Windows XP - Debugging BSOD - Degree in Super-Advanced Hyperdimensional Physics

[Damaeus]

Okay, I've been having a nagging BSOD problem ever since I reinstalled
windows. The only thing I can tell so far is that some driver is causing
the problem, yet these are the same drivers I've used in the past with no
problem.

So I decided to try the Debugging Tools for Windows to open a minidump file
generaged by the last bluescreen. I have to install symbols, image paths
and a bunch of other stuff. I'm no flake on the computer having been using
them for about 19 years, but this is WAAAY over my head.

And besides, I need a whole gigabyte of space on the disk to install the
symbol files, I'm only on a dialup connection and so it might be impossible
to download since my ISP has a policy of disconnecting users after 12 hours
of being online, regardless of activity. A download manager would help,
but the irritation doesn't stop there. Then there's a particular order you
must install the symbols. First for the operating system, then for the
service pack, then for any hotfixes installed after the service pack.

Reading the help file, it looks like it would probably take a month just to
climb the learning curve.

Is there any simplified way to figure out what driver is causing the
problem?

Thanks,
Damaeus

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

Okay, I've been having a nagging BSOD problem ever since I reinstalled
windows. The only thing I can tell so far is that some driver is
causing the problem, yet these are the same drivers I've used in the
past with no problem.

So I decided to try the Debugging Tools for Windows to open a
minidump file generaged by the last bluescreen. I have to install
symbols, image paths and a bunch of other stuff. I'm no flake on the
computer having been using them for about 19 years, but this is WAAAY
over my head.

And besides, I need a whole gigabyte of space on the disk to install
the symbol files, I'm only on a dialup connection and so it might be
impossible to download since my ISP has a policy of disconnecting
users after 12 hours of being online, regardless of activity. A
download manager would help, but the irritation doesn't stop there.
Then there's a particular order you must install the symbols. First
for the operating system, then for the service pack, then for any
hotfixes installed after the service pack.

Reading the help file, it looks like it would probably take a month
just to climb the learning curve.

Is there any simplified way to figure out what driver is causing the
problem?

Thanks,
Damaeus

And you have told us absolutely nothing - how on *Earth* can anyone assist
you with a BSOD without the STOP code?

http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

 

[Joshua Smith [MSFT]]

Hi Damaeus,

There is actually a way to configure your debugger so it will get the
symbols it needs from a symbols server. That way you don't need to store
them all on your system or worry about install orders. Here is how to use
Microsoft's symbol server.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/symbols.mspx

If you use the symbol server it will figure out what the exact symbol you
need is and send only that one to you. Alternatively if you want a simpler
method you can send me your mini dumps and I will analyze them for you.

Joshua Smith
OpenGL Test Lab
Microsoft

 

[Damaeus]

In "Miss Perspicacia

And you have told us absolutely nothing - how on *Earth* can anyone assist
you with a BSOD without the STOP code?

http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

Well, thanks for the link. That will offer some hints the next time this
happens. I was trying to get the stop codes out of the minidump files, but
can't seem to get the debugging tools for Windows to work. I'm going to
have to wait for another bluescreen.

Damaeus

 

[David Candy]

Oh crap. It should be in event viewer and in a minidump somewhere.

 

[Damaeus]

In news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support, "Joshua Smith [MSFT]"

Hi Damaeus,

There is actually a way to configure your debugger so it will get the
symbols it needs from a symbols server. That way you don't need to store
them all on your system or worry about install orders. Here is how to use
Microsoft's symbol server.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/symbols.mspx

If you use the symbol server it will figure out what the exact symbol you
need is and send only that one to you.

Yeah, I did that. The result is pasted at the end of this message.

Alternatively if you want a simpler method you can send me your mini
dumps and I will analyze them for you.

That would be nice. I still need to learn to do this for future reference,
but I may send my latest dump file from 1/19 so you can see what's up.

Here's that text I got from the debugger. I only have the one computer, I
should point out, so I was unable to set up another computer to connect
with the IEEE 1394 cable.

Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version 6.3.0017.0
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


Loading Dump File [C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini011905-01.dmp]
Mini Kernel Dump File: Only registers and stack trace are available

Symbol search path is: SRV*c:\symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols
Executable search path is: c:\windows\i386
Unable to load image ntoskrnl.exe, Win32 error 2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for ntoskrnl.exe
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for ntoskrnl.exe
Windows XP Kernel Version 2600 (Service Pack 1) UP Free x86 compatible
Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS Personal
Kernel base = 0x804d4000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0x8054fdd0
Debug session time: Wed Jan 19 09:38:05 2005
System Uptime: 4 days 18:50:33.023
Unable to load image ntoskrnl.exe, Win32 error 2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for ntoskrnl.exe
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for ntoskrnl.exe
Loading Kernel Symbols
.................................................................................................................................
Loading unloaded module list
..................................................
Loading User Symbols
*******************************************************************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck D1, {0, 2, 0, e22398eb}

***** Kernel symbols are WRONG. Please fix symbols to do analysis.

Probably caused by : ntoskrnl.exe ( nt+59e23 )

Followup: MachineOwner

 

[Damaeus]

Oh crap. It should be in event viewer and in a minidump somewhere.

Yes. I know where the minidumps are. In another location in this thread,
I'm trying to figure what the problem is with the debugging tool I
downloaded. I'm trying to pull the codes from the last dozen or so
bluescreens I've had.

Damaeus

 

[David Candy]

Why don't you just read it from event viewer.

net hlpmsg 2

will tell youi what it means

 

[David Candy]

The SP2 symbol files are on the SP2 Update CD.

And it's only 1/2 a gig