XP SP2 kills my computer!

[Paul Dolen]

First, a description of my hardware:

Athlon 64 3000+
Gigabyte GA-K8VT800
gig of 400 Mhz DDR.
Adaptec 2100S RAID controller
Qty 3 of 18 gigabyte Ultra160 drives configured stripped for
performance.
Enermax 550 watt power supply
APC UPS.

So, I've got a pretty dang good computer. It has run flawless with
SP1, never seen a blue screen. I've been keeping it up to date with
Automatic Update, and run Norton Antivirus and AdAware, and have a
hardware firewall. So, I'm pretty sure my machine is pretty clean of
virus/spyware/trogan etc.

So, I download the network install of SP2. Installation claims it goes
smoothly and tells me to reboot. Well, it doesn't get very far in the
boot cycle. I see the new splash screen for just a couple of seconds,
and then it spontaneously reboots.

I did find I could get it to come up in safe mode. So, I figured that
I would go ahead and make a repair install with an integrated install
(merging SP2 with my original install) from safe mode. This repair
install gets most of the way through. It did its reboot and came up
with the Windows install progress screen. Somewhere along the way, it
spontaneously reboots.

So, now, it again spontaneously reboots very early in the boot cycle.
But now I can't even get it to come up in safe mode, as it thinks it
is in the middle of an install and claims that safe mode is not
available.

Not wanting to give up, I go ahead and make a boot CD with an
integrated install and try another repair install that way. But before
I do so, I figure I should check the BIOS of my motherboard and my
RAID controller. I find that there are new firmware for both. So I go
ahead and flash them both. And then I boot from my integrated install
boot CD. Same results. Install aborts somewhere towards the end of the
install.

As far as driver for the Adaptec RAID, Adaptec's site says that the
driver that XP comes with is fine and they do not have any updated
driver for download.

Okay, at this point I had done a normal SP2 installation, plus two
attempts at a repair installation with integrated SP2. By this time, I
would think my computer was totally hosed. But I decide to try one
more thing. I get out a SP1 install disk and did a repair install with
that. Now my system came back up fine. Comes up just like I hadn't
down a thing, with all programs intact.

I downloaded SP2 again from MS just to be sure I didn't get a corrupt
version. I ran FC to compare my first download to my second download,
which checked out okay. So, I try installing SP2 one more time. Again
the install seems to go okay and tells me to reboot. And again,
computer spontaneously reboots early in boot process.

I just now thought that I should have tried to do a logged boot. But I
went ahead and did an uninstall of SP2. So, I'm too late. I guess
either I need to try to install SP2 again and try logging or I don't
know what. So, I just don't know what to do now. I suppose my best
bet would be to reinstall SP2 and do boot logging. Any other ideas?

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Paul,

one guess is that one of the drivers that gets replaced by SP2
is incompatible with your hardware.

If you could guess or find out which one, you could use the SP1
driver or the original driver.

Do you use any uncommon driver, like for the disk controller?

Hans-Georg

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

See the Service Pack Installation Checklist:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm

 

[Paul Dolend]

one guess is that one of the drivers that gets replaced by SP2

is incompatible with your hardware.

That would be my guess.

If you could guess or find out which one, you could use the SP1
driver or the original driver.

That's the trick. I already uninstalled SP2. I guess I need to
reinstall it again, and do a logged boot or something like that.
Would that likely help me track it down?

Do you use any uncommon driver, like for the disk controller?

As I noted in my hardware list, I have an Adaptec SCSI RAID. I also
noted that I had already checked Adaptec's site. I found updated
firmware for the controller, which I flashed, but that did not help.
But as far as Windows driver for it, the site specifically says the
driver that comes with XP for my card is correct and therefore there
are none available for download. However, it is possible that maybe
this became false for SP2, so I guess I need to watch Adaptec's site.

 

[Paul Dolend]

I looked over the checklist. Not a bad checklist, but I did do most
of it, such as I already noted that I have NAV and AdAware and ran
them. I also use PerfectDisk to defrag with nightly. And I even
tried doing an OS reinstall (using an integrated install) and still
had the same problem.

 

[Paul Dolend]

I wouldn't have thought it would be a video driver, but you could be
right. I guess I could try that.

 

[Guest]

Have a similar problem. Mine is related to Data Execute
Prevention being enabled. You can disable this by editing
boot.ini in safe mode. Copy your existing file before
making this change. There is a switch
called /noexecute=*. Change this to read just /execute.

Reboot into normal mode. If all starts well it means you
have a program trying to execute from memory that is
marked as data. From here you must ensure you have all
possible updates to your existing programs/drivers before
turning this back on.

Athlon 64s are the only hardware to support DEP at the
moment.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

That would be my guess.

