Windows Protection Error in NDIS with a CPU That Is Faster Than 2.1 GHz (312108)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q312108

SYMPTOMS

When you are installing Windows 95 or Windows 98 on a computer that has a CPU that runs at 2.2 gigahertz (GHz) or faster, you may receive the following error message:
While initializing device NDIS: Windows protection error

CAUSE

The timing calibration code in the Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) driver causes a divide by zero if the CPU runs at 2.2 GHz or faster. This problem does not occur with CPUs that run at 2.1 GHz or slower.

RESOLUTION

Windows 98

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: 
   Date         Time   Version      Size     File name
   ---------------------------------------------------
   28-Nov-2001  11:05  4.10.0.2000  157,909  Ndis.vxd

Windows 95

Microsoft has no plans to make an update available for this problem for Windows 95 because Windows 95 is in the "non-supported" phase of the product lifecycle. Additional information about product lifecycles is available at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle.asp

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition hotfixes, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

206071 General Information About Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition Hotfixes

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/18/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kberrmsg kbfix kbprb kbQFE kbsetup KB312108
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