Windows XP BSOD troubleshooting [incompatible software] [windows xp]
Q: Been getting random BSODs for a few weeks now and its really annoying. Whether its freezing or just reboot with the BSOD code: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL which usually means that the hardware or incompatible software.
My question is, is there a way around this problem? ie to find out if the hardware or software mess things? I do not remember installing any software or drivers that were not great. My computer is very smooth for 2 years now, so Im rather surprised that it starts this.
Is doing a hard drive failure begins a possibility? Is there a way to see the error in more detail?
thanks for any help
Best Answer: Yes its definitely the hard drive that is making you go mad. I would recommend you to try formatting the hard drive with low level option.
Also before performing low level format, I would recommend you to use some live CDs and check if the computer is functional or not. There could be some hardware error apart from hard drive as well. Try to use Linux Live CDs as they come free with almost all the leading computer magazine. If possible try to install Linux by creating new partition. I know that you may loose all your data but you have tried to re-partition the hard disk as well and I believe you have all the backup with you. If you do not have any Linux Live boot CDs with you, try downloading one from
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
If all works fine, you could now perform low level format and use NTFS full format while installing Windows XP again.
Hope you can get out of the situation. If not please write to me for more troubleshooting steps.
Cheers!
Xp Windows Cleaner (Clean Up Microsoft Windows
Re:What guy said. If you got a bad memory warning I'd do a Memtest pronto because bad memory will cause all kinds of errors that don't seem to be connected to faulty RAM.
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Re:Originally posted by: guy
I sure hope not
I underclocked my CPU to see if that might have helped the situation. So far no locks, but we'll see over the next day or two.
All the crashes I got this month are with this error except one where it's a memory_corruption error. I have the latest bios and I don't think there's a way to update AMDK8.sys, unless I am mistaken.. I don't see any drivers on the AMD site.
Never a bad idea to run memtest when having stability problems. You could be bitflipping your cpu and memory because of a PSU issue. Who knows?
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Re:I sure hope not
I underclocked my CPU to see if that might have helped the situation. So far no locks, but we'll see over the next day or two.
All the crashes I got this month are with this error except one where it's a memory_corruption error. I have the latest bios and I don't think there's a way to update AMDK8.sys, unless I am mistaken.. I don't see any drivers on the AMD site.
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Re:Stop A is frequently a driver problem.
In this case the driver appears to be your CPU driver and the box bugchecked while the idle process was running. You can see if there are driver updates for amdk8.sys from AMD and also see if there are BIOS updates available for your system (which would include microkernel updates). It's really looking like a bad CPU though.
Sorry
Ping dclive here on AT. His debugging kung-fu is far beyond mine.
Loading Dump File [XXomittedXX]
Mini Kernel Dump File: Only registers and stack trace are available
Symbol search path is: XXomittedXX
Executable search path is:
Windows XP Kernel Version 2600 (Service Pack 2) MP (2 procs) Free x86 compatible
Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS
Built by: 2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300
Kernel base = 0×804d7000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0×8055c700
Debug session time: Tue May 1 20:41:39.906 2007 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 6:40:54.610
Loading Kernel Symbols
………………………………………….. ………………………………………….. ………………………………………..
Loading User Symbols
Loading unloaded module list
………………..
************************************************** *****************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
************************************************** *****************************
Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.
BugCheck 1000000A, {0, ff, 0, 806e2ea0}
Unable to load image AmdK8.sys, Win32 error 2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for AmdK8.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for AmdK8.sys
Probably caused by : hardware ( AmdK8+3552 )
Followup: MachineOwner
———
0: kd> !analyze -v
************************************************** *****************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
************************************************** *****************************
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (a)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high. This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If a kernel debugger is available get the stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000000, memory referenced
Arg2: 000000ff, IRQL
Arg3: 00000000, value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
Arg4: 806e2ea0, address which referenced memory
Debugging Details:
——————
READ_ADDRESS: 00000000
CURRENT_IRQL: ff
FAULTING_IP:
hal!HalpClockInterrupt+4c
806e2ea0 8b1d00000000 mov ebx,dword ptr ds:[0]
CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 1
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR: 0xA
PROCESS_NAME: Idle
MISALIGNED_IP:
hal!HalpClockInterrupt+4c
806e2ea0 8b1d00000000 mov ebx,dword ptr ds:[0]
UNALIGNED_STACK_POINTER: 805503c1
LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER: from b95ee552 to 806e2ea0
STACK_TEXT:
805503c0 b95ee552 badb0d00 00000014 8055040c hal!HalpClockInterrupt+0×4c
WARNING: Stack unwind information not available. Following frames may be wrong.
