A-a-a-argh! USB Causing Crash at Startup

[Guest]

After installing several new USB devices, my Dell Dimension 4400 began crashing intermittently on startup. The crash error message includes the following
STOP 0x0000003
NO_MORE_IRP_STACK_LOCATION

As I searched for the cause, the crashes began to occur more frequently

Here's what I've already tried

I searched the Microsoft KB and found a few possible solutions (KB #'s: Q832577, Q810400, Q830957), but none of them fixed the problem. I did a Google search and found several discussion forums that covered this problem. After trying just about every solution suggested on these sites (except a full re-install of Win XP), I still get the crashes

Most of the information I've seen so far points to problems with USB drivers or devices. And as I already stated, the problem began to appear right after I hooked up some new USB devices. My attempts a fixing the problem include adding a registry value for IRPStackSize (KB Article Q177078), updating the BIOS, turning off USB 2.0 Legacy BIOS support (KB Article Q832577), uninstalling USB drivers, disconnecting USB devices, and re-installing USB drivers

The devices I have hooked up are as follows

A USB mouse (Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer) and a scanner (Microtek 3600) attached via USB. These two devices had been connected to the two USB ports on my Dell starting right when I got the machine about 18 months ago, and they've never caused any problems

Then at about three weeks ago, my cable company installed broadband service using a USB-to-Cable-Modem adapter. A day or two later, I purchased a new Canon i860 Desktop Photo Printer with a USB cable. Because I already had two other USB devices, I also purchased a Belkin USB hub so that all the USB devices could be plugged in. Unfortunately, these USB devices were added during a two day period, making it more difficult to know which device might have caused the problem

The most probable culprit is the USB-to-Cable-Modem adapter. The cable service technician installed an unsigned driver. I later went to the manufacturer's web site (some company in Taiwan that I've never heard of) and got a signed one, but had to download it from their web site in Taiwan, which struck me as being odd. Although this adapter sounds like the most likely cause of the problem, I've tried rebooting without the driver installed, without the device connected, and even went so far as to uninstall ALL the USB drivers and disconnected EVERY USB device from the PC, but I still keep getting the same BSOD message. And the problem does not occur any time I boot into Safe Mode

I've spent at least 40 hours trying to fix this problem. If anybody out there has a real solution to this, then I'll be your friend for life

Lou

 

[Jym]

It seem that you have been working at the problem for a while. I would
disconnect all usb devices and run it for a couple days . If no crashes,
install one device and run for a couple days . and so on and so forth. If
you have already done this , you have done the same thing that I would do.
Jym

After installing several new USB devices, my Dell Dimension 4400 began

crashing intermittently on startup. The crash error message includes the
following:

STOP 0x00000035
NO_MORE_IRP_STACK_LOCATIONS

As I searched for the cause, the crashes began to occur more frequently.

Here's what I've already tried:

I searched the Microsoft KB and found a few possible solutions (KB #'s:

Q832577, Q810400, Q830957), but none of them fixed the problem. I did a
Google search and found several discussion forums that covered this problem.
After trying just about every solution suggested on these sites (except a
full re-install of Win XP), I still get the crashes.

Most of the information I've seen so far points to problems with USB

drivers or devices. And as I already stated, the problem began to appear
right after I hooked up some new USB devices. My attempts a fixing the
problem include adding a registry value for IRPStackSize (KB Article
Q177078), updating the BIOS, turning off USB 2.0 Legacy BIOS support (KB
Article Q832577), uninstalling USB drivers, disconnecting USB devices, and
re-installing USB drivers.

The devices I have hooked up are as follows:

A USB mouse (Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer) and a scanner (Microtek

3600) attached via USB. These two devices had been connected to the two USB
ports on my Dell starting right when I got the machine about 18 months ago,
and they've never caused any problems.

Then at about three weeks ago, my cable company installed broadband

service using a USB-to-Cable-Modem adapter. A day or two later, I purchased
a new Canon i860 Desktop Photo Printer with a USB cable. Because I already
had two other USB devices, I also purchased a Belkin USB hub so that all the
USB devices could be plugged in. Unfortunately, these USB devices were
added during a two day period, making it more difficult to know which device
might have caused the problem.

The most probable culprit is the USB-to-Cable-Modem adapter. The cable

service technician installed an unsigned driver. I later went to the
manufacturer's web site (some company in Taiwan that I've never heard of)
and got a signed one, but had to download it from their web site in Taiwan,
which struck me as being odd. Although this adapter sounds like the most
likely cause of the problem, I've tried rebooting without the driver
installed, without the device connected, and even went so far as to
uninstall ALL the USB drivers and disconnected EVERY USB device from the PC,
but I still keep getting the same BSOD message. And the problem does not
occur any time I boot into Safe Mode.

I've spent at least 40 hours trying to fix this problem. If anybody out

there has a real solution to this, then I'll be your friend for life!

 

[Guest]

Jym

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I already tried disabling every USB device, including my USB mouse (it's a good thing I know the Windows keyboard shortcuts fairly well) and I still got the BSOD

My next step is to reinstall XP, but I'd like to do that only as a last resort (too many documents and personalized settings to back up and restore).

 

[Lady Layla]

When you "disconnected and removed the drivers" did you do this through Add
Remove Hardware? With XP, have you checked the Event logs to see if anything is
noted there?
Have your tried Doing a system restore back to a date prior to the USB Cable
modem installation?
If this keeps happening, best advice is boot to safe mode, copy files you want
to keep to disk or additional HD, and start clean

: Jym,
:
: Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I already tried disabling every USB
device, including my USB mouse (it's a good thing I know the Windows keyboard
shortcuts fairly well) and I still got the BSOD.
:
: My next step is to reinstall XP, but I'd like to do that only as a last resort
(too many documents and personalized settings to back up and restore).

 

[Guest]

Lady Layla

Thanks for the suggestion. I did try doing a system restore several times, and it works sometimes, but not all the time. And when the system restore DOES work, then the PC still crashes on the third or fourth re-boot after the restore

I think I'll do the clean re-install of XP this weekend

Lou

 

[Guest]

I have a 4400 and have been trying to install an HP PSC2179 all_in_one printer and have the same problem as you, everytime I plug the USB into my system it just constantly reboots with the same error messages you have. My system runs OK when I remove the USB and re-boot though. HP & Dell just keep passing me onto each other, did you manage to find a solution ( or reason) ?.