Is Windows XP Pro naturally buggy?

[Graham]

Hi,

Having tried using Win XP for a couple of weeks, I'm fast coming to
the conclusion that XP Pro sucks. Blue screens seem to be the order of
the day. If its not, Windows has detected a serious
problem..resulting in a stop...literally! I then get problems with
SCMan error messages. No search has really thrown up what causes this.
I get IRQ_equal not less etc error messages, plus other messages. Like
Windows has recovered from a serious error etc PFN_LIST_CORRUPT
messages.

Fine, if I was just using Win XP I'd be looking seriously at getting a
new box BUT I'm not. I run WinME, can't remember the last blue screen
I had. This runs no problem, day in, day out. SuSE linux again runs
rock steady. If it wasn't for the fact that we need to run Office XP
on this box, I'd bin XP Pro right now.

Asking around it seems I'm not alone. Others also suffer from blue
screens, major hangs etc. Come on MS, you've got the money (mine)
I'd like a stable platform to operate on, not an OS that suffers major
earthquakes at the drop of a hat.

Does anyone actually have a rock steady Win XP Pro setup?

regards

Graham

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

OfficeXP will run on WinME, so you are not "stuck" using WinXP.

The IRQ and PFN errors are driver errors. Which driver is difficult to tell,
but what it boils down to is that either the hardware in use is not
supported in WinXP, or the drivers necessary for the parts to function
correctly are not installed. This isn't an OS problem so much as it is a
component problem.

Check parts against the compatibility list here:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/whql/hcl/winxphclx86.txt

For anything you have that is not listed, check with the manufacturer for
the appropriate driver set. If they do not or will not provide one, then
either remove/replace the hardware, or accept that you will need to use an
older OS that is supports it.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Cerridwen]

Hi,

Having tried using Win XP for a couple of weeks, I'm fast coming to
the conclusion that XP Pro sucks.

That's because we didn't bother to make sure all our hardware and software
is compatible, now isn't it?


Blue screens seem to be the order of

the day.

See above for the reason.

If its not, Windows has detected a serious

problem..resulting in a stop...literally! I then get problems with
SCMan error messages. No search has really thrown up what causes this.
I get IRQ_equal not less etc error messages, plus other messages. Like
Windows has recovered from a serious error etc PFN_LIST_CORRUPT
messages.

Again due to outdated drivers and/or hardware.

Fine, if I was just using Win XP I'd be looking seriously at getting a
new box BUT I'm not. I run WinME, can't remember the last blue screen
I had. This runs no problem, day in, day out. SuSE linux again runs
rock steady. If it wasn't for the fact that we need to run Office XP
on this box, I'd bin XP Pro right now.

You've never seen a BSOD under ME?! You can't be using the same version I
did - I saw three a day, that's why I upgraded! ME was the worst OS MS has
ever released! Installing things under ME was like building a pyramid out of
tennis balls - you never knew when the whole lot was going to come crashing
down!

Asking around it seems I'm not alone. Others also suffer from blue
screens, major hangs etc. Come on MS, you've got the money (mine)
I'd like a stable platform to operate on, not an OS that suffers major
earthquakes at the drop of a hat.

You have one - it's called XP. You can't blame MS for your inability to do
any research before installation! The 'bug', to use your word, is sitting on
the chair posting to Usenet!

Does anyone actually have a rock steady Win XP Pro setup?

Yep - have done for three months short of three years (the beta was rock
solid too)

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Such frequent crashes are normal only if you have defective
hardware. In your case, it seems pretty clear that your have bad RAM.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:




You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Lance Joiner]

Office XP will run on ME.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"Graham" said in

... If it wasn't for the fact that we need to run Office XP
on this box, I'd bin XP Pro right now.

<snip>

Checked if OpenOffice runs on SuSE Linux (www.openoffice.org)? I know
it runs on some *NIX platforms. It's free.

I think I'm on my final version of Microsoft Office (XP version).
That's why I'm looking down the road at trying OpenOffice.

 

[Graham]

snip

That's because we didn't bother to make sure all our hardware and software
is compatible, now isn't it?

Sorry, Nope, all the equipment on this box is either shown as
compliant or compatible. Only software currently installed is Office
XP

Blue screens seem to be the order of

See above for the reason. Helpful....not!
If its not, Windows has detected a serious

Again due to outdated drivers and/or hardware.

Checking all the devices in device manager properties show that all
the drivers are certified as having Microsoft Publisher certifcates.
Indeed when Win XP installed I didn't have to install any
drivers..they all came on the disk
The only one I did update (?) was from Asus but even letting XP update
the driver for a MS certified one hasn't help

snip

You've never seen a BSOD under ME?! You can't be using the same version I
did - I saw three a day, that's why I upgraded! ME was the worst OS MS has
ever released! Installing things under ME was like building a pyramid out of
tennis balls - you never knew when the whole lot was going to come crashing
down!

An OS system that locks me out without any means of continuing doesn't
do anything for me. Its a bit like driving a car into a tree, sure you
can reverse but forward motion is always abruptly curtailed unless you
turn the wheel and go off in another direction

You have one - it's called XP. You can't blame MS for your inability to do
any research before installation! The 'bug', to use your word, is sitting on
the chair posting to Usenet!

