Random BSoDs || Win2k

[sit1way]

Hey all.

I purchased a ProStar 5604 laptop a little over 1 year ago (out of warranty now!).

Until 2 weeks ago, the system ran fine; I.e. no BSODs.

Now, I get random BSODs daily, despite reinstalling windows (full reformat) every 2-6 hours.

I've got the exact same software, drivers, etc. installed in the new win2k installation, so I think it's safe to assume that for once Windows is not the problem ;--)

I ran memtest86 & Windows Memory Diagnostic tools for @4 hours each -- no errors found.

I ran Maxtor harddrive test utility for @4 hours; I.e. through multiple test cycles -- no errors.

If Windows is fine; hard drive's fine; RAM is fine; then presumably it must be the motherboard?

Stop errors are usually of the 0xA (IRLQ_NOT_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL), 0x51 (REGISTRY_ERROR) flavors, although there have been at least 3 others as well.

I've got a couple of Dumps for the Stack Trace gurus out there (see attached)

Have been just frying my eyes trying to pin down what the source of the problem is -- uggghhhhhh...

Any ideas?

Thanks!

--Noah

 

[cpc2004]

Hi,

The culprit is memory as I find memory corruption at your debug report.

Suggestion
1. Check the temperature of the CPU and make sure that it is not overheat (ie temperature < 60C)
2. Reseat the memory stick to another memory slot
3. Maybe the paging space is corrupt. Re-allocate paging space.
4. Downclock the ram
5 Clean the dust inside the computer case
6 Make sure that the ram is compatible to the motherboard
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


BugCheck 50, {d3fabb1e, 0, 804f7265, 0}
Probably caused by : memory_corruption

1273 errors : !nt (804f716a-804f7673)
MODULE_NAME: memory_corruption
IMAGE_NAME: memory_corruption
FOLLOWUP_NAME: memory_corruption
DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0
MEMORY_CORRUPTOR: LARGE
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: MEMORY_CORRUPTION_LARGE
BUCKET_ID: MEMORY_CORRUPTION_LARGE

 

[sit1way]

Hi cpc2004.

Re: your suggestions for addressing possible memory corruption,

1) The cpu is not overheating (BSoD can occur cold from startup)

2) I've reseated both memory sticks (i.e. took one out; ran the machine on one stick; took that one out & put the other one in [result: continued BSoDs]).

3) "Maybe the paging space is corrupt. Re-allocate paging space.", I'm not sure how do this, but will look into this one...

4) Clean the dust inside the computer case -- did that already

5) Make sure that the ram is compatible to the motherboard -- the machine ran for over a year without problem, so it's likely compatible...

It seems highly unlikely that both sticks of ram would go bad simultaneously, so I can only assume that it's another problem -- perhaps the harddrive, the motherboard, cpu, etc.

I'm not sure where to go from here -- the laptop manufacturer will work on it for the low, low price of $90/hr + minimum $250 shipping (ouch!)

Be nice to track down the actual problem; then I could perhaps replace the faulty hardware...

Any further clues much appreciated...

--Noah

 

[cpc2004]

Check system event 1001/1003 and do you find bugcheck 77 or 7A? If yes, it is bad paging space.

 

[sit1way]

Nope, no 0X77 or 0X7A bugchecks.

bugchecks are:
0X7f, 0X51, 0XA, 0X50, 0X1e, 0X24, & 0Xd1.

Of note: today windows just froze completely; i.e. no keyboard or mouse functionality -- that's happened 2 or 3 times since the BSoDs began 3 weeks ago.

I was able to get around the BSoDs for a few days by restarting my machine every 4 hours or less, but that "solution" isn't reliable -- today I've had 4 BSoDs. Maybe it's the rainy weather?

I can post more dumps if needed.

Thanks!

--Noah

 

[cpc2004]

All of the bugcheck codes are related to memory problem. You should try downclock the ram or cpu.

 

[sit1way]

OK, I downclocked the CPU using a freeware app called "speed fan."

Yesterday I noticed that the CPU was running at 58 degrees, significantly hotter than the 47 degrees it usually runs at. This temperature began quickly after startup with no applications open -- strange.

Also, in my most recent bugcheck, I noticed that my LinkSys wireless management app showed up:

"Page 4a192 too large to be in the dump file.
*** WARNING: Unable to verify checksum for WPC11Cfg.exe
Probably caused by : memory_corruption ( nt!MiMakeSystemAddressValidPfn+2a )"

Don't know if that means anything, but the "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA" bugcheck has not shown up in awhile; i.e. since BSoDs began a few weeks ago (perhaps downclocking will show more accurate [less random] bugchecks?)

Still lost....

 

[sit1way]

At this point I can see a running trend between system instability and cpu temperature.

Generally my cpu runs at around 47 degrees celcius on startup and continues at this temperature for about 3 or 4 hours; anytime after 4 hours the cpu temp jumps up to 53 or 54 degrees even if I close out all running applications.

It will run for @ another 2 hours at this higher temp.; then, applications start generating errors (e.g. "firefox.exe has generated errors and will be closed by windows").

Downclocking the CPU seems to have helped in terms of BSoDs, but the machine is still screwed, really. Once running apps start generating errors, it might as well be a BSoD as I can't work [I'm not a gamer, BTW].

In fact, after my apps. started failing, one after another, I attempted to restart and got a "the disk c: is corrupt and unreadable. Please run the check disk utility".

Still a mystery as to what's going on -- arrrrghhhh ;(

 

[sit1way]

Alright, looks like I found the problem.

After removing my wireless card, and plugging in with an ethernet cable, my system is again stable.

I'd much prefer to be wireless, but I've got to get some work done and can't deal with the BSoDs.

Must be the pcmcia slot in my laptop, the wireless card, or my wireless router that's causing the problem...

 

[Tedster]

possibility they're requesting the same IRQ. reinstall and let windows automatically install the card for you.
if it still crashes, your card is faulty.