E[_2_]
March 16th 08, 04:21 PM
Kyle wrote:
> "E" > wrote in message
> ...
> | http://members.localnet.com/~eddie180/Misc/Mini031508-01.dmp
> |
> | I built a computer for a relative that has an occasional blue screen
> and
> | memory dump. I changed out the video card and RAM about a year ago.
> She
> | still had an occasional blue screen. I then changed out the power
> | supply. The PC worked fine for a few months, until yesterday morning
> it
> | blue screened again. It seems that it can blue screen at any time,
> no
> | matter what task is being performed. She tolerated it until the last
> two
> | recent episodes, when after it blue screened, the system would not
> boot.
> | Just a black screen and no POST. When I brought it home, and hooked
> it
> | up to my monitor, keyboard etc... it came on with no problem. I've
> never
> | had it long enough to duplicate the blue screen.
> |
> | Here is a list of components:
> | ASUS P4P800SE 865PE/ICH5 motherboard.
> | Nvidia video card
> | 1024MB of name brand memory listed as compatible with the board
> | Antec 500W Basiq PSU
> |
> | Also it has in it PCI cards from her previous Dell computer such
> as...
> | A Lucent chip set soft modem
> | Sound Blaster 5.1
> | three port firewire card
> |
> | I can lose these PCI cards from the old Dell, since she is on DSL,
> the
> | Asus board has onboard sound, and who needs firewire.
> |
> | Here is a link to the minidump file created by the latest blue
> screen...
> | http://members.localnet.com/~eddie180/Misc/Mini031508-01.dmp
> |
> | I may try on my own to read the minidump by following the directions
> | given here... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263
> |
>
>
> Diagnosing a fairly rare blue screen crash problem is like looking for
> the proverbial needle in the hay stack. Just a couple more
> suggestions come to mind in addition to the informed comments posted
> by Paul.
>
> There could be a power/voltage rail problem, which might be caused by
> the system or an external source. Setup a voltage monitoring program
> and log results to a file, look for dips in the voltages beyond 5%
> deviation from spec. There could be power line brownouts that occur
> where the computer is in use that can affect stable operation of the
> system, and testing the system at your home may not result in the same
> operation of the computer. You probably don't know whether the blue
> screen error message is the same stop error each time. If the stop
> error is rarely the same error, I would suspect power regulation as
> one possible source of the problem if no problems are detected after
> prolonged testing with programs such as memtest86 and prime95. It
> could be a capacitor in the Vcore or Vmem circuit, a bad capacitor in
> the PS, dirt in the PS, AC line spikes/brownouts, a bad connection
> from the PS to the motherboard (unplug/replug power connectors a few
> times, this might help). Run a diagnostic on the HD, does it check
> out OK for bad sectors. A dying HD can be the source of corrupted
> system files. Keep in mind that it only takes one erroneous bit in a
> critical system program to bring down the house. If you locate the
> problem, post back with your findings.
This is a new Antec 500W PSU, that was notably heavier than the first
off name '580 Watt' PSU that I had used when I first built the system.
But I guess that doesn't rule out problems with the power circuits on
the motherboard that you mention. The PC has been in four different
residences, so I don't think its a a problem with whatever 120VAC
circuit its plugged into.
There are 13 minidump files in the /Windows/Minidump folder. I have
downloaded this debugging application from MS...
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/installx86.mspx#E3
Maybe it will clue me in.
If I remove the three unneeded PCI boards from the system, that will
take some off hay the stack.
The HD is a Seagate Barracuda SATA, but running diags on this disk isn't
a bad idea.
Eddie
> "E" > wrote in message
> ...
> | http://members.localnet.com/~eddie180/Misc/Mini031508-01.dmp
> |
> | I built a computer for a relative that has an occasional blue screen
> and
> | memory dump. I changed out the video card and RAM about a year ago.
> She
> | still had an occasional blue screen. I then changed out the power
> | supply. The PC worked fine for a few months, until yesterday morning
> it
> | blue screened again. It seems that it can blue screen at any time,
> no
> | matter what task is being performed. She tolerated it until the last
> two
> | recent episodes, when after it blue screened, the system would not
> boot.
> | Just a black screen and no POST. When I brought it home, and hooked
> it
> | up to my monitor, keyboard etc... it came on with no problem. I've
> never
> | had it long enough to duplicate the blue screen.
> |
> | Here is a list of components:
> | ASUS P4P800SE 865PE/ICH5 motherboard.
> | Nvidia video card
> | 1024MB of name brand memory listed as compatible with the board
> | Antec 500W Basiq PSU
> |
> | Also it has in it PCI cards from her previous Dell computer such
> as...
> | A Lucent chip set soft modem
> | Sound Blaster 5.1
> | three port firewire card
> |
> | I can lose these PCI cards from the old Dell, since she is on DSL,
> the
> | Asus board has onboard sound, and who needs firewire.
> |
> | Here is a link to the minidump file created by the latest blue
> screen...
> | http://members.localnet.com/~eddie180/Misc/Mini031508-01.dmp
> |
> | I may try on my own to read the minidump by following the directions
> | given here... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263
> |
>
>
> Diagnosing a fairly rare blue screen crash problem is like looking for
> the proverbial needle in the hay stack. Just a couple more
> suggestions come to mind in addition to the informed comments posted
> by Paul.
>
> There could be a power/voltage rail problem, which might be caused by
> the system or an external source. Setup a voltage monitoring program
> and log results to a file, look for dips in the voltages beyond 5%
> deviation from spec. There could be power line brownouts that occur
> where the computer is in use that can affect stable operation of the
> system, and testing the system at your home may not result in the same
> operation of the computer. You probably don't know whether the blue
> screen error message is the same stop error each time. If the stop
> error is rarely the same error, I would suspect power regulation as
> one possible source of the problem if no problems are detected after
> prolonged testing with programs such as memtest86 and prime95. It
> could be a capacitor in the Vcore or Vmem circuit, a bad capacitor in
> the PS, dirt in the PS, AC line spikes/brownouts, a bad connection
> from the PS to the motherboard (unplug/replug power connectors a few
> times, this might help). Run a diagnostic on the HD, does it check
> out OK for bad sectors. A dying HD can be the source of corrupted
> system files. Keep in mind that it only takes one erroneous bit in a
> critical system program to bring down the house. If you locate the
> problem, post back with your findings.
This is a new Antec 500W PSU, that was notably heavier than the first
off name '580 Watt' PSU that I had used when I first built the system.
But I guess that doesn't rule out problems with the power circuits on
the motherboard that you mention. The PC has been in four different
residences, so I don't think its a a problem with whatever 120VAC
circuit its plugged into.
There are 13 minidump files in the /Windows/Minidump folder. I have
downloaded this debugging application from MS...
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/installx86.mspx#E3
Maybe it will clue me in.
If I remove the three unneeded PCI boards from the system, that will
take some off hay the stack.
The HD is a Seagate Barracuda SATA, but running diags on this disk isn't
a bad idea.
Eddie