Machine Exception Error

The cpu fan will come on.

Okay wow that was interesting.

I didn't do what you told me on the previous message, i will do that right after i finish writing this message.

The PC restarted, on safe mode. No BSOD, no nothing, just blank screen and restart. Hope it helps with the diagnostic.

Was the PC already running when it did this?

It had been running on safe mode for a few hours. Then i wrote this message;

Right after that, blank screen and restart, on safe mode.

I unplugged everything as you told me, and the PC has been running without any restarts for the last 2 hours. I'm on my friend's computer right now.

Two questions: What has been the average time between restarts? At this very moment the only thing running is your power supply and CPU with RAM installed; everything else is uninstalled, correct?

Correct, only RAM, CPU and PSU are connected.

There is no "average time", it can be 2 hours or 2 minutes.

New test results!

I've been running the PC non-stop for hours with only CPU, PSU and RAMs installed and got no restarts. After 3-4 hours, i decided i've tested enough (Because it never got longer than 2-2.5 hours for the PC to restart) so i plugged Hard Drive. Just after 5 minutes the PC restarted. 2-3 minutes later, it restarted again. After the 5th restart, i shut down the PC.

Now i believe this test clearly shows us that there is something wrong with the Hard Drive. What bothers me is that i already tested the Hard Drive with SeaTools software earlier and it passed. To be exactly sure, i'll install my housemate's Hard Drive on my computer, as well as using mine on his. I'll have to wait until night for that test though, so i'm open to suggestions.

Good diagnostic work. Sorry I didn't receive your previous message but I went to bed! My next instruction was for you to connect one piece of hardware at a time, reboot, and if no restarts occured then shut down and add another piece.

The problem may not be the harddrive itself but either the cable or where you connect the cable to the motherboard. If you have another cable for your harddrive switch them out.

Also, it might be your power connector isn't working properly. If your psu has another of the exact same kind connect that one.

NO ITS NOT THE CABLE ITS NOT THE CPU NOR THE DVD NOR THE GRAPHIC CARD

I HAVE A SAME PROBLEM I READ ABOUT IT in OTHER FORUMS ITS THE HDD

trusts me you can hang all of these check disk programs on your di'' they arnt worth a dime

i wrote a whole novel what exactly happened to me but my laptop restarted the same your pc does so i dont have the nerves to explain again

i ordered a new hdd and its coming soon ...you can use your warranty ant ask for a new one it will solve your problems i assure you

to bad that i haven't read this before i could have spared you the trouble of doing all of that annoying stuff

sorry for my bad english

Uh, excuse me, but with this error it can be any piece of hardware. if you bothered to read the 0x9C definition you would see that diagnostics rarely leads to a clear solution. Thus the tried and true standard steps including connecting one piece of hardware at a time.

I have seen the cause due to cpu, overclocking, cables, NIC cards, CD/DVD drives, motherboad and, yes, harddrives.

He did a harddrive diagnostic already and it came back with no errors. This doesn't mean that the harddrive isn't the issue but it behooves the OP to check the cable with the possiblity that the mobo connection may be the issue itself.

Hello again =)

After figuring out that the error occurs when the hard drive is connected, i decided it could be three things, the hard drive itself, the psu-hard drive cable or the motherboard-hard drive cable.

I had already tested my Hard Drive with SeaTools, so i was pretty convinced that the problem was elsewhere. Still, i wanted to be absolutely sure so i don't have to start from square one, so what i did was uninstalling my hard drive and installing it to my friend's case. I just removed my friend's hard drive and replaced it with my own, no other parts were removed/changed. I started the computer, opened a .jpg file and left it open for 5 hours (I had a class today) and when i got back, it was still on, no restarts. So i believe with that i can be %100 sure that the problem is NOT with the Hard Drive.

Since i already tried a different PSU before, i thought it might be the Motherboard-Hard Drive cable. So i installed my hard drive back to my own case, borrowed my friend's Motherboard-Hard Drive cable and started the computer. It restarted again.

So it's not the Hard Drive, it's not the Motherboard- Hard Drive cable and it's probably not the PSU (to be %100 sure, i'll try to get a third PSU to test) The only thing i can think of right now is motherboard, but unfortunately i have no idea how to test it.

What do you think about the situation Route44?

I would appreciate it if you could link me that forum.

First, kudos to you. You are doing excellent work on your own. Good stuff. :grinthumb

Do you huave another motherboard connection for your harddrive? If so try that. Perhaps you could borrow your friend's harddrive and connect it to what is appearing to be your problem slot. If you can do this, what happens?

EDIT: I looked up your mother board and harddrive. The HD is SATA and your mobo has 5 Sata slots. So you have 4 others to choose from. Do you know how to access your BIOS?

Thanks Route44, i really appreciate that =)

I thought about installing my friend's hard drive to my motherboard early this morning but i was in a hurry so i completely forgot about that. My classes started this week and it's really exhausting. (9 am-4 pm) I'm really tired right now so i guess that'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Also i'm a little worried about that test, if it's indeed the motherboard, i'll probably have to wait a long time to get the new one from warranty (Things work REALLY slow in here) IF i get a new one that is. On the other hand if it's not the motherboard, we will probably get back to start.

I know how to access my BIOS, yes.

But my knowledge about BIOS is no more than this fine lady's;

Well, we know that your reboots only occured when you attached your harddrive. We have that important information.

So do the following as well. Don't attach the harddrive but go ahead and attach your video card. If it doesn't restart then shut the system down again (leave any hardware that doesn't cause the restarts in) and attach your DVD/CD drive. Keep doing this until all your peripherals are attached including your monitor, mouse, and keyboard.

Also, keep in mind, your motherboard has four more SATA slots to choose from. It may only be this one that is the problem.

Do you know what BIOS you have, i.e. something like Phoenix Award, etc.? If I can find your manual online I can help you walk through finding the SATA so that it is recognized.

First of all, sorry about the picture, didn't mean to offend anyone.

Second, the same test backwards eh? Sounds like a plan. I think i can do that much today.

I've already tested one of the other slots, so 2 slots out of 5 causes restarts. Didn't bother to test the other 3, but i'll do that as well.

I will let you know about the results asap.

Edit : About the BIOS question, unfortunately no. I don't even know the most basic stuff about BIOS. I think i can follow a walkthrough though, if it won't be a problem for you.

Edit 2 : Should i start testing or wait for your BIOS walkthrough?

dude check disk are at least in my case worthless the hdd i had was hitachi 80gb and it was rattling like hell i could basically hear it being broke and the check disk sad its ok a this moment im using a borrowed 100gb toshiba hdd

take another hdd and put it in your own pc ... and install windows


the reason that other hardware seams to be malfunctioning is because drivers installed on your hdd tend to disappear or part of them or similar its just annoying

i'll try to find that forum ... thou the subject is locked the guy changed the hdd and solved his problem as i can remember

I know that route 44 is a bit insulted for my straightforward answer, he is just complicating things

im totally convinced in my theory

No, you misread. The issue isn't that you added your experience (its always welcomed), the issue is you don't understand 0x9C errors unless of course you want to throw out IT definitions of the said problem. I have read of ITs who find this error and the Vista version of this error 0x124 very difficult to pin down. Your resolve worked for you but that doesn't mean it is the answer for Joscelin. Trust me, if it could be short and sweet so much the better.

As I pointed out, you didn't read anything previously because if you did you would have noticed the following that the OP had written. Here it is:

I had already tested my Hard Drive with SeaTools, so i was pretty convinced that the problem was elsewhere. Still, i wanted to be absolutely sure so i don't have to start from square one, so what i did was uninstalling my hard drive and installing it to my friend's case. I just removed my friend's hard drive and replaced it with my own, no other parts were removed/changed. I started the computer, opened a .jpg file and left it open for 5 hours (I had a class today) and when i got back, it was still on, no restarts. So i believe with that i can be %100 sure that the problem is NOT with the Hard Drive.

However, he is experiencing issues connecting to his motherboard because 2 of his SATA slots are causing the same issue and yet in his friend's computer 5 hours straight running and no restarts.

@Joscelin, I have to leave for a few hours and I'll search for your manual. Meanwhile go ahead and connect your other hardware. Is this long and sometimes tedious, yes, but you'll gain a load of know-how in the process.