[terokone]

Well, I'll get to the point/error:

MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION
0x0000009C (0x00000004, 0x80545FF0, 0xB2000000, 0x00070F0F)
In the form of a BSOD.

I get the BSOD when I try to install new software from a CD, or rip songs from CDs. Basically, anything involving my DVDROM drive copying data from CD/DVD to either one of the hard drives.

My last BSOD occured when I attempted to install Galactic Civilizations 2. The copying went to about 18% and then the BSOD appears with the MCE. The numerous times I've tried to install the game, the install percentages varied from 31% to 10%, and anything in-between. GC2 isn't the only thing either. I've attempted to rip songs from CDs and get the same error and also while attempting to install other games as well. I have heard, and seen, that Zonealarm can occasionally be a problem, but I've even tried shutting that down. That doesn't help either.

I would reinstall Windows, but I seem to have misplaced (read: lost) the CD. Same goes for a full reformat. I can't do anything without that Windows CD. The Windows installation is 1 year 2 months old.

I've reseated the cables for the hard drives and DVDROM, and set the DVDROM as primary slave instead of secondary master. My next attempt will be to reseat the memory.

Thanks ahead of time for any assistance.

EDIT: Forgot system specs.
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Gigabyte GA-K8NS
1024GB Corsair XMS Series DDR400
I also don't have a CD/DVDRW drive so I can't burn an ISO for memtest86 to test the memory.

Edited by terokone, 12 April 2006 - 11:37 PM.

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You can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD to run a system file check and also a repair, you need to use your product key, not the one from the borrowed CD

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter and reboot, this will take 1 or 2 hours, do not disturb this

You may receive the following Stop error message:

STOP: 0x0000009C (0x00000004, 0x00000000, 0xb2000000, 0x00020151)
"MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION"

The four parameters inside the parentheses may vary.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because your computer processor detected and reported an unrecoverable hardware error to Windows XP. To do this, the processor used the Machine Check Exception (MCE) feature of Pentium processors or the Machine Check Architecture (MCA) feature of some Pentium Pro processors. The following factors may cause this error message:

• System bus errors

• Memory errors that may include parity or Error Correction Code (ECC) problems

• Cache errors in the processor or hardware

• Translation Lookaside Buffers (TLB) errors in the processor

• Other CPU-vendor specific detected hardware problems

• Vendor-specific detected hardware problems

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

A machine check exception occurs when Windows XP and your hardware platform cannot recover from a hardware error so that the system can continue to run successfully and reliably. More specific diagnosis of machine check exceptions is difficult, and there is no general solution. Contact your hardware manufacturer or a computer hardware technician for help with troubleshooting this issue.

Machine check exceptions are frequently caused by one of the following conditions:

• You are running the processor or mainboard beyond its specifications. For example, you are overclocking the processor or bus. We recommend that you run your hardware at the manufacturer-rated speeds.

• Noisy power, overstressed power strips, outmatched power supplies and failing power supplies can destabilize your computer. Make sure that you have a stable, reliable power supply to your computer.

• Extreme thermal conditions caused by the failure of cooling devices such as fans may damage your computer. Make sure that your cooling devices are all working.

• You have damaged memory or memory that is not the correct type for your computer. If you recently changed the memory configuration, revert to the previous configuration to determine what is wrong. Make sure that you are using the correct memory for your computer.

Note Your hardware may support additional error logging features that capture the machine check exception and suggest a more specific solution.

The Pentium and Pentium Pro processors provide a mechanism to detect and to report hardware-related problems such as memory parity errors and cache errors. To signal a hardware error, the processor signals the detection of a machine check error by generating a machine check exception (Interrupt 18). Windows XP reports that the error occurred and displays parameters that you can use to decode the exception. Contact your hardware vendor or processor manufacturer for information about the Machine Check Architecture, or see the Intel Pentium Pro Family Developer's Manual - Volume 3: Operating System Writer's Manual.



APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional

[Retired Tech]

You can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD to run a system file check and also a repair, you need to use your product key, not the one from the borrowed CD

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter and reboot, this will take 1 or 2 hours, do not disturb this

You may receive the following Stop error message:

STOP: 0x0000009C (0x00000004, 0x00000000, 0xb2000000, 0x00020151)
"MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION"

The four parameters inside the parentheses may vary.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because your computer processor detected and reported an unrecoverable hardware error to Windows XP. To do this, the processor used the Machine Check Exception (MCE) feature of Pentium processors or the Machine Check Architecture (MCA) feature of some Pentium Pro processors. The following factors may cause this error message:

• System bus errors

• Memory errors that may include parity or Error Correction Code (ECC) problems

• Cache errors in the processor or hardware

• Translation Lookaside Buffers (TLB) errors in the processor

• Other CPU-vendor specific detected hardware problems

• Vendor-specific detected hardware problems

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

A machine check exception occurs when Windows XP and your hardware platform cannot recover from a hardware error so that the system can continue to run successfully and reliably. More specific diagnosis of machine check exceptions is difficult, and there is no general solution. Contact your hardware manufacturer or a computer hardware technician for help with troubleshooting this issue.

Machine check exceptions are frequently caused by one of the following conditions:

• You are running the processor or mainboard beyond its specifications. For example, you are overclocking the processor or bus. We recommend that you run your hardware at the manufacturer-rated speeds.

• Noisy power, overstressed power strips, outmatched power supplies and failing power supplies can destabilize your computer. Make sure that you have a stable, reliable power supply to your computer.

• Extreme thermal conditions caused by the failure of cooling devices such as fans may damage your computer. Make sure that your cooling devices are all working.

• You have damaged memory or memory that is not the correct type for your computer. If you recently changed the memory configuration, revert to the previous configuration to determine what is wrong. Make sure that you are using the correct memory for your computer.

Note Your hardware may support additional error logging features that capture the machine check exception and suggest a more specific solution.

The Pentium and Pentium Pro processors provide a mechanism to detect and to report hardware-related problems such as memory parity errors and cache errors. To signal a hardware error, the processor signals the detection of a machine check error by generating a machine check exception (Interrupt 18). Windows XP reports that the error occurred and displays parameters that you can use to decode the exception. Contact your hardware vendor or processor manufacturer for information about the Machine Check Architecture, or see the Intel Pentium Pro Family Developer's Manual - Volume 3: Operating System Writer's Manual.



APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional