WPA Questions

[Mr. Big]

While using WinXP Pro, I have had many problems with Non-
Page Fault BSODs. I have tried every hardware
configuration known to the computer world. I have
replaced suspect hardware with new ones and have yet to
find the problem. I have replaced the MB, CPU, and
memory. I even bought a new DVD-RW drive. None of this
fixed my problem. Needless to say WPA is having a field
day when I try activate WinXP. My question is can you
activate WinXP so many times that MS will require you to
call them even if you haven't made any changes to your
computer? When I changed the MB, CPU, and RAM, I fully
expected to have to call MS to explain what happened. The
process was smooth and problem free. However the new MB's
SATA controller was faulty. It would drop the #2 drive
causing WinXP to crash is a way never seen before. So I
had to return to my "older" MB while the new one is being
RMA'd. Again, I had to talk to MS when it was time to
activate WinXP and again, the process was smooth. Since
returning to my old MB, I have not changed anything.
About a week ago, the BSODs were getting so bad that WinXP
would crash before it would start. I have sent complete
dumps to MS. It took over 30 minutes to send that HUGE
file. So I reinstalled WinXP again, and WAS surprised
that I had to call MS. Like I said, I changed nothing
that time. However, the tech lady was very nice and
understanding and gave me the "toll free" number to MS'
tech support as well as a new key to activate WinXP.
Since I am in Japan, the call isn't toll free for me, and
the thought of being on hold while waiting to talk to a MS
techy while on an international call makes my savings
account shudder. So after activating WinXP again, I
installed all of my software. Soon the BSODs came back.
Anytime I would finish burning an optical disc, the Non-
Page Fault BSOD would return. Being afraid to reinstall
WinXP again, I lived with the BSOD until yesterday. So I
reinstalled WinXP again. This time I will install each
software then try to burn a disc hopefully trying to find
the offending software. I have not activated WinXP yet,
but am worried that I will have to call MS again and
explain what I am doing. Even though the MS personnel are
always kind, I feel the need to want to explain my entire
experience to convince them I am not a software pirate.
Hell, I have bought two Copies of WinXP Pro (one for me
and one for my daughter) and one WinXP Pro Japanese
version for my wife. Anyway, I have not made any changes
to my computer at all. Will I have to talk to MS again
when I eventually have to activate WinXP again?

[Mike Truitt [Microsoft]]

Hello,

Can you give me an idea what bluescreens you are receiving? As for making
a long distance call to activate, the activation User Interface should
allow you to pick your country/region so that a number that is a bit closer
to home becomes available. With that said, I would like to assist in
resolving the root problem; the bluescreens you are receiving. Also, can
you give me information about the hardware? Here is a template that I have
used in the past.

Questions:

1. Windows XP Home or Pro?

-

2. Service Pack?

-

3. Hotfixes?
-

4. Hardware type?

-

5. RAM?

-

6. Other software?

a. Virus Scanning?

b. Remote Control?

c. Backup?

7. Changes to the machine?

8. Specific stop code? (code plus the four parameters)


Best regards,

Mike Truitt
Microsoft Corporation

[Mr. Big]

I can't remember exactly what the BSOD said word for word,
but it would say something about non-paged error and give
me a memory location without telling me the name of the
offending software. After doing a lot of researching on
the web, I was led to believe that my memory was the
culprit, so I replaced it. Still that the BSOD. Like I
have said, I have replaced my Asus A7M8X Deluxe with the
MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR mb, but the RAID controller on it was
flakey, so I had to switch back to the Asus board. Each
time I activated WinXP, and each time I had to talk to
MS. Here are the answers to your questions:

1. Windows XP Home or Pro?
WinXP Pro

2. Service Pack
SP1

3. Hotfixes?
I am not sure what a Hotfix is, but if it comes from the
WinXP Update site, then I installed all of them.

4. Hardware type?

5. RAM?
2 X CORSAIR MEMORY CMX256A-2700LL, 256MB

6. Other software?

a. Virus Scanning?
Norton Anti-Virus

b. Remote Control?
Remote Control? I have been asked this before and have
answered that the only remote control I have is the one
from my ATI 9000AIW video card. I got a few laughs at
this answer, so I don't think this is the answer you are
looking for.

c. Backup?
AutoSave 1.10 by V-Com

7. Changes to the machine?
I have changed the mb, CPU from an Athlong 2GHz to a
Barton 2.5GHz (PR of course), memory from Kingston to
Corsair, Pioneer DVD-ROM to a Samsung CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo
drive.