Even shutting down the system brings up those magic words Windows has
detected a serious error; maybe it goes into shock because I actually
want to turn the box off. It can't even make up its mind what is wrong
throwing up different error messages nearly every time. At least Win
3.11 was consistant in that when it brought up an error message it was
invariably the same every time (perhaps it only had one or two). On
reboot I let MS reporting send off a message and sure it comes back
saying its a driver problem...er which one? Can't tell you! Even
though supposedly all the drivers are MS certified and supplied by MS
through its recommended update feature.

Yep - have done for three months short of three years (the beta was rock
solid too)

Thats nice to hear, at least if I expend enough time and energy I
might even join you one day!

Have a nice one

regards
Graham

 

[Graham]

Office XP will run on ME.

Very strange because on the box its show that it requires Windows 2000
or XP. Mind you this is the student version so maybe its requirement
vary.

regards
Graham

 

[Rob Schneider]

Graham,

You sound like you want XP to fail for you. Good luck.

rms

 

[Graham]

Hi,

OfficeXP will run on WinME, so you are not "stuck" using WinXP.

Should have mentioned this is the student version, states that WIN2000
or XP required. No mention of other OS

The IRQ and PFN errors are driver errors. Which driver is difficult to tell,
but what it boils down to is that either the hardware in use is not
supported in WinXP, or the drivers necessary for the parts to function
correctly are not installed. This isn't an OS problem so much as it is a
component problem.

Check parts against the compatibility list here:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/whql/hcl/winxphclx86.txt

Done that, all shown! Win XP installed all the drivers for the
hardware from the supplied disk and even downloaded an updated driver.
indeed ALL drivers shown for every device in Device manager are shown
as MS certified

Latest stop which appeared when shutting down the computer last night
was

STOP: 0X0000008E (0XC0000005, 0XBF87AF89, 0XF8755A58, 0X00000000)

WIN32k.sys Address BP87AF89 Base AT BF800000 Datestamp 3f73195d

This appeared just after the saving your settings message appeared,
then black screen then blue with the above on it.

If it was the same error message everytime I'd go for it but it seems
to be a different one nearly every time.

Any idea what Win32k.sys does?

Wouldn't it be nice if Win XP could actually identify what driver is
causing the problem in plain english!

regards
Graham

 

[Cerridwen]

Very strange because on the box its show that it requires Windows 2000
or XP. Mind you this is the student version so maybe its requirement
vary.

regards
Graham

That's 2003, idiot! Not only can't you be bothered to do any research you
also can't read a simple box label!

 

[Cerridwen]

Sorry, Nope, all the equipment on this box is either shown as
compliant or compatible. Only software currently installed is Office
XP

So we visited the HCL and checked, did we?

Checking all the devices in device manager properties show that all
the drivers are certified as having Microsoft Publisher certifcates

What has Publisher, a DTP application, got to do with your hardware?! You
don't even know what version of Office you're running! Judging by your later
comments you have 2003, not XP! Can't you tell the difference?!

Indeed when Win XP installed I didn't have to install any
drivers..they all came on the disk
The only one I did update (?) was from Asus but even letting XP update
the driver for a MS certified one hasn't help

snip
An OS system that locks me out without any means of continuing doesn't
do anything for me. Its a bit like driving a car into a tree, sure you
can reverse but forward motion is always abruptly curtailed unless you
turn the wheel and go off in another direction
Even shutting down the system brings up those magic words Windows has
detected a serious error; maybe it goes into shock because I actually
want to turn the box off. It can't even make up its mind what is wrong
throwing up different error messages nearly every time. At least Win
3.11 was consistant in that when it brought up an error message it was
invariably the same every time (perhaps it only had one or two). On
reboot I let MS reporting send off a message and sure it comes back
saying its a driver problem...er which one? Can't tell you! Even
though supposedly all the drivers are MS certified and supplied by MS
through its recommended update feature.

Thats nice to hear, at least if I expend enough time and energy I
might even join you one day!

No time and energy required - you just have to do your homework first (and
it's blatantly obvious you've not done that!)

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Graham,

Have you checked the ram yet? That can cause ththe 0x8e error as well. If
you want to check the memory, there are free programs here:

http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/download.asp
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

But keep in kind that a thorough test can only be done with test equipment
at a computer shop. Software tests are not perfect in diagnosing these
issues.

There is also a known issue with that error and display settings. Try
reducing it in the advanced settings of the display applet (settings tab,
click advanced, should be on one of the tabs - which one depends on your
display adapter).

Another known issue requires the hotfix here:

Random "0x0000008E" Error Message on a Blue Screen in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=827663

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Graham]

snip oops 2003

So we visited the HCL and checked, did we? snip

What has Publisher, a DTP application, got to do with your hardware?! You
don't even know what version of Office you're running! Judging by your later
comments you have 2003, not XP! Can't you tell the difference?!

Yawn, getting boring. Try going into system etc. Digital signer for
the certified/capatible driver 'Microsoft Windows Publisher' ,go into
'File details' you'll find it changes to 'Microsoft Windows XP
Publisher'. Well blow me, even MS missed out the' XP' in the first
box.

No time and energy required - you just have to do your homework first (and
it's blatantly obvious you've not done that!)

Dead right there. No point asking you anything 'cause you don't seem
to know anything.

Have a nice day

Graham (yawn)