I'm using a computer I haven't used for quite some time (over a year) and
when it was used, it was only used for about 2 weeks. Now, my computer
crashes after varying periods of time after starting up. I get a blue screen
with the key message at the bottom being:

*** Stop: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0xF55EEA7E, 0xB9DC6994, 0x00000000)
Dumping physical memory to disk.

It then counts to 100 before restarting. I've just noticed that there's a
problem with my sound card. The drivers were installed but sound cut out half
way through. It said I had no drivers installed, so I installed them from the
disk and the sound worked fine. That was yesterday. Today, I have no sound
again. On device manager, it shows I have a C-media AC97 Audio Device. It
says that the drivers are installed and it is working. If I look on control
panel and go to sounds and audio devices, it says I have no audio device?!.
Any help appreciated

"Stevolution" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:508E0AB2-5121-41D6-8E48-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm using a computer I haven't used for quite some time (over a year) and
> when it was used, it was only used for about 2 weeks. Now, my computer
> crashes after varying periods of time after starting up. I get a blue
> screen
> with the key message at the bottom being:
>
> *** Stop: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0xF55EEA7E, 0xB9DC6994, 0x00000000)
> Dumping physical memory to disk.
>
> It then counts to 100 before restarting. I've just noticed that there's a
> problem with my sound card. The drivers were installed but sound cut out
> half
> way through. It said I had no drivers installed, so I installed them from
> the
> disk and the sound worked fine. That was yesterday. Today, I have no sound
> again. On device manager, it shows I have a C-media AC97 Audio Device. It
> says that the drivers are installed and it is working. If I look on
> control
> panel and go to sounds and audio devices, it says I have no audio
> device?!.
> Any help appreciated


run a ram test

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Stevolution wrote:
> I'm using a computer I haven't used for quite some time (over a year) and
> when it was used, it was only used for about 2 weeks. Now, my computer
> crashes after varying periods of time after starting up. I get a blue screen
> with the key message at the bottom being:
>
> *** Stop: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0xF55EEA7E, 0xB9DC6994, 0x00000000)
> Dumping physical memory to disk.
>
> It then counts to 100 before restarting. I've just noticed that there's a
> problem with my sound card. The drivers were installed but sound cut out half
> way through. It said I had no drivers installed, so I installed them from the
> disk and the sound worked fine. That was yesterday. Today, I have no sound
> again. On device manager, it shows I have a C-media AC97 Audio Device. It
> says that the drivers are installed and it is working. If I look on control
> panel and go to sounds and audio devices, it says I have no audio device?!.
> Any help appreciated

You can look up stop codes here. This is why "Philo" suggested the RAM test.

http://aumha.org/a/stop.htm

Depending on how handy you are, you might consider shutting off the power
and unplugging the computer. Then, reseat the sticks of RAM, in case they
are not making good contact. Make sure the clips on the side, are fully
into position when you are finished. That helps prove the module is
seated properly in the socket. At the same time, you can visually inspect
the condition of the rest of the computer.

It helps to describe what kind of computer it is, because that may help
someone recollect issues with a particular kind of computer.

Paul

Check your fans, all of them.

CPU, video, case, PSU.

"Stevolution" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:508E0AB2-5121-41D6-8E48-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm using a computer I haven't used for quite some time (over a year) and
> when it was used, it was only used for about 2 weeks. Now, my computer
> crashes after varying periods of time after starting up. I get a blue screen
> with the key message at the bottom being:
>
> *** Stop: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0xF55EEA7E, 0xB9DC6994, 0x00000000)
> Dumping physical memory to disk.
>
> It then counts to 100 before restarting. I've just noticed that there's a
> problem with my sound card. The drivers were installed but sound cut out half
> way through. It said I had no drivers installed, so I installed them from the
> disk and the sound worked fine. That was yesterday. Today, I have no sound
> again. On device manager, it shows I have a C-media AC97 Audio Device. It
> says that the drivers are installed and it is working. If I look on control
> panel and go to sounds and audio devices, it says I have no audio device?!.
> Any help appreciated

If you are handy with a screwdriver, try removing the sound card from the
machine and see if the problem goes away.
Have you tried safe mode?
"Stevolution" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:508E0AB2-5121-41D6-8E48-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm using a computer I haven't used for quite some time (over a year) and
> when it was used, it was only used for about 2 weeks. Now, my computer
> crashes after varying periods of time after starting up. I get a blue
> screen
> with the key message at the bottom being:
>
> *** Stop: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0xF55EEA7E, 0xB9DC6994, 0x00000000)
> Dumping physical memory to disk.
>
> It then counts to 100 before restarting. I've just noticed that there's a
> problem with my sound card. The drivers were installed but sound cut out
> half
> way through. It said I had no drivers installed, so I installed them from
> the
> disk and the sound worked fine. That was yesterday. Today, I have no sound
> again. On device manager, it shows I have a C-media AC97 Audio Device. It
> says that the drivers are installed and it is working. If I look on
> control
> panel and go to sounds and audio devices, it says I have no audio
> device?!.
> Any help appreciated

OK, I've checked all the fans and no problems there. The RAM seemed to be in
place ok, but I took them out and put them back in and repositioned the clips
to be sure. Couldn't take the sound card off. I currently cannot keep the
system running for long enough to run the RAM test u suggested!

Thanks

Steve

Stevolution wrote:
> OK, I've checked all the fans and no problems there. The RAM seemed to be in
> place ok, but I took them out and put them back in and repositioned the clips
> to be sure. Couldn't take the sound card off. I currently cannot keep the
> system running for long enough to run the RAM test u suggested!
>
> Thanks
>
> Steve

You have to do some swapping at some point. For work on home computers, it
helps to have more than one computer.

For example, I would move the (suspect) RAM to another computer, and test it
there.

If the RAM tested good, another frequent point of failure is power supplies.
I would measure the rail voltages with the (suspect) system intact and running,
using a multimeter. You can probe the back of the main connector, to get a
sample of each rail. 3.3V, 5V, 12V, +5VSB, should all be within 5% of their
nominal value. (-12V is there too, but may not affect stability. It gets used
for things like an RS-232 port.)

If that was too complicated, I would just swap in a known good supply. If
still no good, you might suspect a motherboard problem.

Processors are generally pretty reliable, and would not be high up on my
list of suspects. Modern processors are protected against extreme overheat
(THERMTRIP), so aren't likely to get damaged by having the heat sink fall off.

If possible, I like to encourage testing first, to try to eliminate any
unnecessary swaps. If you are totally blinded, and cannot collect any
test results at all, it just means more swaps until it works. On one
of my earlier computers, I replaced almost everything, so I know what
that is like. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes not so lucky.

Paul