Computer reboots under stress.

[DeBentos]

Hi there.

I'm having quite some trouble with my computer nowadays, and i hoped someone could help me in here.

My computer resets while im playing games (quake3, Vice city and other games in that class..)

It would seem like an overheating problem at first, but i've dealt with quite a few of those kinds in my days, and the problem here ain't that.

I've tried to clean my pc entirely and monitor the heat.
Also, i ran a memory test (memtest86+).
None of the above is the problem.

I've included my minidump and my machine specs.
Hope you can use it.

-Staffan

 

[cpc2004]

Hi Debentos,

Your windows crashes with IRQL x'ff' which is an invalid IRQL. It is caused by faulty ram, software error at device driver or the some device drivers are screwed up. As your ram pass memtest. Probably it is software error.

Suggestion
1. Attach more minidumps here as one minidump is insufficient to determine the culprit
2. Re-install Windows

Mini111205-02.dmp
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (a)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high. This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If a kernel debugger is available get the stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000034, memory referenced
Arg2: 000000ff, IRQL
Arg3: 00000001, value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
Arg4: 804e1226, address which referenced memory

Debugging Details:
------------------
WRITE_ADDRESS: 00000034
CURRENT_IRQL: ff

FAULTING_IP:
nt!KiTrap0D+2e1
804e1226 8902 mov [edx],eax

kd> r
eax=00000000 ebx=00000000 ecx=00000001 edx=00000034 esi=e3a842f8 edi=804e0195
eip=804e1226 esp=a80e7b10 ebp=a80e7b10 iopl=0 nv up di pl zr na po nc
cs=0008 ss=0010 ds=0023 es=0023 fs=0030 gs=0000 efl=00010046
nt!KiTrap0D+0x2e1:
804e1226 8902 mov [edx],eax ds:0023:00000034=????????

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 2
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR: 0xA

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER: from 804e0195 to 804e1226

STACK_TEXT:
a80e7b10 804e0195 badb0d00 e3dd3948 00000000 nt!KiTrap0D+0x2e1
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 nt!KiTrap06+0x490

FOLLOWUP_IP:
nt!KiTrap0D+2e1
804e1226 8902 mov [edx],eax

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX: 0
FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner
SYMBOL_NAME: nt!KiTrap0D+2e1
MODULE_NAME: nt
IMAGE_NAME: ntoskrnl.exe
DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 42250ff9
STACK_COMMAND: kb
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: 0xA_W_nt!KiTrap0D+2e1
BUCKET_ID: 0xA_W_nt!KiTrap0D+2e1

 

[DeBentos]

Hi! and thanks for the fast reply.

It happens quite often, so ill be sure to add more dumps soon.

 

[Merc14]

Track your PSU's voltages too. Take note if you're seeing any large flutuations or especially low readouts on the 12v rail (use a multimeter if you can).

 

[DeBentos]

Hi!

I haven't got much time to fool around with my own pc these days, so updates to this post can be slow at times.

I get another crash in certain games that seems to be related to the "restart" -crash.

Can any of you guys use the *appcompat.txt, *.hdmp, *.mdmp & manifest.txt? files for troublefinding?

Because thats the only bunch of files i get when my games/applications crash without resetting my pc.

-Staffan

 

[DeBentos]

Another rebooting crash.

It happened while playing parappa the rapper on a psx emulator (epsxe).

Dump attatched.

 

[just_a_nobody]

If you are having IRQ problems, and nothing else works, then perhaps this may help:

When several PC subsystems fail more or less simultaneously, it can be a good idea to look for trouble at any point where those systems come together.
In most PCs, the sound hardware is either a separate physical plug-in card, or is treated as such; the modem is probably on a separate physical card, or is treated as though it is; and the keyboard circuitry is yet another separate thing.
One place they all come together is in the "Extended System Configuration Data" area; a small section of non-volatile memory that stores hardware configuration data from boot to boot. Normally, the ESCD lets your PC boot faster than otherwise by letting the system skip having to rediscover all the attached hardware. Instead, the PC just checks the ESCD and assumes that everything's still the same.
Fortunately, it's easy and fast to zero-out all the stored information in the ESCD. This forces your system to start fresh and sort itself out. For example, it will re-assign IRQ's, DMA channels and memory addresses from scratch ( http://www.google.com/search?q=dma+irq+memory+address ), helping to resolve conflicts and to ensure that all your hardware works without stepping on each other's toes.
To reset the ESCD: Boot your system and enter the BIOS setup ( http://www.google.com/search?q=enter+BIOS+setup ); poke around on the various settings pages until you find something like "reset configuration data," "reset ESCD," or similar verbiage. Then save the changes and exit. (Copied from the Langalist newsletter: http://www.langa.com/newsletter.htm )

 

[DeBentos]

I can't locate anything called "ESCD" in my bios or other boot configurations - so i just resetted my bios, as that was the closest i came to what just_a_nobody wrote.