80550430 ffdffc70 80527b3b ffdff000 8055b0a0 AmdK8+0×3552
80550450 805450cc 00000000 0000000e 00000000 0xffdffc70
80550454 00000000 0000000e 00000000 00000000 nt!KiIdleLoop+0×10 [XXomittedXX]
STACK_COMMAND: kb
FOLLOWUP_IP:
AmdK8+3552
b95ee552 ?? ???
SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX: 1
FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner
IMAGE_NAME: hardware
DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0
SYMBOL_NAME: AmdK8+3552
MODULE_NAME: hardware
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: IP_MISALIGNED
BUCKET_ID: IP_MISALIGNED
Followup: MachineOwner
———
Everything You Need to Know About Windows
Re:According to the debugger tool it was caused by "AMDK8+3552"? What does that mean? It's my processor causing these?
This is what it says:
BugCheck 1000000A, {0, ff, 0, 806e2ea0}
Unable to load image AmdK8.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for AmdK8.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for AmdK8.sys
Probably caused by : hardware ( AmdK8+3552 )
Followup: MachineOwner
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (a)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high. This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If a kernel debugger is available get the stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000000, memory referenced
Arg2: 000000ff, IRQL
Arg3: 00000000, value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
Arg4: 806e2ea0, address which referenced memory
Debugging Details:
——————
READ_ADDRESS: 00000000
CURRENT_IRQL: ff
FAULTING_IP:
hal!HalpClockInterrupt+4c
806e2ea0 8b1d00000000 mov ebx,dword ptr ds:[0]
CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 2
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR: 0xA
PROCESS_NAME: Idle
MISALIGNED_IP:
hal!HalpClockInterrupt+4c
806e2ea0 8b1d00000000 mov ebx,dword ptr ds:[0]
UNALIGNED_STACK_POINTER: 805503c1
LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER: from b95ee552 to 806e2ea0
STACK_TEXT:
805503c0 b95ee552 badb0d00 00000014 8055040c hal!HalpClockInterrupt+0×4c
WARNING: Stack unwind information not available. Following frames may be wrong.
80550430 ffdffc70 80527b3b ffdff000 8055b0a0 AmdK8+0×3552
80550450 805450cc 00000000 0000000e 00000000 0xffdffc70
80550454 00000000 0000000e 00000000 00000000 nt!KiIdleLoop+0×10
STACK_COMMAND: kb
FOLLOWUP_IP:
AmdK8+3552
b95ee552 ?? ???
SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX: 1
FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner
IMAGE_NAME: hardware
DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0
SYMBOL_NAME: AmdK8+3552
MODULE_NAME: hardware
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: IP_MISALIGNED
BUCKET_ID: IP_MISALIGNED
Followup: MachineOwner
———
Safety Critical Software Development
Re:Thanks for the replies. I uploaded the MiniDump file here: http://www.makeshift.ca/temp/Mini043006-01.dmp if anyone wants to have a look at it.
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Re:Seen this somewhere; probably related to bad memory.
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Re:Yes, there is a simple and very good way to troubleshoot BSODs. Windows will create a minidump or dumps that will give information on what is causing your BSODs.
They can be found at C Drive > Windows Folder > Minidump Folder > and inside the Minidump Folder are the Minidump files. I set up a special desktop folder and transfer them there because they are easier to access.
They can be read by the Microsoft Debugging Tool. Major Geeks explains how to set up the Debugging Tool. If this place allowed attachments I could have a quick look, but they don't, so I suggest joining the TechSpot Forums and posting them over there. Someone will read them for you.
Hope this helps.
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Tags: incompatible software, windows xp