Firmware problem

[tommy2k8]

Ever since I installed SP1, I get the message 'some processor performance power management features have been disabled due to a known firmware problem. Check with the computer manufacturer for updated firmware. What should I do about this? Should I worry about it?

 

[CCT]

Unless you experience shut-downs or other adverse operation, ignore it.

Apparently SP1 doesn't interact well with the ACPI management on some motherboards and, unless there is a bios update for that board dealing with the ACPI issue, there is nothing to do (I read it deals with the Sleep and Hibernate features).

 

[tommy2k8]

I updated the BIOS last week, so it appears it didn't fix it!

It even appears when SP1 isn't installed, and now my client reports another BSOD 'kernel_datapage_input_error' - I've never seen that one before, and Windows didn't create a dump file!

 

[CCT]

Please refer to this post; it may well be a hardware issue.

https://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windows/t-4186-Need-help-WinXP-wont-bo

edit: and this may have some relevance;

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315266

 

[tommy2k8]

I have got my client a new motherboard, as everything else has been eliminated

Still got the same errors, although there's a slight modification to the Kernel error message that I got:

Performance power management features on processor0 are disabled due to a known firmware problem (16/1/09 12:03:37)

and at exactly the same time I got the same error message, but this time it was processor1!

Anyway, the only thing that didn't work after the new motherboard was installed, was the internet. I resolved that by uninstalling and installing ZoneAlarm. Then I installed the drivers from the motherboard CD.

The BSOD appeared this morning, IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. Immediately after, I performed a TuffTest. I did all the Certification Tests, the only thing that failed was the Fixed Disk, with an error code of F100; however, I did a full Surface Analysis, which produced no errors! This test brings up these results more than once!

 

[CCT]

Did you try a cpu replacement?

 

[tommy2k8]

Not yet

Not yet.

One question - why would TuffTest come up with Math Coprocessor Passed if the CPU was flaky?

(This may seem a strange question!)

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Is this XP or Vista? This is a reported issue on Vista and there are no known workarounds, especially if you have an older chipset like the nForce2, whose drivers have not been updated for Vista.

 

[CCT]

I haven't a clue except that perhaps that is only part of what a cpu is composed of and showing Good by itself isn't indicative of a Good cpu.

 

[tommy2k8]

It is Windows Vista SP1, with an the most recent Intel chipset

A new motherboard was fitted, and it's done the trick - no more problems