Still no positive result. (Actually, a slight diffrence was noticed. The game i was testing with, actually stayed up about five seconds longer than it usually does.)

I attatched the minidump that i got from overmentioned testsession. (Quake3)

 

[cpc2004]

Hi,

Base upon the stack trace of last two minidumps, I believe that the culprit is faulty memory.

f7999cd0 804dbeff ff676980 ffffffff d5ef21be nt!KiInsertTimerTable+0x4e
f7999cec 804dc3cb ff676980 ffffffff 00000002 nt!KiInsertTreeTimer+0x7d
f7999d0c 804dc402 00999d7c ff676980 ffffffff nt!KeSetTimerEx+0x4b
f7999d28 804e561a f7999d7c ff676980 ffffffff nt!KeSetTimer+0x18
f7999dac 8057be15 00000000 00000000 00000000 nt!KeBalanceSetManager+0xa6
f7999ddc 804fa4da 804e557a 00000000 00000000 nt!PspSystemThreadStartup+0x34
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 nt!KiThreadStartup+0x16

 

[DeBentos]

Seems theres no way around picking my pc to pieces and start testing ram.

Thanks all for the fast replys.
Much appreciated.

 

[DeBentos]

Ram testing done.

I'm pretty sure that they are o.k.

I haven't tried putting them into another pc, but i doubt they are the problem.

Could it be the video ram?

edit:

I occasionally get vertex corruptions in my games when it freezes.

 

[Liquidlen]

I am not sure ,and my German is pathetic, but here goes. I pulled the following out of your spec-sheet.
"256 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (3.0-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz) (2.5-3-3-7 @ 166 MHz) (2.0-2-2-6 @ 133 MHz)
DIMM2 256 MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM (2.5-3-3-7 @ 166 MHz) (2.0-3-3-6 @ 133 MHz)
DIMM3: Micron Tech. 18VDDT3272AG-265B1 256 MB PC2100 ECC DDR SDRAM (2.5-3-3-6 @ 133 MHz) (2.0-2-2-5 @ 100 MHz)"

I see 3 different types of Ram including one that is ECC. If all of this is installed on your machine I would highly recommend pulling it and sticking to the same (1)Brand.Speed &type- Ram. Different sticks can cause all kinds of trouble.

 

[cpc2004]

Hi,

The culprit is faulty memory. You can run memtest to stress the ram. If memtest reports the ram is faulty, ram is bad. However Memtest is not a perfect tool to test the memory as some faulty ram can pass memtest.

Suggestion
1. Check the temperature of the CPU and make sure that it is not overheat (ie temperature < 60C)
Make sure that the CPU fan works properly
2. Reseat the memory stick to another memory slot. Reseat video card as well.
3. Downclock the ram. Check to default setting if you video card is overclocked.
4. Clean the dust inside the computer case
5. Make sure that the ram is compatible to the motherboard
6. Check the bios setting about memory timing and make sure that it is on
For example : DIMM1 and DIMM2 do not have the same timing.
DIMM1: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.5-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz) (2.0-3-3-7 @ 166 MHz)
DIMM2: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (3.0-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz)
DIMM3: Corsair CMX512-3200C2 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (3.0-3-3-8 @ 200 MHz)
7. Make sure that your PSU have adequate power to drive all the hardware including USB devices
8. Run chkdsk /r at command prompt
9. Run 3D Mark to stress test your video ram

If it still crashes, diagnostic which memory stick is faulty
1. Take out one memory stick. If windows does not crash, the removed memory stick is faulty.
2. If you have only one memory stick, replace the ram

 

[gbhall]

worth checking disk structure

Sometimes (most often in Win98), this kind of 'sudden trip-up' symptom is caused by faults in the disk structures i.e. lost file fragments, cross-linked files etc.

It is worth opening a dos box and run 'chkdsk'. You can do this best in safe mode if you can get to it.

 

[vijaykarthik_n]

how to read hdmp

hey CPC2004,

how to read the .hdmp,.mdmp,manifest.txt and and appcompat.txt....

i badly need to know that to narrow down the crash happened at a customer site.