BSOD on cold boots only

[Cnjpunk24]

I am very much a novice with respect to debugging computers, but hopefully someone can help me anyway. Here's my problem.

I have a custom built computer that is running Windows XP, SP3. However, it is worth noting that this problem began when I was running SP2. Here are some details about my computer:

Windows XP, SP3
AMD Athlon(tm) K7 chipset
Motherboard: Epox EP-8K7A
BIOS Name: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
BIOS Vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
SMBIOS Version 6.00 PG date 3/4/2002
Additional BIOS info: 4.34.20.69.00
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500
Graphics card Driver version: 6.14.11.7519

Now here is my problem. Nearly a year ago, my computer started crashing during a cold boot (I'd get a BSOD error). Then I would try to boot the computer up again, and it would boot into Windows, without a problem. Then if I rebooted my computer from Windows, it would reboot without a problem. In other words, I only experience this problem when I boot up the computer after it had been sitting for a while shut off (a cold boot).

Initially, the computer would only give me a BSOD once during a cold boot and on the second boot attempt, go right into Windows without a problem. Over time, it has increased to 6 or 7 boot attempts before it goes into Windows.

The BSOD has given me various error messages. Some of them are below:

1). PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA (the most common error message)
2). STOP: c000021a
3). STOP: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005, 0xF86BBDCE, 0xF8B6DAC8, 0xF8B6D7C4)
ACPI.SYS - Address F86BBDCE base at F86A7000, date stamp 480252b1
4). STOP: 0x0000008E (0xc0000005, 0x8056243B, 0xF5CBDBB8, 0x00000000)
5). MULTIPLE_IRP_COMPLETE_REQUESTS

Also, many times the BSOD error message mentioned one of my NVIDIA graphics drivers as the problem. Other times it implicated the ACPI.SYS driver as the cause of the problem.

Regardless though, once it gets into Windows and I logon, I have no problems and my computer runs very well for hours at a time, until I shut it down at night.

I have downloaded and run as many diagnostic tools as I could find on the Internet (registry cleaners, old driver removers, temporary file removers, spyware/malware removers, etc.) and nothing has helped. I used Driver Sweeper to remove all the old NVIDIA graphics drivers and then updated to the most up to date driver using Safe Mode with Networking. I had seen that in a post mentioned to someone else as a problem. It did not resolve the problem. I also replaced the ACPI.sys driver using my XP CD in recovery mode. That did not resolve the problem either.

I am at my wits end here. I really want to fix this computer, but I've tried everthing I can think of and nothing has worked.

I am looking for as much input as I can get, and I am open to the possibility that I either have to reformat the entire hard drive, or buy a new computer. It would just really be a great ego booster if I could find out what is wrong and fix it.

Thanks!

 

[nobardin]

Look in C:\Windows\Minidump and attach the latest minidumps to your next post in this thread. We will be more than happy to look them over for you and possibly resolve this issue.

 

[Cnjpunk24]

Okay! Here's my latest minidump file. At least I think it uploaded. I go t a error message the first time I tried to upload it, so if there is something wrong with it or you can't see it, please let me know. Also, if you'd like me to upload more minidumps, just let me know and I can do that.

I can also provide my last kernal dump file if you think that would be helpful. I looked at it, but I really have no idea what I'm looking for.

Thanks for you help!

 

[nobardin]

Minidump 110308-02
BUGCHECK_STR: 0x7f_8
Probably caused by : ntoskrnl.exe

Cause
Bug check 0x7F typically occurs after you install a faulty or mismatched hardware (especially memory) or if installed hardware fails.


First, Download memtest from www.memtest.org and let it run for a minimum of 7 passes. There are several tests performed per pass. There are two types of downloads you can get, a bootable CD (.iso) and a bootable floppy disk. I recommend the .iso version. If memtest finds faulty RAM or if it doesn't proceed to step 2

If you chose to go with the bootable CD (.iso) Version use your favorite cd burnig software to burn it to a disc. I usually use Alex Feinman's iso recorder which you can get here http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/v2.htm At the top of the page you will see "Release 2 of ISO Recorder V2 is ready. I added a missing feature - image creation, which would be welcomed by Virtual PC users. Added some stability features and some fixes. Here is the current 32 bit build."

After you install ISO Recorder, no program group is created and there is no application to run. ISO Recorder is a Shell extension, which means it provides additional options in a file right-click menu. To create a CD with ISO Recorder right-click on a file with .iso extension and select "open with then click ISO Recorder"

Step 2: I would suggest: If you have more than 1 stick of RAM in your computer, power down your computer and remove all but 1 stick of RAM then turn your computer on and see if it blue screens. If it does or if it doesn't, repeat the process until you have tested each stick of ram in this way.

Step 3: I would suggest updating the drivers for your motherboard/hardware and making sure they are installed properly. Open device manager by clicking start--->Run---> and type devmgmt.msc and press enter and make sure there aren't any yellow !'s or ?'s in there.

You stated that you had already ran all of the manufacturers' diagnostic programs for the hardware in your computer, but it never hurts to run it again

Please post back after doing the above stated and let us know if the issue was resolved or not. If not we will be more than happy to continue helping you diagnose this issue.

 

[b0rs]

I get the blue screen every 15 minutes, if I'm lucky. I bought another gig of ram yesterday out of the blue and yanked the old sticks. I'm currently formatting a new HDD I got to replace the old one, since I'm getting the SMART error. Tried installing xp on the new hd, blue screen, tried disconnecting old drive and reinstalling xp on the new hd, blue error, yanked the ram and am formatting with the slow option, its been aout 45 minutes and no blue error. could be your ram

 

[Cnjpunk24]

Ran Memtests and removed RAM chips one by one

I ran Memtest+ v2.01 for 8 passes and it did not detect any errors. I also ran WIndows Memory Diagnotic Test for 12 passes and it also detected no errors.

I removed one RAM chip and booted the computer up with the other. I got some of the same behavior I did before, although it took less boot attempts to get to the Windows logon screen. One new thing that did happen was that the computer froze up before it even got to the Windows start up screen and displayed the following message on a black screen:
"Updating ESCD...Success"

My computer has frozen before it gets to the Windows start up screen before, but it has been a while since it has done that until today. After replacing both memory chips, it froze at the PCI device listing table. The last item in the table is always the ACPI Controller. It always has an IRQ number, but no Bus number, no Device number, no Func number, no Vendor/Device number or Class number. One of the Blue Screen errors I've received before pointed to a problem with the ACPI.SYS driver, which I have already replaced once.

One final thing new thing happened today also. Before I attempted to remove the RAM chips, I needed to use my computer. So I booted up my computer on a cold boot and it froze up before it got to the Windows start up screen and displayed a message on a black screen that said that one of the drivers needed to be replaced and that I should insert the Windows disk and go into recover console. I forgot to write down the driver it mentioned, so I don't know which one it was. I rebooted the machine and it went to the logon screen after several boot attempts.

That about sums up the things I've done lately. I have also attached several more mini dumps that I have zipped up.

Any further thoughts, please let me know.

Thanks!