Help With "Serious Error"

[JD]

"Windows has recovered from a serious error."
I was shocked to find this message after Windows stumbled on reboot, the
screen went black, and then Windows loaded again.
I wonder if any Good Samaritan out there can offer any insight as to what
went wrong?

Here's what I could copy from the error report:
C:\WINNT\Minidump\Mini102903-01.dmp
C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER1.tmp.dir00\sysdata.xml
BCCode : 1000008e BCP1 : C0000005 BCP2 : EEA70092 BCP3 :
EDC63290
BCP4 : 00000000 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 1_0 Product : 768_1

In the Microsoft Online Crash Report site, it is identified as Error Type
727409

This has happened before, with a different error "type," but it always says
that a device driver caused the problem, but it can't be more specific. This
is an almost-new computer. Should I be taking it back to the store?

 

[JD]

As an addendum to the above, the last time this happened I associated it
(acording to my notes) with shutting off the printer. This evening when I
hit the printer's power off button, the screen went black and Windows
rebooted. Is this a "hint" that the erring "device driver" might be the
printer driver? It's an HP Printer Copier Scanner.

 

[Paul B T Hodges]

Sounds like you have autorestart enabled, so when xp crashes, you get a
reboot.
Go into:-

control panel/system/advanced/startup and recovery settings

Uncheck automatically restart

If its a driver causing the problem, xp may name it on the blue bug check
screen you should now get when your system crashes.

This should help us narrow it down.

In the meantime, while waiting for it to crash again, scan your system for
any unsigned drivers which haven't passed windows xp hardware labs quality
testing.

start/run
sigverif

I guess the printer is plugged into a usb port, do you have sp1 and the
latest usb fixes ?

Paul

 

[indiie]

"Windows has recovered from a serious error."
I was shocked to find this message after Windows stumbled on reboot, the
screen went black, and then Windows loaded again.
I wonder if any Good Samaritan out there can offer any insight as to what
went wrong?

Here's what I could copy from the error report:
C:\WINNT\Minidump\Mini102903-01.dmp
C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER1.tmp.dir00\sysdata.xml
BCCode : 1000008e BCP1 : C0000005 BCP2 : EEA70092 BCP3 :
EDC63290
BCP4 : 00000000 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 1_0 Product : 768_1

In the Microsoft Online Crash Report site, it is identified as Error Type
727409

This has happened before, with a different error "type," but it always says
that a device driver caused the problem, but it can't be more specific. This
is an almost-new computer. Should I be taking it back to the store?

Can't help you much but can only say that I'm experiencing the same
kinda thing. New computer started resetting out of the blue and then
when restarts comes up with the same dialog as you mention above. I
tried to start taking notice of what it may be related to but I think
you might find that you are just looking for coincidences as it has
now happened more than a dozen times for me and it can happen right at
startup or after 5 minutes or after 4 hours and wouldn't appear to be
anything in particular. Thats my theory anyway and after attempting to
research it on the web it isn't exactly a rarity. It has also recently
now started showing the 'blue screen of death' instead of just
rebooting. Although it doesn't appear to give me any of the info that
you are supposed to be able to use to identify and/or debug the
problem (as explained in Windows Knowledge Base articles). Just gives
me one error line saying BAD_POOL_CALLER.

I came across one site (http://www.osr.com/ddk/ddtools/dv_5w1f.htm)
talking about the Driver Verifier that comes with XP. It is the
'verfier.exe' program in Windows/system32 folder. Follow the
instructions at that page - pretty straight forward - and then you
need to reboot to run the verifier. (Note I have no idea how you are
supposed to disable the verifier as it would run everytime I reboot
and when it shows the error screen mentioned below you can only reset
to get out of it. I ended up having to F8 upon startup and use Restore
facility!)
When the verifier runs upon startup it comes up with a blue screen
saying
"SYSTEM VERIFICATION ERROR in SMBios.sys (WDM DRIVER ERROR 20c)
SMBios.sys+4cf0 at F76DBCF0"

I found that this driver is for the Intel (R) System Management BIOS
Driver. I have a D865PERL Intel motherboard so I went to Intel site
and downloaded and installed latest Bios update but after that the
smbios.sys driver looked to have been untouched and still V 1.00. I
also (cannot remember what utility) found that this driver is the one
single driver on my computer that isn't "digitally signed". I've
emailed Intel support and waiting on a reply but am not very hopeful.

 

[JD]

Every error message says "Error caused by a device driver," but adds that
Windows cannot identify the culprit. There are six error reports on the
Online Crash Analysis page and all say "cause unknown."
I have checked the printer and video drivers and all have the correctly
signed seal of approval.
Yes, the printer is plugged into a usb port and I do have SP1 and all of the
critical updates. I don't know about any that are specifically "usb fixes."
Thanks for your help. I'm about at my wits' end over this.

 

[JD]

I ran the System Verification Check and it found one unsigned driver:
raspptp.sys in WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS. Created in 1979 and modifed in 2002.
Even if I thought this was the culprit, I wouldn't know how to fix it.
The extended search found severa unsigned virtual device drivers as well.
None appear to be of recent vintage.
As to turning off the automatic recovery function, what would I do to
"recover" if I had such a "crash"? I'm a little skittish about putting
myself into a position I'm not sure how to get out of.

 

[indiie]

As to turning off the automatic recovery function, what would I do to
"recover" if I had such a "crash"? I'm a little skittish about putting
myself into a position I'm not sure how to get out of.

It's not automatic recovery that you are turning off it's automatic
restart. When this is enabled (as you currently have it) and an error
occurs then the computer just restarts automatically, but when you
disable it instead of restarting the computer will show an error
screen with (theoretically) some useful info on what has caused the
error and you need to manually reset the system.

I'm pretty sure that's the deal anyway... note that it's auto restart
that you're changing - nothing about auto restore.

 

[JD]

Perhaps I used the wrong word. If it doesn't "automatically" restart, would
I be able to "manually" restart? Would I have to use the power off button
and then reboot?