Windows XP Home has various regular BSODs

[numcrun]

It just started happening, no hardware or software has been installed. They mostly seem to be fundamental Microsoft system files causing the crashes. Once or twice the fault was caused by the Ethernet controller, so I updated to the latest drivers for it. I swapped out the RAM, the graphics card and the PSU to no avail.

It is a business PC mostly used for email, browsing and Microsoft Office. It has MSE which shows no viruses. The Windows firewall is enabled. I have attached the text file showing the dump info from BlueScreenView.

 

[Route44]

We would like to be able to read those files so please do the following...

How to find and post your Minidump Files:

My Computer > C Drive > Windows Folder > Minidump Folder > Minidump Files.

It is these files that we need (not the folder). Attach to your next post the five most recent dumps. Notice the Manage Attachments button at the bottom when you go to post the next time. You can Zip up to five files per Zip; if you only have one or two you don’t need to zip them, just attach as is. Please do us a favor and don’t Zip each one individually.

 

[numcrun]

I don't understand why you need the minidmp files. My attached file has all the information about the crashes taken from BlueScreenView, which reads the minidmp files.

 

[Route44]

Because BlueScreenView does not supply the information of Probable Cause which the Windows Debugging Tool does in many cases.

All that was given in BSV were the error codes but now to as why these codes were cited, i.e., faulty drivers, corrupted memory or other hardware issues, etc.

What BSV cites are Windows OS drivers and with afew exceptions Windows OS drivers are usually too general for a specific cause. They more point out that there is a problem than citing what the cause of the problem is.

 

[numcrun]

Thnaks for your reply. Sorry I thought you might have missed the attachment or not read it properly. I have attached the most recent 5 dump files.

The PC is blue screening soon after booting now. A few days ago it was only freezing overnight. It even takes a few attempts to get into safe mode now. I cannot get into safe mode with networking. I tried a system restore from a 7 day old restore point, before the problems. But I was told that there were no system changes in that time. So that seems to rule out a software problem.

Safe mode seems to work OK, so I would say that rules out a faulty motherboard. I have swapped out all the peripherals. I can only do a limited check on the SSD in safe mode, but the quick test and half the slow test were OK. So I am pretty sure it is not a hardware or software fault lol.

 

[numcrun]

I have been on the phone and spoken to the repair place, and he mentioned it could be the electrolytic capacitors on the motherboard. I looked and noticed one whose lid is no longer flat. So it looks like this could be the problem, and I am going to get an upgraded motherboard. Thanks for your help, Route44.

Regards
Matt

 

[Route44]

Hey Matt, thanks much for the reply. Yeah, if the capacitor head is bulging then that indeed is a major problem.

Nice fine because that saves you all kinds of time and headaches. What is the make and motherboard you are replacing and what are you upgrading too?

 

[numcrun]

The defective motherboard is an Asus P4P800SE. I'm not sure what the repair guy is going to replace it with. He did say it would be dual core and socket 775 I think. Also he said it will not have any electrolytic capacitors. He said he gets 3 or 4 cases like mine every week; many of these old boards are failing about now.

 

[Route44]

That will certainly be an upgrade to your current motherboard but keep in mind the 775 though "newer" than your 478 (your Asus P4P800SE) it is not new. In fact the 775 has been followed by the 1366, the 1156, the 1155 (yes, Intel's 1155 is newer than the 1156) and the newest 2011.

I tell you this so they don't overcharge you for older hardware.

 

[numcrun]

Thanks very much for that info which I did not know. He quoted about $250 for mobo plus chip, and labour about $130 on barter to upgrade.

 

[Route44]

Will these be new or used parts?

What do you use your PC for?

 

[numcrun]

I don't know if they will be new. The PC is mostly used for internet and MS Office so I don't need a hi-spec PC.