[Helloween]

This past week my pc started randomly rebooting on me. I scanned for viruses and came back clean. Today i started getting that dreaded blue screen "physical memory dump." Now, based on past experience, i'm pretty sure this is a memory (RAM) issue. I swapped out both memory modules, Kingston 512MB Pc3500 chips and the machine still blue screened on me, is there is a program out there that can test the memory modules and see if they are failing? Any help is appreciated!

I'll try to check this thread and post replies to any Q's you guys/gals might have (i'm running XP, Abit mobo, radeon 9700 pro card, audigy 2 soundcard). This is the first time i've seen this kind of blue screen error on this machine which was built this past Summer.

tia.

 

[lan]

Try this for memory testing, http://www.memtest86.com/

It runs in DOS from a bootable CD that you make from an ISO image.

 

[Lando]

Pop the hood and check for bad caps.

 

[Helloween]

Quote:

Originally posted by Lando Pop the hood and check for bad caps.

Thanks for the link, unfortunately i'm not a solder veteran and would prefer not to hack up the mobo just yet, i swapped the memory modules into the second set of slots...lets see what happens today. I ran the memtest and after 4 hrs it was still running, passing every test and no fails, so i shut down for the night.

 

[Polygon]

Just remember that you might have a bad memory controller on the motherboard. Most harware caused reboots can usually be related to the power supply, processor, motherboard, and system memory. So don't rule any of those out. I would test them all.

 

[Helloween]

Quote:

Originally posted by Polygon Just remember that you might have a bad memory controller on the motherboard. Most harware caused reboots can usually be related to the power supply, processor, motherboard, and system memory. So don't rule any of those out. I would test them all.

Where can i find a program (or programs) to test out the remaining hardware parts that can cause these reboots?

 

[Polygon]

There is one I used to use called Trouble Shooter. It is a bootable DOS disk. It is kind of old and I don't know how accurate it is with newer hardware. I'll look around for some newer ones for you.

One problem is that I don't know of a program to test the power supply. You can always use a volt meter to see if the wattage is fluctuating but the best way would be to swap out the power supply if everything else is working fine.

 

[xtreme4099]

when did it start happening .... did it happen after installing something recently ...upgrading drivers .... new software ..windows updates ... etc ... need more information ... windows xp pro sp1? home ? NTFS ? you can just as a precaution you try setting your memory speed in the bios settings to normal .. instead of fast, turbo or optimal...how many sticks of memory do you have what speeds ?. hows hot is your computer running .... its something to do with xp .... usually theres an error code associated with these blue screens ... like near the top ... .like maybe something like : DRIVER IRQ NOT LESS OR EQUAL or STOP: 0x0000008E with error codes on the side... that may happen after updating something like drivers ... please do tell..

 

[Helloween]

Quote:

Originally posted by xtreme4099 when did it start happening .... did it happen after installing something recently ...upgrading drivers .... new software ..windows updates ... etc ... need more information ... windows xp pro sp1? home ? NTFS ? you can just as a precaution you try setting your memory speed in the bios settings to normal .. instead of fast, turbo or optimal...how many sticks of memory do you have what speeds ?. hows hot is your computer running .... its something to do with xp .... usually theres an error code associated with these blue screens ... like near the top ... .like maybe something like : DRIVER IRQ NOT LESS OR EQUAL or STOP: 0x0000008E with error codes on the side... that may happen after updating something like drivers ... please do tell..

Yep, i get that dreaded IRQ error you listed above. The only program i changed recently was Nero...i uninstalled and reinstalled Nero after my DVD writer started locking up when i first installed Nero. I reinstalled Nero maybe a week or two back and my pc ran fine up until this past wednesday, that's when the PC started rebooting (it even reboots while going thru the boot up sequence, which is freaky).

The issue with Nero was that my pc would lock up after popping in a cd in the drive, whether it was to burn a cdr or play a game. I have two sticks of memory, PC3500 memory (400MHz bus). I did recently update my windows drivers as usual, thru the typical windows updates page. My pc is running at 93.5 degrees farenheit. Nero is the only add/remove change i've done recently before this rebooting issue.

 

[xtreme4099]

is the dvd writer on the same cable as another drive .... or its own separate ide cable all by its lonesome self ... i have my dvd writer on its own ide cable on its own ide controller. XP would take like 10 minutes to boot if i used the motherboards controller for some damn reason ...or if it was on the same cable as another cd rom ...

 

[wallijonn]

you'll want to F8 into safe mode.

if you can make it into safe mode, then chances are that it is a driver. just recently I had installed the nVidia drivers without turning off McAfee. the result was a blue screen.

while you're in safe mode, check your error logs.

you may have to toggle DMA transfers on your CD/DVD.

i've heard that Nero 6 has problems. so you may want to remove it completely, just as you would if you had Norton products, and see if on a regular boot it goes away.

when was your last anti virus update? you may still have a virus or trojan.

 

[bootman]

Quote:

Originally posted by xtreme4099 is the dvd writer on the same cable as another drive .... or its own separate ide cable all by its lonesome self ... i have my dvd writer on its own ide cable on its own ide controller. XP would take like 10 minutes to boot if i used the motherboards controller for some damn reason ...or if it was on the same cable as another cd rom ...

Humm, I just started to have issues with my burner after using some new dvd+rw disks (TDK).

With the disk in I would have longer than normal boot times and I had the PC BSOD on me also on occation. (Nero 6 here too)
Without a disk in the reader, boot ups are fine.
I thought I may have some bad disks but now you guys have me thinking.
(I have a dvd burner and a cd burner on the same controller.)

I dual boot into w2k on occation, so I'll see if this seems to happen there too.

 

[Helloween]

Quote:

Originally posted by xtreme4099 is the dvd writer on the same cable as another drive .... or its own separate ide cable all by its lonesome self ... i have my dvd writer on its own ide cable on its own ide controller. XP would take like 10 minutes to boot if i used the motherboards controller for some damn reason ...or if it was on the same cable as another cd rom ...

I'm not sure if the dvd writer shares a ide cable, i think i'll uninstall Nero and see what happens...man, this program has turned out to be a $90 turd.

I've been using Trend Micro's pc-cilin, afaik, it hasn't caused any problems since its been installed from the beginning. I'll keep everyone apprised. Thanks for your help so far

I'll run another anti-virus scan on my pc for the hell of it too.

 

[lan]

$90 turd? *laffs* I've stayed away from version 6 of that software.

Are you overclocked any? How about dropping down the speed of CPU/FSB/memory?

It's tough to say it's a hardware problem or not.... if it was just a software problem, I'd recommend FORMAT

 

[xtreme4099]

nero 6 worx fine for me no probs ... do the one ide cable on the one ide interface things ... drives like it ...