[so_hip_it_hurts]

I am honestly at the end of my rope!! This is the Last, and I mean LAST time I ever build a computer for anyone. I ran this system stable for almost two years, I sell it, a week later, it falls apart at the seams! It started a 1.2 gig T Bird with an ECS K7VZA mobo. I had a Dragon Orb fan on it. I took it off to put on my new system (which by the way cools like krap!) and it broke two of the clips on the motherboard that holds the fan on. I thought I had bought a hsf that was going to work, but it fell off the processor a week later frying the processor. I order a new motherboard (SoyoSY-K7ADA) and processor (1.3 gig Duron). When I start to assemble it today, I realize that I'm so stupid, I didn't realize that this mobo only took DDR, and all I had was a stick of SDRAM. So out to compusa i go today to take it again and buy some ram. Right after I see the windows xp logo (right before the logon screen) i get the BSOD (Blue screen of doom). So, I format and reinstall windows. Going pretty good till i run 3dmark 2001. BSOD again. I reformat and then try to reinstall. Another BSOD just popped up giving me this error:

STOP: c0000221 (Bad Image Checksum)
The image user32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header checksum does not match the corrupted checksum

Lemmie guess, i've got a bum mobo.....do i need to get the credit card out again? It's about as hot as my processor! Anyway, any advice in this topic? Any help would be GREATLY appriciated.

[skab]

Before you get out your checkbook maybe look at this on windows support site "http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326687" hope I got it alright. Could be your ram but they got something to try first to see if it's software. You peaked my couriosity because I always thought checksum errors were Bios related.

[mbentley]

well here is a list of issues talked about at the microsoft help and support site:
http://support.microsoft.com/search/...false&numDays=

sounds like it is fairly likely to be ram related...

[redduc900]

Both skab and mbentley provided you with excellent links to MSKB articles regarding the error you're receiving, so about the only thing I can add is this (the following is taken from "Windows XP Inside Out"):

"Stop OxC0000221 or STATUS_IMAGE_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH. File or disk corruption problems (including a damaged page file) and faulty hardware are the most common causes of this type of Stop error. The Stop message usually includes the name of the damaged file at the end....you might be able to restore the file from the Windows XP CD using Recovery Console. Restoring the Last Known Good Configuration might also help to resolve this problem."

[HeNry2kOoL]

Try reseating your ram at least once, and dl Memtest86 to test if your ram is creating any errors.

[mbentley]

you can also run prime95... that is how i figured out i had bad ram... try 1 stick at a time if you have 2... or borrow an extra from a friend to test...