My turn to post a problem!! Woohoo!...er... (1 Viewer)

[Camp]

I know this isn't a tech support forum but you guys have been so helpful to others that I thought I'd give it a shot:

My machine has been running great. I booted up on Friday and got a BSOD that listed one file in it's incoherent error babble: ACPI.sys

Isn't ACPI the power management/IRQ controller within Windows XP? What could have caused an issue with that? I can only assume my hardware is all ACPI compliant as it's all fairly new stuff (and it's worked in tandem before).

I can't get past the blue screen. Any ideas what to do? My bios won't allow me to disable ACPI and it's my understanding that's a bad thing to do. Besides, the last thing I want to do is manage IRQs manually.

Could I have a bad (or dying) piece of hardware? I've long been weary of my IBM 75GXP drive (where the OS is) as they had some quality control issues. However, I can't figure out how that would effect ACPI at start-up.

Here's a summary of the stuff in my box:

1.4GHz Tbird

Abit KR7A KT266A

512MB Cruical PC2100

Elsa Gladiac Geforce 3

40GB IBM 60GXP

30GB IBM 75GXP

TDK VeloCD

Pioneer Slot DVD

Hercules GameTheater XP

Viewsonic 19" PF790

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1

Win2K Pro

Lian-Li PC-60+USB Case

Swiftech MCXC462

 

[Masood Ali]

Your first step is to reproduce the blue screen and copy down the error code. Then, go to microsoft.com type in the error code into the search box.

 

[Camp]

Really? The whole error code? Cool...I thought that was rather mean just leaving me hanging with a bunch of code.

 

[Camp]

Well. Good suggestion but it didn't help. Nothing exact came up and the two that did come up were well beyond my capacity.

 

[Masood Ali]

What was the code? Its usually pretty short, no more than one line.

 

[Camp]

No...it's like 3 lines long (something like 100 characters).

 

[Camp]

Ok...here's the whole thing:

Stop: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005, 0xF84F4452, 0xF894CED8, 0xF894CBD8)

ACPI.SYS - Address F84F4452 base at F84E900, datestamp 3b7d8550

I tried searching the knowledgebase for the whole thing and for specific parts of it. The bottom part got some info about IRQs but nothing really that helpful.

 

[Rob FM]

Well, can't offer too much help other than here's a list of all the STOP codes and what they're generally saying:
STOP
Try doing a "Google" search, and see what pops up.
HERE's what another guy said about his exact same problem.....maybe the ram is set at the wrong speed?
Anyways, check 'em out and post again when you figure it out and let us know what it was
Thanks, and good luck
~Rob

 

[Richard_s]

Since you are using win2k pro do this:

1) put in the CD and when prompted to do so hit enter and let the system boot of the CD.

2) Run the Repair system option this will fix missing or currupted system files. 9 out of 10 times the BSOD's will go away.

 

[AndyVX]

I'll have to agree with Richard here. If doing the repair option from the OS CD doesn't work, try replacing the RAM if you can. Is it one stick or two? If two, try just using one, then swap for the other one if the error still comes up.

While the 75GXP's are known to fail (I would get a new HDD asap) that's not the type of error that will normally happen from it crapping out.

 

[Richard_s]

If it is a memory problem also very possible as AndyVX has said I would recommend the following:
Memtest86
Download the precompiled V2.9 installable from windows and dos this will automatically make a bootable disk for you to use
Use this test. It runs from a Floppy and uses an old Linux cornel. This program has never failed me. If it shows a stick of RAM to fail RMA that memory. This test also tests the L1 and L2 cache which are rarely the problem but if all of your sticks of ram fail then it could be the Cache memory of your CPU.

 

[Camp]

Thanks a ton for all the responses. You guys are great.

I tried the "repair" option but the system crashes prior to getting to the point where I can press "r" to initiate the repair.

BTW, I'm actually running WinXP Home. I pasted my system info from an older file. Everything else is up to date.

It is 2 256MB sticks of Crucial RAM. I will try booting with a single stick as that sounds very possible. However, can RAM just suddenly fail? This same RAM has been fine in the past.

I'll try the RAM testing software too. That sounds interesting at the very least.

I'll try all this tonight...wish me luck!

 

[Richard_s]

YES ram does fail usually it manifests itself by file corruption or random lock-up's. I have a dual processor AMD 1.4 ghz t'bird system with 1 gig (4 sticks of crucial PC2100 256meg) and after 4 months of top performance my system kept corrupting my operating system and I could not recover it either. BSOD city. I would check the hard drive and it was fine. I would wipe the system clean and reinstall and the system was fine and would again in short order start locking up and then fail. I used memtest86 to isolate to a bad stick of ram and crucial replaced it. The system has been humming again for months.
I would try the drive test for your IBM drives. I have one and it has been working great but many people have had pro=blems with the 60&75 GXP models.
IBM drive fitnesss test
Another place to get help is www.amdzone.com
I would concider dumping the winXP and go back to win2k pro (just my 2 cents on that topic)
Good news Crucial is one of the best companies to deal with if you do have to RMA the ram. If you give them a charge card number you will probably get the replacement within 24hs I got mine in 18hrs.

 

[Camp]

OK...MemTest86 found something like 14,000 errors in my memory. I guess that's not a good thing, huh?
I then tried booting with individual sticks or RAM. The first stick wouldn't even POST. The second stick got through the POST fine but I still couldn't get into Windows.
I finally decided to reformat the HD and do yet another clean install of windows. A move out of frustration perhaps but I hope it works.
You think Crucial would replace my RAM after 6 months?

 

[Camp]

Update: Installation of WinXp with one 256MB DIMM went perfectly. I'm now up and running. Guess I'll plop down $90 for another 256MB if Crucial won't replace the RAM.

Damn...when I purchased the RAM is was around $35 per stick!

 

[Richard_s]

Not to worry Crucial memory carries a lifetime warranty no matter where purchased ( I am almost positive on this call them). Go to www.crucial.com
Link to warranty
Did you run memtest86 on each of your sticks separately. Make sure you put the single stick in the DIMM 1 slot. It sounds like one of them is bad see if one passes and the other does not. Crucial is familiar with memtest86. If you tell them that one stick passes and the other fails they will RMA it no problem.
Customer Support for crucial
My guess is one stick is bad and that "hosed" your operating system. I am sure one of the stick probably the one that posts will pass the memtest86 (only need to run the first few tests to know). If one passes, RMA the other one and you will get it like I said in less than a day. Doing a clean install with a good stick and you should be OK. When you get trhe repalcement just put it in. Run memtest again to see if it passes. Some motherboards need one stick in DIMM1 and 1 stick in DIMM 3 when you only have two. Other boards need them in DIMM1 and DIMM2 its a crap shoot but memtest will tell you for sure.
BTW that is one nice system you got there. I was lucky I bought 1 gig when it was $34 each

 

[Camp]

"hosed"

Is that the technical term?
Thanks a ton for your help, Richard.
I still can't get Tribes2 to install under WinXP but that's why I've got a Win2k machine too .
Guess I'll go play some Medal of Honor now.

 

[Richard_s]

Glad I could help.
"hosed" is a very technical term There are many othe terms that mean the same thing but not appropriate to use on the forum...
As for tribes2 maybe this link will help I don't us XP or tribes but this is a good link:
Link Removed
Get that bad memory replaced! Enjoy.
At least I can help some here when it comes to computers but as far as Hometheater goes I am still learning so I ask alot of questions and get quality answer4s but I can't help others yet.