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#1
foot

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My pc keeps crashing. Most of the time while running a server for gaming with only a few people in it. My OLD dell ran well but I needed an up grade. My temps are good , my net speed is fine , I have 600 watts of good steady power , and it usually does ok when not gaming. Sometimes when I exit ut2004 it just freezes and leaves no choice but the reset button.I am beginning to suspect the hard drive and I have run chkdisk and I thought it helped but then it resumed its nefarious behavior.This may or may not be the cause but are there any free disk checking tools better than windows own? Windows utilities are ok but they not exactly stellar.With what seems like a lot of memory errors that I can't decipher a utility would be handy.My specs are:pentium4 930 dual corewhich is not enabled at this time , 1 gig of corsair ram , 1 80 gig hitachi deskstar hd 300 gb sat , 2 7800 gt's , 1 plextor cd/dvdrw , 1lite-on cd/dvd rom.I have reformatted so many times I had to call Microsoft to activate . I am running xp sp 1 because when I load sp2 itseems to get worse.Thanks for any help
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#2
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Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this

Check the anti virus is running after the reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor


Look at HD Tune

http://www.hdtune.com/

Check the video adapter drivers
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#3
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I completed all tasks and nothing major was found.No bad sectors on the hard drive.Everything optimized. So I played a few boards and when I came out to desk top everything froze and of course the infamous beep and reboot occurred.No error message.
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#4
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Download Memtest

Run it overnight if possible

Using Memtest

If you click start, right click my computer, click properties, click advanced, click settings for start up and recovery, clear the tick for automatically restart, click OK. This will give a blue screen with an error message, you can replace the tick later

You can use event viewer

How to use Event Viewer to view and manage Event Logs in Windows XP

Event Viewer

In Windows XP, an event is any significant occurrence in the system or in a program that requires users to be notified, or an entry added to a log. The Event Log Service records application, security, and system events in Event Viewer. With the event logs in Event Viewer, you can obtain information about your hardware, software, and system components, and monitor security events on a local or remote computer. Event logs can help you identify and diagnose the source of current system problems, or help you predict potential system problems.

Event Log Types

A Windows XP-based computer records events in the following three logs:

• Application log

The application log contains events logged by programs. For example, a database program may record a file error in the application log. Events that are written to the application log are determined by the developers of the software program.

• Security log

The security log records events such as valid and invalid logon attempts, as well as events related to resource use, such as the creating, opening, or deleting of files. For example, when logon auditing is enabled, an event is recorded in the security log each time a user attempts to log on to the computer. You must be logged on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group in order to turn on, use, and specify which events are recorded in the security log.

• System log

The system log contains events logged by Windows XP system components. For example, if a driver fails to load during startup, an event is recorded in the system log. Windows XP predetermines the events that are logged by system components.

How to View Event Logs

To open Event Viewer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.

2. In the console tree, click Event Viewer.

The Application, Security, and System logs are displayed in the Event Viewer window.

How to View Event Details

To view the details of an event, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.

2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that contains the event that you want to view.

3. In the details pane, double-click the event that you want to view.

The Event Properties dialog box containing header information and a description of the event is displayed.

To copy the details of the event, click the Copy button, then open a new document in the program in which you want to paste the event (for example, Microsoft Word), and then click Paste on the Edit menu.

To view the description of the previous or next event, click the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW.

How to Interpret an Event

Each log entry is classified by type, and contains header information, and a description of the event.

Event Header

The event header contains the following information about the event:

• Date - The date the event occurred.

• Time - The time the event occurred.

• User - The user name of the user that was logged on when the event occurred.

• Computer - The name of the computer where the event occurred.

• Event ID - An event number that identifies the event type. The Event ID can be used by product support representatives to help understand what occurred in the system.

• Source - The source of the event. This can be the name of a program, a system component, or an individual component of a large program.

• Type - The type of event. This can be one of the following five types: Error, Warning, Information, Success Audit, or Failure Audit.

• Category - A classification of the event by the event source. This is primarily used in the security log.

Event Types

The description of each event that is logged depends on the type of event. Each event in a log can be classified into one of the following types:

• Information

An event that describes the successful operation of a task, such as an application, driver, or service. For example, an Information event is logged when a network driver loads successfully.

• Warning
An event that is not necessarily significant, however, may indicate the possible occurrence of a future problem. For example, a Warning message is logged when disk space starts to run low.

• Error

An event that describes a significant problem, such as the failure of a critical task. Error events may involve data loss or loss of functionality. For example, an Error event is logged if a service fails to load during startup.

• Success Audit (Security log)
An event that describes the successful completion of an audited security event. For example, a Success Audit event is logged when a user logs on to the computer.

• Failure Audit (Security log)

An event that describes an audited security event that did not complete successfully. For example, a Failure Audit may be logged when a user cannot access a network drive.

How to Find Events in a Log

The default view of event logs is to list all its entries. If you want to find a specific event, or view a subset of events, you can either search the log, or you can apply a filter to the log data.

How to Search for a Specific Log Event

To search for a specific log event, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.

2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that contains the event that you want to view.

3. On the View menu, click Find.

4. Specify the options for the event that you want to view in the Find dialog box, and then click Find Next.
The event that matches your search criteria is highlighted in the details pane. Click Find Next to locate the next occurrence of an event as defined by your search criteria.

How to Filter Log Events

To filter log events, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.

2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that contains the event that you want to view.

