Inexplicable XP crash--why?

[watha]

My computer was shut down over the New Years holiday. I'd even
unplugged it. Monday night I rebooted and everything seemed fine.
Then, I launched Microsoft Outlook and tried to read an e-mail message.
The computer screen flickered bright blue and the machine crashed.
It tried to reboot. But it won't. I can boot into safe mode, but not
otherwise.

I did absolutely nothing to cause this. The machine was fine the last
time I'd used it, and then this happened. Now I can't get Windows XP
to run properly. Would reinstalling the OS help? Can I do that
without the risk of losing data? Should I do it? If not, what should
I do?

Thanks.

 

[guestuser]

My computer was shut down over the New Years holiday. I'd even
unplugged it. Monday night I rebooted and everything seemed fine.
Then, I launched Microsoft Outlook and tried to read an e-mail message.
The computer screen flickered bright blue and the machine crashed.
It tried to reboot. But it won't. I can boot into safe mode, but not
otherwise.

I did absolutely nothing to cause this. The machine was fine the last
time I'd used it, and then this happened. Now I can't get Windows XP
to run properly. Would reinstalling the OS help? Can I do that
without the risk of losing data? Should I do it? If not, what should
I do?

Thanks.

Since you can boot into Safe Mode, I would run my anti-virus, adware,
spyware and other malware scanners as soon as possible. Also ensure that
your firewall is up and not disabled for some reason. Have you tried a full
shutdown and a cold start up?

 

[Charlie Tame]

Well one of the things safe mode does is limit the "Drivers" that are
loaded, and this makes me wonder about a couple of things.

Older machines with plug in ICs used to suffer a lot from thermal "Creep",
that is a chip would ease itself out of it's socket due to thermal expansion
when turned on and off. To be honest I never turn machines off except for a
reason.

This can also happen with the various plug in modules like memory, video
cards, sound cards and other stuff, although the case manufacturers have
standard clamping mechanisms designed to prevent this. Despite those clamps
it can still happen and you only need one bad pin in a connector to cause
trouble.

Since your video card running with limited drivers in safe mode is probably
not running with everything enabled I'd try re-seating the video card first
if it is a separate card, there's not much you can do if it is built in of
course. Just taking the cover off and pressing firmly home should be enough.
Same applies to all other boards and memory. You can of course remove and
clean but must beware static electricity... keep some flesh in contact with
the metal case when handling cards.

I think I'd at least look before reinstalling an OS. Was it maybe colder
than usual in the room when the machine was off?

Charlie

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Please check Event Viewer for Warning / Error Report in the System and
Application over the last 2 days and post copies.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, 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/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308427&sd=tech

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. Double click the button and close Event Viewer. Now
start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of the message. This
will paste the info from the Event Viewer Error Report complete with links
into 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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[watha]

Here's the first message that indicated a problem:

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Save Dump
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1001
Date: 1/2/2006
Time: 11:50:39 PM
User: N/A
Computer: MAIN
Description:
The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was:
0x0000007a (0xc0402b30, 0xc0000185, 0x805662a8, 0x190ea860). A dump was
saved in: C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini010206-01.dmp.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I got a similar message today. I have copies of the minidump files, if
this would help. I can e-mail them if needed.

Anyway, after this I get a bunch of errors, saying that DCOM will not
load, or that certain system-start or boot-load drivers won't load.
Here are copies:


Event Type: Error
Event Source: DCOM
Event Category: None
Event ID: 10005
Date: 1/2/2006
Time: 11:50:55 PM
User: MAIN\Hiawatha Bray
Computer: MAIN
Description:
DCOM got error "This service cannot be started in Safe Mode "
attempting to start the service netman with arguments "" in order to
run the server:
{BA126AE5-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E}

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.


And also...

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7026
Date: 1/2/2006
Time: 11:56:08 PM
User: N/A
Computer: MAIN
Description:
The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load:
AmdK8
Fips

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I'm running an AMD Athlon, for what it's worth.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

0xC0000185, or STATUS_IO_DEVICE_ERROR, indicates improper
termination, defective storage controller hardware, or defective disk
cabling, or two devices attempting to use the same resources.

http://snipurl.com/4x7m

Try HD Tune (freeware). Download and run it and see what it turns up.
http://www.hdtune.com/

Select the Info tabs and place the cursor on C:\ under Drive letter
and then double click the two page icon ( copy to
Clipboard ) and copy into a further message.

Select the Health tab and then double click the two page icon ( copy to
Clipboard ) and copy into a further message.

Also do a full surface scan with HD Tune.

Are there any yellow question marks in Device Manager? Right click on
the My Computer icon on your Desktop and select Properties. Hardware,
Device Manager. If yes what is the Device Error code?

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Hiawatha Bray]

Thanks much. This is good stuff. I will start trying your
suggestions. I've already removed, cleaned and replaced the various
cards plugged into the motherboard, and So maybe I have (another!)
defective hard drive? Could it also be my CD-ROM drive?

 

[Hiawatha Bray]

I downloaded the program as you suggested. The health screen is blank.
It crashes the entire computer when I try to run the disk test. Not a
good sign, huh?

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Hiawatha

Back up all your important data files to CD and invest in a new
hard drive I would guess.

You might try a test utility from the manufacturer of the hard drive.
What make and model?

When was the hard drive purchased? Some hard drives carry a
3 year manufacturer's warranty.

Do you only have a single hard drive? Do you have a Windows XP
CD or is the back up copy of Windows on a restore partition of the
hard drive?

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~