Recovering from Blue screen

[Guest]

Hello,

I noticed that if a Blue screen happens on the XPE image, I am unable to
boot into the Windows again. The only way is to reimage the disk. In XP Pro,
we probably can go into Safe mode. How can we do an equivalent in XP Embedded?

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Sorry, just to elaborate a little more:

The error was a Bad pool caller error. It didn't happen on our site, so I
couldn't see the details of what happened. However, it was reported that
after the Blue screen appeared after trying to install a driver, the user
couldn't get into the OS anymore (repeated blue screens once Win login is
reached).

I just read the posts on Safe mode, so I guess I have to put it in later.
However, what causes the problem of not being able to enter the OS again?
It's pretty serious to have to reimage the disk again.

Also, would it be accurate to say that due to the nature of componentization
of XPE, it is relatively less stable than XP Pro?

On another note, sometimes, if we plug out an USB drive while, say, the OS
is shutting down, a Blue screen also appears. I have seen this in both XP Pro
and XP E, but it's not always reproducible. Any reasons for this behaviour?

Thanks very much in advanced!

 

[KM]

Rei,

The error was a Bad pool caller error. It didn't happen on our site, so I

See if you can find more info about the BSOD on Google: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Bad+pool+caller&qt_s=Search

couldn't see the details of what happened. However, it was reported that
after the Blue screen appeared after trying to install a driver, the user
couldn't get into the OS anymore (repeated blue screens once Win login is
reached).

It is going to be hard to guess what might have happened with your image on site without any knowledge of components you've got
there.
But installing a driver on running XPe image already sounds scary. If it is a boot or kernel time driver and it may break your image
easy and you may end up with repeatable BSOD.

I just read the posts on Safe mode, so I guess I have to put it in later.

Hope you are running SP2. Safe mode component(s) are in SP2 repository.

However, what causes the problem of not being able to enter the OS again?
It's pretty serious to have to reimage the disk again.

Also, would it be accurate to say that due to the nature of componentization
of XPE, it is relatively less stable than XP Pro?

Nope. That'd totally depend on the images you create.
If not hardware, which is not accurate itself as we all use drivers, software related problems may appear on different levels -
drivers, kernel, applications, etc. There is a known unformal rule of system programming - more software you add to the system, less
stable the system becomes. Although it is too general statement and many other factors should be taken into account (like quality of
code, careful planning of system concepts, etc.), the baseline is that less components you have in your image, more stable it is
going to be.
E.g., a small Minlogon based image may appear to be really stable but, of course, you don't have much software running there by
default.

Btw, XP Kernel is written pretty good.

On another note, sometimes, if we plug out an USB drive while, say, the OS
is shutting down, a Blue screen also appears. I have seen this in both XP Pro
and XP E, but it's not always reproducible. Any reasons for this behaviour?

If you are with SP1, make sure to add this QFE:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...b9-ebe1-4c5b-9dd4-5c0eb387311e&displaylang=en

If doesn't help, I recommend you to search MS support knowledge base. Lots of USB issues have been reported on XP Pro and some even
fixed

 

[Guest]

Hi KM,

See if you can find more info about the BSOD on Google: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Bad+pool+caller&qt_s=Search

Thanks for the link! I did do a search in parallel to posting, but I guess I
need more information like the parameters of the error etc. Seems that the
error is related to memory, or maybe some driver/program is trying to access
memory wrongly. Could not adding virtual memory be a cause?

But installing a driver on running XPe image already sounds scary. If it is a boot or kernel time driver and it may break your image
easy and you may end up with repeatable BSOD.

Oh dear, it does sound scary. Why is it that such a driver may do such a
thing? And do you mean that it is only on XPE?

Hope you are running SP2. Safe mode component(s) are in SP2 repository.

Yes, it's SP2. Sorry for not looking first before asking

Btw, XP Kernel is written pretty good.

I agree with you on the software part. The more, the messier, and the
worse our lives become

If you are with SP1, make sure to add this QFE:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...b9-ebe1-4c5b-9dd4-5c0eb387311e&displaylang=en

It's on SP2.

If doesn't help, I recommend you to search MS support knowledge base. Lots of USB issues have been reported on XP Pro and some even
fixed

OK thanks a lot!!

 

[steves]

Yes it does! I have been terrified, proud, bored, interested, and said
'AHA!' many times during my explorations with XP embedded. Somehow,
with the Help of KM and Slobodan and the others, I seem to be getting
through it all. I suspect that you will too. Keep trying!

On another note, sometimes, if we plug out an USB drive while, say, the OS
is shutting down, a Blue screen also appears. I have seen this in both XP Pro
and XP E, but it's not always reproducible. Any reasons for this behaviour?

There is a setting for USB drives that governs whether you are allowed
to pull them out without using the 'safely eject hardware' wizard. It
is visible in the User Interface by opening the Device Manager
properties for the USB device and looking at the 'Policies' page, and
selecting "Optimize for Quick Removal"

This is difficult to change, because UBS devices are detected by the
Plug and Play system and every device has a unique serial number. You
can modify the 'Disk.inf' file to effectively change the default
setting for this value.

Also, search this newsgroup for these terms:
USB removal
"Optimize for Quick Removal"
ExpectSurpriseRemoval

SteveS
stevesATeyeDASHimagingDOTcom


SteveS
stevesATeyeDASHimagingDOTcom