Random crashes - please help?

[thx1138xxix]

Hello,

I was hoping someone in here could help me with a problem I've been
having with my computer crashing.

I'm not ~exactly~ sure when this all started, but it was well over a
year ago (my computer is about 4 years old). About every 30 days or so
my computer would just restart. I didn't think much of it since it
only happened about once a month. But then it started happening more
often. So I turned off the auto-restarts and started looking at the
BSOD's and sending error reports to Microsoft.

The BSOD's weren't always the same.. I'd get anything from
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, PAGEFAULT_IN_A_NON_PAGED_AREA, or
something else. And it's VERY random! Sometime I'll get a BSOD after 2
days.. sometimes in a week.. the longest I've gone without a blue
screen is 42 days.

A couple times the error report said that it was my anti-virus program
causing the problem. The computer came with Norton AV 2000 installed.
But when the subscription ran out.. I uninstalled Norton and installed
Avast. Microsoft advised that I check services to see if I don't have
two AV programs running at the same time. I have AVG Anti Spyware and
Spybot S&D installed which are compatible with Avast. So that can't be
the problem. I've also been told it might be a memory problem.. or a
driver problem.

The last BSOD said that the crash was caused by a device driver.. but
how can I find out ~which~ driver? I looked at the event viewer and
this is what was in it..


Event Type: Error
Event Source: System Error
Event Category: (102)
Event ID: 1003
Date: 4/12/2008
Time: 1:33:01 PM
User: N/A
Description:
Error code 1000000a, parameter1 00000004, parameter2 0000001c,
parameter3 00000001, parameter4 804e1476.


I've been researching this problem online for so long.. but can't seem
to narrow down what the problem could be. Could anyone please help?
I'm at wits end.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!

Some info on my system:

It's a Pentium IV 2.80Ghz
504 MB of Ram and a 160 GB hard drive
Running Windows XP Home Edition (v.2002) Service Pack 2

 

[Malke]

Hello,

I was hoping someone in here could help me with a problem I've been
having with my computer crashing.

I'm not ~exactly~ sure when this all started, but it was well over a
year ago (my computer is about 4 years old). About every 30 days or so
my computer would just restart. I didn't think much of it since it
only happened about once a month. But then it started happening more
often. So I turned off the auto-restarts and started looking at the
BSOD's and sending error reports to Microsoft.

The BSOD's weren't always the same.. I'd get anything from
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, PAGEFAULT_IN_A_NON_PAGED_AREA, or
something else. And it's VERY random! Sometime I'll get a BSOD after 2
days.. sometimes in a week.. the longest I've gone without a blue
screen is 42 days.

A couple times the error report said that it was my anti-virus program
causing the problem. The computer came with Norton AV 2000 installed.
But when the subscription ran out.. I uninstalled Norton and installed
Avast. Microsoft advised that I check services to see if I don't have
two AV programs running at the same time. I have AVG Anti Spyware and
Spybot S&D installed which are compatible with Avast. So that can't be
the problem. I've also been told it might be a memory problem.. or a
driver problem.

The last BSOD said that the crash was caused by a device driver.. but
how can I find out ~which~ driver? I looked at the event viewer and
this is what was in it..


Event Type: Error
Event Source: System Error
Event Category: (102)
Event ID: 1003
Date: 4/12/2008
Time: 1:33:01 PM
User: N/A
Description:
Error code 1000000a, parameter1 00000004, parameter2 0000001c,
parameter3 00000001, parameter4 804e1476.


I've been researching this problem online for so long.. but can't seem
to narrow down what the problem could be. Could anyone please help?
I'm at wits end.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!

Some info on my system:

It's a Pentium IV 2.80Ghz
504 MB of Ram and a 160 GB hard drive
Running Windows XP Home Edition (v.2002) Service Pack 2

You've done a great job of troubleshooting this. Thanks for giving all the
excellent detail. Because the failures are random and because the Stop
Errors are different, I would look to hardware failure first as the cause.

I would start by testing the RAM and then the hard drive. This link will
show you how:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Also make sure the computer isn't overheating. When was the last time you
cleaned out all the dust bunnehs?

Malke

 

[thx1138xxix]

You've done a great job of troubleshooting this. Thanks for giving all the
excellent detail. Because the failures are random and because the Stop
Errors are different, I would look to hardware failure first as the cause.

I would start by testing the RAM and then the hard drive. This link will
show you how:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Also make sure the computer isn't overheating. When was the last time you
cleaned out all the dust bunnehs?

Hello Malke

Thank you so much for your reply!

I haven't tested the RAM yet, but I have cleaned out the tower.
Although that was about six months ago and perhaps I didn't do a
thorough job.. I'll have to do that again.

I can't be certain if the computer is overheating, how would I know?
The fans all seem to be operating properly as far as I can tell.

