Random crash on fresh XP install

C

catcher

Posts: 49   +0
Fresh install of windows XP
Blue screen a minute after restart, also a couple crashes during gaming

All has worked fine before

Attached minidump file, thanks.
 

Attachments

  • Mini060411-01.dmp
    96 KB · Views: 4
You either have faulty memory or a failing hard drive. First thing to do is back up all your important data, then follow this guide to test the hard drive.

Identify the make of your hard drive and then use one of the links below to get the manufacturers diagnostic for ISO CD. Burn the image file to a CD, boot the PC with the disc in the drive and run the diagnostics. You first need to set the CD drive to 1st in the boot order in the Bios setup.

If you do not have an image burner use this free software to make the CD.

http://www.isoimageburner.com/



ExcelStor: http://www.excelstor.com/eng/support.php?sub_id=3

Hitachi/IBM: http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/

Samsung: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/support/downloads/support_in_es.html

Seagate, Maxtor & Quantum:http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads

Western Digital:http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?lang=en

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Toshiba Fujitsu: http://sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=SoftwareUtilities#diagnostic

Please provide the model number of your drive if it is Toshiba Fujitsu for further instructions, this does not run on Windows 7. I would suggest the use of the diagnostics from the Seagate link as this will work on all makes of drive and on any OS.
Click to expand...
 
I have Western Digital hard drives so I downloaded Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows (or is it important I get it on a boot CD?)

I wont use the windows application as I might get a blue screen during the long test.

I tried to boot from the cd but it gave me a message about it can't find a license agreement

perhaps I downloaded the wrong file?

I have WD5000AAKS Hard drives (SE16), I chose that in the link.
After that I clicked on "Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (CD)" and downloaded the .iso file which I couldn't successfully boot from.
http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=606&lang=en

Help me on this one please
 
I have always recommended running from a boot disc as the drive can be tested even if the PC will not boot and the software can do its work without anything interferring. As your system can still boot, testing from within windows will be fine.
 
Well for now I managed to run the windows application and all 3 hard drives passed Quick Test
There is extended test which takes a few hours and I am afraid I will get a random blue screen during the test. And I can't find the ISO CD version.
 
I answered your post 3 before you edited it. Please don't edit previous posts as this causes confusion and I only receive notification when you make a new post.

I must ask how you burned the ISO image, did you follow my instructions on what to use in post 2. You cannot simply burn the file to disc you have to use image burning software.

Concentrate your test on the drive with the OS, you didn't mention you had three drives.
 
I burned the image using the program Prassi Ones and chose 'Record Generic Image' then chose the .iso file
 
I can't advise on that software, it's not one I have ever heard of before. Try the free iso burning software in the guide I gave. It only does ISO image files so you cannot go wrong with it.

If the disc is bruned correctly and you have set the CD drive to 1st in the boot order it will work.
 
I did not encounter a blue screen for the last 2 days
All 3 hard drives passed extended test (tested via windows)
Does this mean the problem (if still exists) is not hardware related, or at least not hard drive related?

Thanks.
 
All that means (with about a 90% certainty) that your hard drives are not to blame for the BSOD's, at least not from a physical point of view. There may be some corruption that caused the error as the crash dump does relate to a possible NTFS file system error. Crash dumps can often be misleading though especially when there is only one to look at. The same fault (whatever it may be) could cause another BSOD that will give different details.

In my first post I stated that this was most likely to be your hard drive or your RAM as memory corruption was also pointed at in the crash dump.

I would suspect that further BSOD's will occur so please send in any future crash dumps as they happen.

Meanwhile you could run these tests.

Disk Check

1. Press Start > type cmd in the search box and enter. At that c: prompt, type chkdsk /r exactly as written here with the gap before the slash, then hit Enter.

2.You will then see a message "Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)"
Type Y for yes, and press enter. Then reboot the computer into normal mode. Chkdsk will start when Windows begins loading again. Let all 5 phases run and don't use or turn off the computer. It may appear to freeze at times, let it finish.(The chkdsk process may take an hour or more to complete.)

3.Chkdsk finds any corrupted files that are causing the problem and fixes them. Read the results of each phase as it finishes. During the final phase, it will notify you if it finds any corrupted files. It also checks for bad blocks on the drive surface.
4.When the Check Disk is done, it will finish loading Windows.
Click to expand...

System File Checker

Click on the Start button and type sfc /scannow (include the gap) in the search box and hit Enter. The process may take a long time depending on the size of the drive, watch for the results.
Click to expand...

Memtest

http://www.memtest.org/

You need to scroll down the page until you see the three blue screenshots. Just below is the list of downloads for Memtest86+ V4.20. Click on Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)and save to your desktop, When the download is complete right click the file and select Extract Here and burn the image to a CD. In windows 7 right click the extracted file, select Open With, then select Windows Disc Image Burning Tool then follow the prompts. For all other versions of windows (if you do not have an ISO burner) download this free software. http://www.isoimageburner.com/

Boot the PC into the Bios setup and set the CD/DVD drive to 1st in the boot sequence. Insert the disk in the drive then reboot and the disc will load into dos. Leave the test to run through at least 8 cycles.

The memtest will not be 100% accurate but should easily detect any major faults.
Click to expand...
 
I will do these tests
meanwhile, another blue screen has happened
 

Attachments

  • Mini060811-01.dmp
    96 KB · Views: 1
This BSOD doen't confirm the problem but adds to the evidence that this is a hardware problem as it specifically states "hardware". Continue the tests, but I have a hunch this going to be your memory, backed up by the first minidump. Try the Memtest first, it may save some time.

Just for the record the first one was code 24 this last one was 8E.
 
I ran memtest and got one error in cycle 15
I assume that confirms it?

I just need to figure out which of the 3 memory sticks is giving the error
 
Yes, you have a bad stick.

Run the test on just one stick at a time and you will find it.
 
Thanks for the help :)
I hope this is indeed the only reason for the blue screen

Also, is this normal for a bad stick to cause the windows date/time reset to 2001? (after computer was off and I turned it on)
 
The date change is normally due to a flat CMOS battery which should be replaced.

PC's can have more than one problem at a time but you cannot be sure until your have found the faulty stick and removed it.
 
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