That's the trick. I already uninstalled SP2. I guess I need to
reinstall it again, and do a logged boot or something like that.
Would that likely help me track it down?

Paul,

that's a possible way.

As I noted in my hardware list, I have an Adaptec SCSI RAID. I also
noted that I had already checked Adaptec's site. I found updated
firmware for the controller, which I flashed, but that did not help.
But as far as Windows driver for it, the site specifically says the
driver that comes with XP for my card is correct and therefore there
are none available for download. However, it is possible that maybe
this became false for SP2, so I guess I need to watch Adaptec's site.

I think this is one likely culprit. You could simply do without
SP2 for the time being and watch Adaptec's web site for a new
version, then test that with SP2 again. This requires the least
effort, but of course you can't be sure until then whether
you're barking up the wrong tree. I'd still go this way, because
there are probably other things to do in life. -)

Hans-Georg

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Have a similar problem. Mine is related to Data Execute
Prevention being enabled. You can disable this by editing
boot.ini in safe mode. Copy your existing file before
making this change. There is a switch
called /noexecute=*. Change this to read just /execute.

It should be: /NoExecute=AlwaysOff

But the current default setting of /NoExecute=OptIn should not
cause any problems either, because only software that actually
opts in will have DEP enabled.

You can make the change directly on the graphical user
interface, in My Computer, Properties, Advanced, System start,
Edit. No need to boot into safe mode.

Hans-Georg

 

[Paul Dolend]

Okay, I can try that too. Thanks.

 

[Randal Baker]

First, a description of my hardware:

Athlon 64 3000+
Gigabyte GA-K8VT800
gig of 400 Mhz DDR.
Adaptec 2100S RAID controller
Qty 3 of 18 gigabyte Ultra160 drives configured stripped for
performance.
Enermax 550 watt power supply
APC UPS.

So, I've got a pretty dang good computer. It has run flawless with
SP1, never seen a blue screen. I've been keeping it up to date with
Automatic Update, and run Norton Antivirus and AdAware, and have a
hardware firewall. So, I'm pretty sure my machine is pretty clean of
virus/spyware/trogan etc.

So, I download the network install of SP2. Installation claims it goes
smoothly and tells me to reboot. Well, it doesn't get very far in the
boot cycle. I see the new splash screen for just a couple of seconds,
and then it spontaneously reboots.

I did find I could get it to come up in safe mode. So, I figured that
I would go ahead and make a repair install with an integrated install
(merging SP2 with my original install) from safe mode. This repair
install gets most of the way through. It did its reboot and came up
with the Windows install progress screen. Somewhere along the way, it
spontaneously reboots.

So, now, it again spontaneously reboots very early in the boot cycle.
But now I can't even get it to come up in safe mode, as it thinks it
is in the middle of an install and claims that safe mode is not
available.

Not wanting to give up, I go ahead and make a boot CD with an
integrated install and try another repair install that way. But before
I do so, I figure I should check the BIOS of my motherboard and my
RAID controller. I find that there are new firmware for both. So I go
ahead and flash them both. And then I boot from my integrated install
boot CD. Same results. Install aborts somewhere towards the end of the
install.

As far as driver for the Adaptec RAID, Adaptec's site says that the
driver that XP comes with is fine and they do not have any updated
driver for download.

Okay, at this point I had done a normal SP2 installation, plus two
attempts at a repair installation with integrated SP2. By this time, I
would think my computer was totally hosed. But I decide to try one
more thing. I get out a SP1 install disk and did a repair install with
that. Now my system came back up fine. Comes up just like I hadn't
down a thing, with all programs intact.

I downloaded SP2 again from MS just to be sure I didn't get a corrupt
version. I ran FC to compare my first download to my second download,
which checked out okay. So, I try installing SP2 one more time. Again
the install seems to go okay and tells me to reboot. And again,
computer spontaneously reboots early in boot process.

I just now thought that I should have tried to do a logged boot. But I
went ahead and did an uninstall of SP2. So, I'm too late. I guess
either I need to try to install SP2 again and try logging or I don't
know what. So, I just don't know what to do now. I suppose my best
bet would be to reinstall SP2 and do boot logging. Any other ideas?

Paul,

My experience is the SAME! I have different hardware but have the
RAID 0 Array.

My system:

ASUS P4C800E-Deluxe
Intel 3.2 Ghz Prescott
1 GB RAM
2 160 GB SATA drives in RAID 0 Array
MSI FX 5700 256 MB AGP 8X
Plextor 712 DVD & CD writer
Toshiba CD/DVD ROM Drive
NEC 19" Viewsonic Flat Screen
Logitech MX Duo cordless
Integrated LAN
Integrated Sound
Enermax 465W


I've spent a week trying to recover. I used the same Network Install
you've used and I absolutely refuse to try again. I've turned off
auto-updates from MS until I can feel comfortable again.