I had someone check the last two minidump files my computer made and
he found this..

"Probably caused by : Teefer.sys ( Teefer+adc6 " - Teefer.sys is a
part of Sygate firewall.

And the second one "Probably caused by : aswMon2.SYS ( aswMon2+350f )"
aswMon2.SYS is an Avast component.

Now I'm more confused than I was before, I mean if these files are the
probable cause of my blue screens.. then one would assume that all I
need to do is uninstall both Avast and Sygate and all will be fine,
correct?

However, I've been using the Sygate firewall since I first bought my
computer 4 years ago.. and didn't have any blue screens for a good two
years ( I chose Sygate because it seemed to be the less buggy of all
the free firewall programs). And I know many people who use Avast and
have no problem with it.

Also, if these programs were the source of my problems.. wouldn't my
system crash more often? Even though my system has been crashing more
frequetly lately .. I've gone so long as 42 days with ~no~ problems..
and these programs are ~always~ running in the background.

Even though the minidumps point to these files as the probable source
of my problem.. could it be possible it's something else? If so.. how
can I find out what it could be?

So now I don't know what to do now.. what would be my next course of
action? Anyone?

 

[Malke]

Hello Malke

Thank you so much for your reply!

I haven't tested the RAM yet, but I have cleaned out the tower.
Although that was about six months ago and perhaps I didn't do a
thorough job.. I'll have to do that again.

I can't be certain if the computer is overheating, how would I know?
The fans all seem to be operating properly as far as I can tell.

I had someone check the last two minidump files my computer made and
he found this..

"Probably caused by : Teefer.sys ( Teefer+adc6 " - Teefer.sys is a
part of Sygate firewall.

And the second one "Probably caused by : aswMon2.SYS ( aswMon2+350f )"
aswMon2.SYS is an Avast component.

Now I'm more confused than I was before, I mean if these files are the
probable cause of my blue screens.. then one would assume that all I
need to do is uninstall both Avast and Sygate and all will be fine,
correct?

However, I've been using the Sygate firewall since I first bought my
computer 4 years ago.. and didn't have any blue screens for a good two
years ( I chose Sygate because it seemed to be the less buggy of all
the free firewall programs). And I know many people who use Avast and
have no problem with it.

Also, if these programs were the source of my problems.. wouldn't my
system crash more often? Even though my system has been crashing more
frequetly lately .. I've gone so long as 42 days with ~no~ problems..
and these programs are ~always~ running in the background.

Even though the minidumps point to these files as the probable source
of my problem.. could it be possible it's something else? If so.. how
can I find out what it could be?

So now I don't know what to do now.. what would be my next course of
action? Anyone?

Well, your next course of action is to uninstall Sygate and Avast since you
have some information pointing to those programs! Both firewalls and
antivirus programs use low-level drivers and can cause problems. I also
used Sygate on my Windows machines for years but found that it started
causing issues. I don't know if it was a combination of updates, other
software, whatever, but I uninstalled Sygate on all my Windows boxen and
have had no issues with network connectivity since then.

I like Avast and use it on my Windows machines and for clients who want a
free antivirus (NOD32 for a paid one). Occasionally I'll run across a
machine where Avast just won't play nicely. This can happen with other
antivirus programs, too.

So uninstall Sygate and use the built-in XP firewall, which is adequate for
most people. Disconnect from the Internet and run your computer for a
useful period of time without installing a different antivirus. If all is
well, then try another AV program. As I said, I really like NOD32 but if
you want a free program aside from Avast, try Avira. Lots of people like
AVG; I'm not fond of it any more but others whom I respect still like it.

Malke

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

A Pentium 4 generally benefits from a thermally advantaged case (search
Intel's website on "thermally advantaged" for the specs) with a full set of
case fans. You should be able to download a utility from the mobo
manufacturer's website to monitor the cpu temps. The ambient temp is harder
to monitor, but cleaning out the data bunnies is important and the use of
rounded cables instead of ribbon cables for the hard drives and optical
drives to increase airflow inside the box is also a good idea. Make sure
the case is off the floor (I use a simple caddy) and that there are several
inches of free space on all sides of the box.

You've done a great job of troubleshooting this. Thanks for giving all the
excellent detail. Because the failures are random and because the Stop
Errors are different, I would look to hardware failure first as the cause.

I would start by testing the RAM and then the hard drive. This link will
show you how:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Also make sure the computer isn't overheating. When was the last time you
cleaned out all the dust bunnehs?

Hello Malke

Thank you so much for your reply!

I haven't tested the RAM yet, but I have cleaned out the tower.
Although that was about six months ago and perhaps I didn't do a
thorough job.. I'll have to do that again.

