Blue Screens

[WGD]

What causes occassional blue screens?

On a previous post, one replier noted bloated apps. Another said a bad
(OS?) install.

Machine is new: dual core w/2G. BSs are random even when nothing
(noticable) is running, meaning no app, maybe something the machine does on
its own (?).

A week+ ago they came often. Removed McAfee - BSs stopped. Now they are
back.

BTW, one replier - previous post - called the blue screens BSODs. What does
BSOD stand for?

TKs!
WayneD

 

[Sharon F]

What causes occassional blue screens?

On a previous post, one replier noted bloated apps. Another said a bad
(OS?) install.

Machine is new: dual core w/2G. BSs are random even when nothing
(noticable) is running, meaning no app, maybe something the machine does on
its own (?).

A week+ ago they came often. Removed McAfee - BSs stopped. Now they are
back.

BTW, one replier - previous post - called the blue screens BSODs. What does
BSOD stand for?

TKs!
WayneD

When an error occurs, the application (or other code that initiated the
problem) tries to work it out with whatever error handling is included with
that code. If no luck and if serious enough, the error condition gets
passed on to the operating system to deal with. If the operating system's
built in error handling cannot sort it out and if the error condition
threatens the integrity of other operations, an "abort" situation develops
and you get a blue screen error.

BSOD is short for Blue Screen of Death. Since BSODs bring the whole system
down, the nick name is appropriate.

The blue screen has some information on it. Some numbers and sometimes the
name of a file - usually a driver, DLL or an executable. Sometimes errors
are so immediate that no additional information is logged but if you're
lucky you will find some captured in logs. Look for the application log if
an application is involved and event logs in Windows. These can be viewed
using Event Viewer (start> run> eventvwr.msc). All of these "clues" can
then be "googled" or you can search for them in the MS Knowledge Base - in
the hopes of finding a resolution.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

What causes occassional blue screens?

On a previous post, one replier noted bloated apps. Another said a bad
(OS?) install.

Machine is new: dual core w/2G. BSs are random even when nothing
(noticable) is running, meaning no app, maybe something the machine does
on its own (?).

A week+ ago they came often. Removed McAfee - BSs stopped. Now they are
back.

BTW, one replier - previous post - called the blue screens BSODs. What
does BSOD stand for?

TKs!
WayneD

Your question is like: "What causes my car to occasionally stop running";
there really isn't a meaningful answer.

McAfee and Norton aren't good for computers.

BSOD = Blue Screen Of Death

 

[Bruce Chambers]

What causes occassional blue screens?

I'd suggest that you read the blue screen's error message to find out.

The next time you experience a BSOD, read it. The top 2 or 3 lines of
this screen will contain information that can help solve your problem.
Carefully write down these lines and post the exact text back here.
Hopefully, one of us will be able to provide some insight.

Additionally, you should check your Event Logs to see if they can
shed any light on the matter, To do so, Right-click My Computer >
Manage > Event Viewer > System and Application. Record the specifics
of any red-flagged error messages and post the exact text back here.
Again, hopefully, one of us will be able to provide some insight.

On a previous post, one replier noted bloated apps. Another said a bad
(OS?) install.

Bloated apps? Very unlikely; they'd cause error messages concerning a
lack of memory or page file space. A corrupted OS? Sure, but the OS
didn't corrupt itself; there's a deeper cause. Most often BSOD's are
caused by defective (or even overheated) hardware, or
corrupt/incompatible device drivers. The BSOD will notmally specify
which file was the immediate cause of the crash.

Machine is new: dual core w/2G. BSs are random even when nothing
(noticable) is running, meaning no app, maybe something the machine does on
its own (?).

Start with testing the RAM. You might try MemTest86:
http://www.memtest86.com/ It's free.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

What causes occassional blue screens?

Lots of different things. Often they are hardware problems, for example.

The blue screen comes with diagnostic information, such as a code
identifying the specific error. If you want help with a blue screen, you
need to tell us what that error code says (post the entire first three lines
of the screen). Otherwise it's like going to the doctor and telling him to
make you well, without telling him what your symptoms rae.

BTW, one replier - previous post - called the blue screens BSODs. What
does BSOD stand for?

It's an informal, but appropriate, abbreviation for "Blue Screen of Death."

 

[WGD]

I found a number of entries in the Event Logs going back to when I first
experienced BSODs.
Sample entries ~~
-- System (Errors):
PlugPlay Manager
Service Control Manager
DCOM

-- Application (Errors):
Microsoft Office 10
Microsoft Office 11
ESENT
MsiInstaller
PerfNet
Application Error

--Also a number of (Application) WARNINGS were posted:
Userenv
Norton AntiVirus ('many' of them)

BTW, TOP two-three lines of two recent BSODs noted 'memory manager'.

Is the above helpful?? Entries go back to within a few weeks of when the
machine was purchased.

There is one card that has been plugged in but NOT installed, a FAX card
with distinctive ring.

Machines came w/1G in two sticks. Shortly thereafter I added a second 1G (2
sticks)

Best Regards,
Wayne Dengel

 

[WGD]

Experienced a BSOD this morning. Nothing noted in first & second para
regarding cause this time. (Typical 'cause' line was absent.) Also nothing
in the Event Logs.

Wayne Dengel

 

[Gerry Cornell]

WGD

You need to post a complete copy of the BSOD error message otherwise
we can only guess!

Disable automatic restart on system failure. This should help by
allowing time to write down the STOP code properly. Right click on the
My Computer icon on the Desktop and select Properties, Advanced,
Start-Up and Recovery, System Failure and uncheck box before
Automatically Restart.

Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure until you have
resolved the problem. Check for variants of the Stop Error message.

Also provide copies of all Error or Warning Reports appearing about
the time the error occurs. Information Reports are not needed.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

Part of the Description of the error will include a link, which you
should double click for further information. You can copy using copy
and paste. Often the link will, however, say there is no further
information.
http://go.microsoft.com/fw.link/events.asp
(Please note the hyperlink above is for illustration purposes only)

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event Viewer.
Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of the
message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from Event
Viewer.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[WGD]

I dbld my Page File space to an inital of 3G, a max of 6G (to compensate
for the added RAM, now 2G). Looking at the WTMngr, I noticed that PF Usage
is roughly 400MB even when the machine is (basically) doing nothing, ie no
Appls running. Why is RAM swapping stuff over to the PF when nothing is
going on? As I read, isn't the PF (virtual mem) a place for the machine to
expand to when there isn't enough RAM?

Wayne

 

[John John]

The maximum pagefile size is 4095 MB (4.095GB). If you need a pagefile
larger than 4095 MB then you have to configure multiple pagefiles on
multiple hard disks. You don't need a pagefile that large! Let Windows
manage your pagefile!

John

I dbld my Page File space to an inital of 3G, a max of 6G (to compensate
for the added RAM, now 2G). Looking at the WTMngr, I noticed that PF Usage
is roughly 400MB even when the machine is (basically) doing nothing, ie no
Appls running. Why is RAM swapping stuff over to the PF when nothing is
going on? As I read, isn't the PF (virtual mem) a place for the machine to
expand to when there isn't enough RAM?

Wayne

 

[John John]

Oops, 4095 MB is just slightly less than 4 GB.

John

The maximum pagefile size is 4095 MB (4.095GB). If you need a pagefile
larger than 4095 MB then you have to configure multiple pagefiles on
multiple hard disks. You don't need a pagefile that large! Let Windows
manage your pagefile!

John