I don't think the homework has been done regarding RAID for XP SP2
installs. If you are getting the exact results I'm getting with
different equipment, I'm thinking the problem lies with MS. I don't
know how to prove this.

If you get a solution please let me know. If I find a solution, I'll
let you know.

R.Baker

 

[Guest]

/Execute is also valid. See
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;875352

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

/Execute is also valid. See
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;875352

That article contains the following text:

"The boot.ini switches are as follows:
/noexecute – This is the default. DEP is enabled.
/execute - This disables DEP."

However, that text is wrong. When you look at your own Windows
XP installation, you can see that the /NoExecute switch has a
qualifier value like: /NoExecute=OptIn

This makes the article suspicious. However, I cannot say with
certainty whether the /execute switch works. Maybe, maybe not.

I would recommend to follow the following TechNet article
instead.

Changes to Functionality in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
Part 3: Memory Protection Technologies
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2mempr.mspx

The chapter: "What settings are added or changed in Windows XP
Service Pack 2?" explains the settings in detail. It doesn't
mention any /execute switch.

Hans-Georg

 

[Guest]

They both work. In each case you lose the ability to
change the settings through Control Panel. The DEP screen
is greyed out.

I do not know why there are two switches that do the same
thing. Poor standards control maybe.

I have an Athlon 64 CPU and am having trouble identifying
what is causing my blue screens with DEP turned on. All I
know at this stage is I get a 0x000000fc bugcheck which
according to that same article indicates a problem in the
kernel mode DEP. Hence the need to turn off DEP.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

They both work. In each case you lose the ability to
change the settings through Control Panel. The DEP screen
is greyed out.

I do not know why there are two switches that do the same
thing. Poor standards control maybe.

I have an Athlon 64 CPU and am having trouble identifying
what is causing my blue screens with DEP turned on. All I
know at this stage is I get a 0x000000fc bugcheck which
according to that same article indicates a problem in the
kernel mode DEP. Hence the need to turn off DEP.

One of the drivers, with the most likely culprit being the hard
disk controller driver.

No big deal, just leave DEP off for now and check regularly for
new drivers. Whenever you find a new driver, test it with DEP.

Hans-Georg

 

[Paul Dolen]

I don't think the homework has been done regarding RAID for XP SP2

installs.

I have found that my machine will work in either safe mode, or vga
mode, so it may be a VGA driver problem, but I have been unable to get
it fully fixed.

 

[Paul Dolen]

Did you happen to have an ATI video card? I have found my machine
will boot in safe mode or VGA mode, which makes me now suspect you are
right about it being a video driver issue. But it is very weird. I'm
going to start a new thread, "XP SP2 boots in VGA mode, but not in
normal mode."

 

[Paul Dolen]

But the current default setting of /NoExecute=OptIn should not

cause any problems either, because only software that actually
opts in will have DEP enabled.

Okay, that finally fixed my problem, turning noexecute to alwaysoff.
So, OptIn does cause problems on some systems. In the article:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2mempr.mspx

MS says that some systems have problems with PAE mode, which seems to
include mine, and to completely disable PAE mode takes turning off
DEP. I wonder how to fix that.

 

[Randal Baker]

I have found that my machine will work in either safe mode, or vga
mode, so it may be a VGA driver problem, but I have been unable to get
it fully fixed.

I'm not finding a solution. I haven't seen anything on the
motherboard, intel, microsoft web sites. I have found new drivers for
the Intel Raid and have installed them. I've also flashed my mobo
BIOS with the latest update. Some other things have been changed (for
positive) so I know the new bios is working. However, I haven't built
up the courage to try the SP2 install again. I'm now 10 days after my
initial wreckage and I have my system almost back fully. Before I
attempt anything, I'm going to perform a FULL backup. This was waaay
to painful. I have auto-updates turned off.

I'm probably not going to get around to trying again until later in
September. I'm going on vacation soon and I can't afford to screw up
the system again prior to departure.

R.Baker

 

[crowman]

First, a description of my hardware:

Athlon 64 3000+
Gigabyte GA-K8VT800

lets refocus on these parts..as I attempted an install on brothers
computer and it shares these two components.

although the motherboard he has is a seanix variant K8M800M .

So .. CPU ..doubtful

So perhaps the motherboard or one of its onboard features is the
issue.

Wish i could find more details on his motherboard.. but it seems
remarkably similar to the gigabyte board. It has the same onboard
componnets as the gigabyte board as well.. lan.video and audio as
desribed on gigabytes page.