I can't be certain if the computer is overheating, how would I know?
The fans all seem to be operating properly as far as I can tell.

I had someone check the last two minidump files my computer made and
he found this..

"Probably caused by : Teefer.sys ( Teefer+adc6 " - Teefer.sys is a
part of Sygate firewall.

And the second one "Probably caused by : aswMon2.SYS ( aswMon2+350f )"
aswMon2.SYS is an Avast component.

Now I'm more confused than I was before, I mean if these files are the
probable cause of my blue screens.. then one would assume that all I
need to do is uninstall both Avast and Sygate and all will be fine,
correct?

However, I've been using the Sygate firewall since I first bought my
computer 4 years ago.. and didn't have any blue screens for a good two
years ( I chose Sygate because it seemed to be the less buggy of all
the free firewall programs). And I know many people who use Avast and
have no problem with it.

Also, if these programs were the source of my problems.. wouldn't my
system crash more often? Even though my system has been crashing more
frequetly lately .. I've gone so long as 42 days with ~no~ problems..
and these programs are ~always~ running in the background.

Even though the minidumps point to these files as the probable source
of my problem.. could it be possible it's something else? If so.. how
can I find out what it could be?

So now I don't know what to do now.. what would be my next course of
action? Anyone?

 

[thx1138xxix]

Well, your next course of action is to uninstall Sygate and Avast since you
have some information pointing to those programs! Both firewalls and
antivirus programs use low-level drivers and can cause problems. I also
used Sygate on my Windows machines for years but found that it started
causing issues. I don't know if it was a combination of updates, other
software, whatever, but I uninstalled Sygate on all my Windows boxen and
have had no issues with network connectivity since then.

I like Avast and use it on my Windows machines and for clients who want a
free antivirus (NOD32 for a paid one). Occasionally I'll run across a
machine where Avast just won't play nicely. This can happen with other
antivirus programs, too.

So uninstall Sygate and use the built-in XP firewall, which is adequate for
most people. Disconnect from the Internet and run your computer for a
useful period of time without installing a different antivirus. If all is
well, then try another AV program. As I said, I really like NOD32 but if
you want a free program aside from Avast, try Avira. Lots of people like
AVG; I'm not fond of it any more but others whom I respect still like it.

Malke

Hi Malke

I'm slowly ruling things out. I ran the Windows Memory Diagnostic for
a few hours.. and there were no errors. I still need to clean out my
tower, which I'll probably do this weekend.

I also tried things like disabling hyperthreading (which I heard can
cause BSOD's).. didn't help so I turned it back on. I deleted my old
pagefile.sys and created a new one thinking maybe the virual memory
got corrupted. I also tried turning off the indexing service which I
heard can cause a system to crash. None of these seemed to help.

I'd ~really~ hate to uninstall Sygate because for one.. I do not like
the idea of going online without a firewall ( XP's just monitors
incoming data.. not outgoing ). And two, I'm ~very~ used to Sygate. If
I were to uninstall it.. I would need a substitute. I just don't feel
safe online without a firewall. And the choice of good free ones are
pretty slim.

Same goes for an anti-virus program. I don't download a lot of
programs.. and when I do 99% of the time it's from a trusted source.
And when I browse the web.. I tend to stay away from sites I don't
trust. But nonetheless.. I feel more secure with an AV program running
in the background. So as with Sygate.. if I were to uninstall Avast..
I'd most definitely need a replacement.

So, if I don't find any solutions and my system continues to crash
frequently.. as a last resort I'll uninstall Sygate and find a new
firewall. And if the problem still persists.. I'll then uninstall
Avast and find another AV program.

Thanks again for replying!

ps) Any other advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[thx1138xxix]

A Pentium 4 generally benefits from a thermally advantaged case (search
Intel's website on "thermally advantaged" for the specs) with a full set of
case fans.  You should be able to download a utility from the mobo
manufacturer's website to monitor the cpu temps.  The ambient temp is harder
to monitor, but cleaning out the data bunnies is important and the use of
rounded cables instead of ribbon cables for the hard drives and optical
drives to increase airflow inside the box is also a good idea.  Make sure
the case is off the floor (I use a simple caddy) and that there are several
inches of free space on all sides of the box.

Hi Colin

Thank you for the reply! I will do as you suggested and do a search
for a thermally advantaged case.. and I'll definitely clean out my
tower when I get a chance.

Just out of curiosity, if my system's problem ~is~ heat related..
would a mini dump falsely point to a file or driver being the source
of the problem?

 

[Guardian]

I think your problem is HDD related, i give you a 5% chance to be heat
related, another 5% to be just windows (have you tried to reinstall
windows??), and about 90% to be your HDD. Try EasyRecovery Professional if u
can get your hands on it, or any other HDD diagnostic program.

Hope this helps..

Guardian