8. Specific stop code? (code plus the four parameters)
I can't remember the exact stop code. I know it said
there was a error in the non-paged memory area or
something like that. It didn't give the name of any
driver, just a memory location. I have reninstalled WinXP
since then and have yet to get the error. I am installing
each software one at a time and trying to burn a disc to
see when does XP fail. Other software I had loaded were
Pinnacle Systems Instant Copy, Nero 6.0.1.1., Norton
System Works 2003, Norton Personal Firewall 2003, Office
XP SP2, and my favorite, Command and Conquer Generals.
The first time I noticed the BSOD was after I installed
Instand Copy and finished burning a DVD.

I know there are MS tech support here in Japan, but I am
sorry to say that their English is sometimes not good
enough to conversate with. That is why I call back to the
states to activate XP. I am scared to try and call the
states for a tech support.

After rebooting from a BSOD, WinXP would ask me if I would
like to submit an error report. Since I had selected the
option to create a full dump report, I sent off the
report. I didn't know that the dump report was 460MB
big. Of course WinXP then launched IE and allowed me to
track the error submissions. However, I can't get to that
web site without having a BSOD. Anyway to do that?

I am sorry if I am confusing you. Right now I have to
rush for work, but I do appreciate your time in helping me.
Please forgive any grammer mistakes I may have made in my
rush to post the answers to your questions.

>-----Original Message-----
>Hello,
>
>Can you give me an idea what bluescreens you are
receiving? As for making
>a long distance call to activate, the activation User
Interface should
>allow you to pick your country/region so that a number
that is a bit closer
>to home becomes available. With that said, I would like
to assist in
>resolving the root problem; the bluescreens you are
receiving. Also, can
>you give me information about the hardware? Here is a
template that I have
>used in the past.
>
>Questions:
>
>1. Windows XP Home or Pro?
>
>-
>
>2. Service Pack?
>
>-
>
>3. Hotfixes?
>-
>
>4. Hardware type?
>
>-
>
>5. RAM?
>
>-
>
>6. Other software?
>
> a. Virus Scanning?
>
> b. Remote Control?
>
> c. Backup?
>
>7. Changes to the machine?
>
>8. Specific stop code? (code plus the four parameters)
>
>
>Best regards,
>
>Mike Truitt
>Microsoft Corporation

[bbunny]

Mr. Big wrote:

