BSOD Help

[RIPSTER]

Ive recently been having BSOD's, it started out as randomn system restarts but I then remembered the option under system in control panel to disable automatic restart and I have recorded the previous two BSOD's info.

The first -

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Techical Info -

***Stop: 0x0000000A, 0x00520054, 0x000000002, 0x00000000, 0x8051D50C

Second -

PFN_LIST_CORRUPT

***Stop: 0x0000004E, 0x00000099, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000

I'm wondering whether anything can be deciphered from the information given, these two BSOD's happened just as I was quitting Halo, the second was after I manually quit it and the first after it quit with an error and said "gathering exception data", the BSOD's that I was not able to record before I disabled automatic restart happened while doing different things, web browsing, Microsoft word. I have recently bought a newer graphics card "PNY Geforce FX5700LE", but the BSOD's also occurred before I installed this card.

Several times when starting windows I have had an exclamation mark in the system tray that has had a balloon notification specifying that a file has been corrupted and to run CHKDSK, the one file I remember that was corrupt was a font file.

I don't know if these two problems are linked but I though I should include as many symptoms as possible.

The setup I'm using -

MSI K7T266 Pro2-A

AMD Athlon XP-M 2000+ (unsure whether it is mobile, CPU-Z reports it as a mobile but other factors say otherwise)

PNY Geforce FX5700 LE

CaseBuy 350W PSU

768MB DDR-RAM (mix between Samsung and Hynix PC2100/PC2300, not sure about the stability of these chips still have to run Memtest 86 to verify)

Basic Intel Network Card

Sound Blaster Live 5.1

1x40GB Maxtor HD (files)
1xSeagate 30GB HD (OS)
NEC 3550A DVD-RW

1 Front 80mm Fan intake
1 Rear 80mm Fan exhaust
HD Bay modded with 60mm fan blowing air towards rear exhaust


hope all this info helps, just making sure I was thorough with the information provided

thanks in advance

RIPSTER

 

[Peepaw]

Edit I was tthinking of something else.

Maybe memory related.

 

[RIPSTER]

is there any guaranteed way to determine what the cause is, it happened again like 10 minutes before this message was posted and an important document was lost, It could be RAM, PSU, Hard Drives, GFX Card, they're the main culprits either because they're new parts to the system or because theyre cheap/previously had problems with.

 

[Peepaw]

I would probably try memtest first.

Idid a search yesterday onIRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and came up with memory, psu, kernel, cpu, etc. Seems it could be just about anything.

 

[RIPSTER]

I had another BSOD after the one I just posted about, the technical info was different so It took it down

Technical info -

***STOP: 0x0000008E (0xc0000005, 0xBF819895, 0xB8849628,0x00000000)

***Win32k.sys - Address BF819895 base at BF800000, datestamp 45F013F6

it seems that it is specifying a file, does this narrow down the problematic hardware.

I'll run memtest, one quick question, should I run memtest on each module individually e.g. only have one module installed when running, or can I just leave all three of the Hynix/Samsung chips that are different rated speeds in and run memtest.

I'm also going to run HD Diagnostic programs on the HD's

BTW can someone tell me how I can test the rails on my PSU other than the voltages shown in BIOS, I have a multimeter but have never tested a PSU's rails, is it as simple as using a molex connector and testing red for 5v and yellow for 12v, what about 3.3v, on the PSU sticker it has 6 voltage "titles" -

+5V
+3.3V
+12V - 1
+12v - 2
-12V
+5Vsb

I'm assuming it has two rails for the 12v line, how can I test both of these?

thanks in advance

RIPSTER

 

[Peepaw]

I usually run memtest with all modules installed first, then if I get errors I start the process of elimination (one module at a time).
Yes you can check your rails voltage anywhere there a connector.

 

[Peepaw]

Ripster according to thishttp://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=291806
that pfn list corrupt message could be mem related.

 

[RIPSTER]

How do I check 3.3v?

and was I right -

RED - 5v
Yellow - 12v

 

[Peepaw]

How do I check 3.3v?

and was I right -

RED - 5v
Yellow - 12v

Correct and 3.3 is orange.
If your mobo has a 24 pin conn, you will find 3.3(orange) at both ends of it.

 

[RIPSTER]

so 3.3v is only used on a 24pin connector?

 

[Peepaw]

so 3.3v is only used on a 24pin connector?

It's also used on sata connectors, and the old style six pin auxillary connector.

Been doing some searching on your errors, most seem to point to ram.
There was one about ATI drivers but your not running Ati.

Edit: It's used on 20 or 24 pin.

 

[RIPSTER]

so all computers will use 3.3v doesn't matter whether its P4 or AMD or whatever else, how can I test the 3.3v, if I have to test one of the orange wires on the 20 pin connector then that means it has to be unplugged therefore the PSU wont turn on, will I have to short those two pins to allow the PSU to run and then test it?

thanks

 

[Peepaw]

You don't have to turn it off.
The way I test at the 20/24 pin is attach ground on multimeter to ground (black wire) and probe orange while running.
If you don't have much room to move around, then you might want to attach the probes before you boot.

 

[RIPSTER]

kk thanks, anyone else had experiences with these BSOD's?

 

[RIPSTER]

I've tested the RAM, I first tested all three sticks of RAM (3x256), after this test came up with errors I began testing individual sticks, well it was all bad news as all individual sticks came up erroneous. Im wondering wether there is a way to fix faulty chips, is there any diagnostic that can determine what the problem is?, if not what causes these memory problems, its not like the RAM is a mechanical part that can fail or is prone to wearing out.

thanks in advance

RIPSTER

 

[Peepaw]

No way to fix them that I know of.
The last ram that I had go bad just so happens the psu was failing at the same time.
Not sure if the psu killed them or not.

 

[RIPSTER]

So could the RAM be ok, could it be the memory controller or PSU that is causing these erroneous results in memtest?

 

[RollingThunder]

So could the RAM be ok, could it be the memory controller or PSU that is causing these erroneous results in memtest?

Rip,

Probably not the mem controller, that's rare. You found your RAMs bad, no way for a layman to fix them. Get new ones. Power supply is a contributing possibility, that is, random shutdowns that borked drivers, borked the RAMs themselves though an overvolt or surge along with borked drivers (graphics, etc). Occasionally a random shutdown can corrupt a file in use. Had it happen once or twice.

Logitech mouse is notorious for stop errors too. Since it was happening before your new video card, looks like your RAMs were going before that or a power supply issue. Memtest errors on all your sticks is very convincing but it's unusual they would all fail at the same time.

I have never heard of your power supply, might want to be careful here. Does it have a UL number on it to see who made it?

 

[RIPSTER]

I cant find anyting like a UL number on the label that shows the power rails Amps. I haven't tested the rails yet, is there anyway to determine if the PSU is actualy the cause or if it is dodgy, some kind of power testing program.

thanks in advance

btw, I have a Microsoft wireless multimedia keyboard and mouse set.

 

[Goonda]

After so many Blue screens, I would just reinstall windows, or you can give me your computer and there will be nothing to worry about (you pay for shipping).

Thank you.