recent surge of XP blue screens

[Iain Robinson]

Our company has several Dell XP Pro PCs and in the last month or two
we've seen almost all of them suffer from quite frequent blue screen
STOP errors (ranging from once a fortnight to maybe twice a week). They
are a mix of SP1 and SP2 and they all have Automatic Updates set to
download, although the actual installation of the updates will be
erratic as the updates are only installed when an administrator logs on.
I suspected that some Windows Update file was responsible, as they were
all okay and then suddenly most of them started having problems within a
week or so of each other. I looked around on the web to see if anyone
else was suffering from this recently but didn't find anything to
explain why this would suddenly start happening - plenty of advice on
interpreting specific STOP errors or interrogating minidumps, which I
will have to do.

There is one XP Pro PC that hasn't had any problems at all and the only
thing I could see that separated this PC from the others is that it has
no USB peripherals connected.

Anyone seen this and found a cure? Help!

TIA
Iain

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Apparently, you are eXPeriencing some type of hardware issue.
The recent Windows Updates have not caused any blue screen
issues with my PCs.

TROUBLESHOOTING WINDOWS STOP MESSAGES
http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.php

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Our company has several Dell XP Pro PCs and in the last month or two
| we've seen almost all of them suffer from quite frequent blue screen
| STOP errors (ranging from once a fortnight to maybe twice a week). They
| are a mix of SP1 and SP2 and they all have Automatic Updates set to
| download, although the actual installation of the updates will be
| erratic as the updates are only installed when an administrator logs on.
| I suspected that some Windows Update file was responsible, as they were
| all okay and then suddenly most of them started having problems within a
| week or so of each other. I looked around on the web to see if anyone
| else was suffering from this recently but didn't find anything to
| explain why this would suddenly start happening - plenty of advice on
| interpreting specific STOP errors or interrogating minidumps, which I
| will have to do.
|
| There is one XP Pro PC that hasn't had any problems at all and the only
| thing I could see that separated this PC from the others is that it has
| no USB peripherals connected.
|
| Anyone seen this and found a cure? Help!
|
| TIA
| Iain

 

[R. McCarty]

Do they have the Dell Automatic update facility running ? - Perhaps the
issues isn't Windows Updates but something Dell pushed to the PCs.
I wouldn't suspect that having USB peripherals is the cause either. Are
they (affected PCs) all the same model #s ? and are they equally setup
with the same driver versions ?
When posting with BSOD issues it always helps in analysis to have the
actual code or text of the message.
First thing I would check is Dell's website and apply all the available
driver updates for the PCs. I would also check their forums for postings
of other users with similar issue(s).

 

[Iain Robinson]

Do they have the Dell Automatic update facility running ? - Perhaps the
issues isn't Windows Updates but something Dell pushed to the PCs.
I wouldn't suspect that having USB peripherals is the cause either. Are
they (affected PCs) all the same model #s ? and are they equally setup
with the same driver versions ?
When posting with BSOD issues it always helps in analysis to have the
actual code or text of the message.
First thing I would check is Dell's website and apply all the available
driver updates for the PCs. I would also check their forums for postings
of other users with similar issue(s).

Thanks for your replies. They have the Windows Automatic Update running
- I've never heard of a Dell one (we're in the UK), so I'd have to say
'no'. They are all different model numbers - probably spread across
three different models with at least a year in between the newest and
the oldest in fact, so they will no doubt have different hardware/driver
versions.

I haven't got any of the STOP codes to hand but the two I have seen
first hand had different codes. 'BAD_POOL_CALLER' has been quoted to me
on more than one occasion. I think as this has happened to several
different PCs (different models) basically at the same time I was
looking for something that was triggering this off. Which is why I
haven't investigated the individual STOP errors yet - there's something
else at work. Maybe!

I'll start looking at the STOP codes now but would welcome any further
input from anyone on this annoying problem.

Iain

 

[Steve N.]

Apparently, you are eXPeriencing some type of hardware issue.

More likely driver issues, frequently caused by crappy Windows driver
updates that should never be used except in very rare cases. Update
drivers from the manufacturers, not from M$ updates. If you'd ever pay
attention around here you'd know that.

The recent Windows Updates have not caused any blue screen
issues with my PCs.

So what? "I don't have that problem on any of my computers." What kind
of advice is that? Tripe, that's what.

TROUBLESHOOTING WINDOWS STOP MESSAGES
http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.php

That site doesn't even touch the tip of the iceberg of BSODs. Oh, it's
good alright, just not good enough. I've encountered more BSOD messages
and error codes than that site lists, none of them resolved by any info
on that site.

Stick to the things you know Carey, even if they aren't much.

Steve N.

 

[w_tom]

What problems are stored in the Event (system) logs? What
does Device Manager report? (If you don't know where they
are, then use Windows HELP). Less hardware peripherals that
can crash a XP system. So your analysis would be limited to
only a few suspects. Furthermore, logs exist to record
problems so that the system recovers keeps working.

They are Dells. Breaking the problem down into part; then
verify the separate parts is made so much easier. Dells
provide comprehensive diagnostics even on hard drives (and
free on web site). When machine first powers up, press either
F2 or F10 (forgot which). Diagnostic verifies machine without
complication of Windows.

BTW, heat is a diagnostic tool. The best hardware test runs
with machine in a 100 degree F or 40 degree C room. This is
why other worry about heat - cure the symptom with more fans
rather than fix a defect. Heat (which is ideal temperature to
semiconductors) tends to make intermittent problems reveal
themselves; best time to run comprehensive diagnostics.

Once hardware has been verified, then move on to other usual
suspects - Windows or its drivers, malware, etc. Meanwhile,
standard procedure for any technical problem - always always
record all the numbers. Numbers are essential especially when
you don't know what those numbers mean. It is how one gets
better responses.