| I can't remember exactly what the BSOD said word for word,
| but it would say something about non-paged error and give
| me a memory location without telling me the name of the
| offending software. After doing a lot of researching on
| the web, I was led to believe that my memory was the
| culprit, so I replaced it. Still that the BSOD. Like I
| have said, I have replaced my Asus A7M8X Deluxe with the
| MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR mb, but the RAID controller on it was
| flakey, so I had to switch back to the Asus board. Each
| time I activated WinXP, and each time I had to talk to
| MS. Here are the answers to your questions:
|
| 1. Windows XP Home or Pro?
| WinXP Pro
|
| 2. Service Pack
| SP1
|
| 3. Hotfixes?
| I am not sure what a Hotfix is, but if it comes from the
| WinXP Update site, then I installed all of them.
|
| 4. Hardware type?
|
| 5. RAM?
| 2 X CORSAIR MEMORY CMX256A-2700LL, 256MB
|
| 6. Other software?
|
| a. Virus Scanning?
| Norton Anti-Virus
|
| b. Remote Control?
| Remote Control? I have been asked this before and have
| answered that the only remote control I have is the one
| from my ATI 9000AIW video card. I got a few laughs at
| this answer, so I don't think this is the answer you are
| looking for.
|
| c. Backup?
| AutoSave 1.10 by V-Com
|
| 7. Changes to the machine?
| I have changed the mb, CPU from an Athlong 2GHz to a
| Barton 2.5GHz (PR of course), memory from Kingston to
| Corsair, Pioneer DVD-ROM to a Samsung CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo
| drive.
|
| 8. Specific stop code? (code plus the four parameters)
| I can't remember the exact stop code. I know it said
| there was a error in the non-paged memory area or
| something like that. It didn't give the name of any
| driver, just a memory location. I have reninstalled WinXP
| since then and have yet to get the error. I am installing
| each software one at a time and trying to burn a disc to
| see when does XP fail. Other software I had loaded were
| Pinnacle Systems Instant Copy, Nero 6.0.1.1., Norton
| System Works 2003, Norton Personal Firewall 2003, Office
| XP SP2, and my favorite, Command and Conquer Generals.
| The first time I noticed the BSOD was after I installed
| Instand Copy and finished burning a DVD.
|
| I know there are MS tech support here in Japan, but I am
| sorry to say that their English is sometimes not good
| enough to conversate with. That is why I call back to the
| states to activate XP. I am scared to try and call the
| states for a tech support.
|
| After rebooting from a BSOD, WinXP would ask me if I would
| like to submit an error report. Since I had selected the
| option to create a full dump report, I sent off the
| report. I didn't know that the dump report was 460MB
| big. Of course WinXP then launched IE and allowed me to
| track the error submissions. However, I can't get to that
| web site without having a BSOD. Anyway to do that?
|
| I am sorry if I am confusing you. Right now I have to
| rush for work, but I do appreciate your time in helping me.
| Please forgive any grammer mistakes I may have made in my
| rush to post the answers to your questions.
|
|| -----Original Message-----
|| Mike Truitt
|| Microsoft Corporation

Wouldn't it be more _sensable_ to get the PC up and running
correctly _before activating_.

[Mr. Big]

BBunny, in case you didn't know, you have 30 days to
activate WinXP. If you exceed the 30 days, then WinXP
will not do anything until you activate it. I could not
stop the BSODs within 30 days. I would activate WinXP
when I thought I had solved the problem, but they
eventually returned. Now I am on day three of this
installation without activating it. I won't activate it
until I am forced to do so or I find the problem. Here is
another question. The last time I tried activated WinXP,
it told me that I have exceed the amount of activations.
I did call MS and the lady happily gave me the
installation keys to activate WinXP. Since there have
been no hardware changes made to my computer since then,
will I have to call MS again in when I do activate it?
>-----Original Message-----
>
>Mr. Big wrote:
>
>| I can't remember exactly what the BSOD said word for
word,
>| but it would say something about non-paged error and
give
>| me a memory location without telling me the name of the
>| offending software. After doing a lot of researching on
>| the web, I was led to believe that my memory was the
>| culprit, so I replaced it. Still that the BSOD. Like I
>| have said, I have replaced my Asus A7M8X Deluxe with the
>| MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR mb, but the RAID controller on it
was
>| flakey, so I had to switch back to the Asus board. Each
>| time I activated WinXP, and each time I had to talk to
>| MS. Here are the answers to your questions:
>|
>| 1. Windows XP Home or Pro?
>| WinXP Pro
>|
>| 2. Service Pack
>| SP1
>|
>| 3. Hotfixes?
>| I am not sure what a Hotfix is, but if it comes from the
>| WinXP Update site, then I installed all of them.
>|
>| 4. Hardware type?
>|
>| 5. RAM?
>| 2 X CORSAIR MEMORY CMX256A-2700LL, 256MB
>|
>| 6. Other software?
>|
>| a. Virus Scanning?
>| Norton Anti-Virus
>|
>| b. Remote Control?
>| Remote Control? I have been asked this before and have
>| answered that the only remote control I have is the one
>| from my ATI 9000AIW video card. I got a few laughs at
>| this answer, so I don't think this is the answer you are
>| looking for.
>|
>| c. Backup?
>| AutoSave 1.10 by V-Com
>|
>| 7. Changes to the machine?
>| I have changed the mb, CPU from an Athlong 2GHz to a
>| Barton 2.5GHz (PR of course), memory from Kingston to
>| Corsair, Pioneer DVD-ROM to a Samsung CD-RW/DVD-ROM
combo
>| drive.
>|
>| 8. Specific stop code? (code plus the four parameters)
>| I can't remember the exact stop code. I know it said
>| there was a error in the non-paged memory area or
>| something like that. It didn't give the name of any
>| driver, just a memory location. I have reninstalled
WinXP
>| since then and have yet to get the error. I am
installing
>| each software one at a time and trying to burn a disc to
>| see when does XP fail. Other software I had loaded were
>| Pinnacle Systems Instant Copy, Nero 6.0.1.1., Norton
>| System Works 2003, Norton Personal Firewall 2003, Office
>| XP SP2, and my favorite, Command and Conquer Generals.
>| The first time I noticed the BSOD was after I installed
>| Instand Copy and finished burning a DVD.
>|
>| I know there are MS tech support here in Japan, but I am
>| sorry to say that their English is sometimes not good
>| enough to conversate with. That is why I call back to
the
>| states to activate XP. I am scared to try and call the
>| states for a tech support.
>|
>| After rebooting from a BSOD, WinXP would ask me if I
would
>| like to submit an error report. Since I had selected
the
>| option to create a full dump report, I sent off the
>| report. I didn't know that the dump report was 460MB
>| big. Of course WinXP then launched IE and allowed me to
>| track the error submissions. However, I can't get to
that
>| web site without having a BSOD. Anyway to do that?
>|
>| I am sorry if I am confusing you. Right now I have to
>| rush for work, but I do appreciate your time in helping
me.
>| Please forgive any grammer mistakes I may have made in
my
>| rush to post the answers to your questions.
>|
>|| -----Original Message-----
>|| Mike Truitt
>|| Microsoft Corporation
>
>Wouldn't it be more _sensable_ to get the PC up and
running
>correctly _before activating_.
>
>
>
>.
>

