve "Device IOS failed to initialize. Windows Protection Error. You must reboot your computer."

This issue is attributed to a divide exception in the Ios.vxd and is a limitation of the software algorithms, and is not indicative of a problem with the processor itself, which is functioning properly. This issue has been resolved in Windows 98 and all later releases of the Microsoft operating systems..

Additional information and the resolution to this issue can be obtained from Microsoft in Article ID: Q192841.

Other Windows corruption

If, after following the above recommendations, you are unable to resolve the issue, it is likely that Windows or a Windows driver is corrupted and it is recommended that you format and reinstall Windows. Additional information on doing this can be found on document CH000186.