[bbunny]

"Mr. Big" > wrote in message
...

| BBunny, in case you didn't know, you have 30 days to
| activate WinXP. If you exceed the 30 days, then WinXP
| will not do anything until you activate it. I could not
| stop the BSODs within 30 days. I would activate WinXP
| when I thought I had solved the problem, but they
| eventually returned. Now I am on day three of this
| installation without activating it. I won't activate it
| until I am forced to do so or I find the problem. Here is
| another question. The last time I tried activated WinXP,
| it told me that I have exceed the amount of activations.
| I did call MS and the lady happily gave me the
| installation keys to activate WinXP. Since there have
| been no hardware changes made to my computer since then,
| will I have to call MS again in when I do activate it?

| >Wouldn't it be more _sensable_ to get the PC up and
| running correctly _before activating_.

I appologize if I seemed rude but the statement still stands.
Do not activate. Write zeros to the HDD and reinstall.
You did say that this was a new machine I would take it
back. There is a lot of bad products on the market today.
The return policies are not at all stringent. The most
recent for me was a couple of weeks ago I received
4 HDD's, 4 sticks of RAM, a mainboard and a video
card. The mainboard was bad, the video card was bad
and 1 stick of ram was bad. (talk about hair pulling)
I do relate.

Good Luck

[Alex Nichol]

Mr. Big wrote:

>While using WinXP Pro, I have had many problems with Non-
>Page Fault BSODs. I have tried every hardware=20
>configuration known to the computer world. I have=20
>replaced suspect hardware with new ones and have yet to=20
>find the problem. I have replaced the MB, CPU, and=20
>memory. I even bought a new DVD-RW drive. None of this=20
>fixed my problem. Needless to say WPA is having a field=20
>day when I try activate WinXP. My question is can you=20
>activate WinXP so many times that MS will require you to=20
>call them even if you haven't made any changes to your=20
>computer? When I changed the MB, CPU, and RAM, I fully=20
>expected to have to call MS to explain what happened.=20

See www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

You may have accumulated one extra change that you did not realise. For
example if you have two CD type drives, you may have plugged them in the
other way around (or enumeration may just have found the other one. If
such a thing happens it is best just to call in and it is not that big a
hassle. There is no limit on how many times you reinstall a retail
copy, provided that it is not on more than one machine at once. The
activation system is there to stop people casually installing one copy
on every machine in the house (and for the neighbors, and for grandma's
cat)


--=20
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K.