3. On the View menu, click Filter.

4. Click the Filter tab (if it is not already selected).

5. Specify the filter options that you want, and then click OK.

Only events that match your filter criteria are displayed in the details pane.

To return the view to display all log entries, click Filter on the View menu, and then click Restore Defaults.

How to Manage Log Contents

By default, the initial maximum of size of a log is set to 512 KB, and when this size is reached, new events overwrite older events as needed. Depending on your requirements, you can change these settings, or clear a log of its contents.

How to Set Log Size and Overwrite Options

To specify log size and overwrite options, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.
2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then right-click the log in which you want to set size and overwrite options.

3. Under Log size, type the size that you want in the Maximum log size box.

4. Under When maximum log size is reached, click the overwrite option that you want.

5. If you want to clear the log contents, click Clear Log.

6. Click OK.

How to Archive a Log

If you want to save your log data, you can archive event logs in any of the following formats:
• Log-file format (.evt)
• Text-file format (.txt)
• Comma-delimited text-file format (.csv)

To archive a log, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.

2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then right-click the log in which you want to archive, and then click Save Log File As.

3. Specify a file name and location where you want to save the file. In the Save as type box, click the format that you want, and then click Save.
The log file is saved in the format that you specified.

REFERENCES

For more information about a specific event or error, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft...entserrors.mspx

For additional information about how to use Event Viewer, see Event Viewer Help. (In the Event Viewer snap-in or Computer Management window, on the Action menu, click Help).


APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
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#5
foot

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I am trying to get the image to burn on my roxio but so far it wont boot even with "make a bootable disk" option.as for the event viewer I have been in it many timesand can't decipher it enough to do any good even following the ms link.but I will keep trying.I have several saved errors but noone can decipher them except everyone believes like me that it is a memory error.Thanks and Ill be working on it after work for the next several days to see what shakes loose.
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#6
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This is free, will burn an ISO Image and you may get on with it better

http://www.cdburnerxp.se/features.php
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#7
foot

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The test made 32 passes overnight with no errors found yet .I will finish up tonight with a twenty 24 hr run.I did notice a couple of things that did not look right maybe I just dont know this program.My front side bus is listed at 200 which I thought it should be 800.It lists my mother board with ddr2 ram which is correct but at another spot it says ddr333 166 mhz.Maybe memory for somet5hing else?Any way I should have something more when I get home maybe.
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#8
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After a 24 hr run I returned 1 error.Test 8 pass 35.Failing address 0003b45bc84,948.6mb.Good 00000000
bad,ff000000. err-bits ff-000000.btw my cas is 5 5 5 15,if it matters.Thanks.
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#9
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I got this a few moments ago.Just surfin and she croaked.
c:\windows\minidump\mini062406-01.dmp
z:\docume~1\foot\locals~1\temp\wer4.tmp.dir00\sysdata.xml

Edited by foot, 24 June 2006 - 09:19 PM.

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#10
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Can you check the device drivers are up to date, soundcard, video card etc then run test 8 of memtest for a while
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#11
foot

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I ran memtest for almost 200 passes on test 8 and no errors.Gonna run it all night tonight.I got a new driver from nvidia just out 2 days ago.Ran it hard for a while no crashes but I am way to skeptical after this long(several weeks) to get my hopes up.I have tried things that appeared to work for a short while but didn't.Gonna put it through its paces over the next week to see if i can get it to croak.I guess only time will tell.once I serve a few rounds I will know something one way or another.Thanks for all your help but who knows I may be back in a day or two .
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#12
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Thank You for the update

It's safe to say the memory is OK but you can continue to run memtest if you want to

Hope it goes well
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#13
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ok here I am again. I finally rounded up enough hardware to swap parts out to track my crashing problem and I decided to start with a fresh install of windows.Near thye end of sp2 set up It locked up.The clock even stopped dead.This is not the first time this has happened.I cannot boot now because the following file is corrupt or missing:<windows root>\system32\ntoskrn.exe Is this pointing to my original suspicions of the hard drive or could it possibly be the processor or something on mobo.Im thinking about putting in the borrowed hd and going from there.Thanks for any help.
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#14
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Try this, if no change, put the other drive in because you haven't got any data on yet

Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Start the System Restore Utility at a command prompt

1. Restart your computer, and keep tapping F8 during the initial start-up until you get options, select Safe Mode with a Command Prompt then press enter.

2. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials.

3. Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to an earlier state.

Look for the most recent system checkpoint created before the errors to restore from

For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, click 315222 to see a description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP

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#15
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Ok , my friends hard drive crashed.Then I put in his ram and so far it has not crashed but it still is notquiet right. i have noticed now that when I boot up that the screen goes dark for a moment or so like it is not going to make it then it gboots up just fine.Still when I launch the game I get a sharp crackle sound wise and also when I exit the game.The only difference between his ram and mine other than brand is he has one stick of 1024 and I have 2 sticks of 512. My board supports way more than I can put in it.His cas timing is listed as 5 5 5 15 which is what my bios shows to be at. Is it possible that the timing is not compatible with my ram? I havecorsair value select-vs512mb667d2 but no timing is listed on mine but it is on his.The slight jumps and weird boot scenario make me wonder if off timing could be causing this.I really don't know squat about this particular subject other than lower latency's equal speed and performance.I have been looking for my ram but have not found it yet to reference the timing.However this could be non related as I still have not swapped video cards but am waiting to see if it crashes.If it doesnt then somehow I want to believe this is related to the memory.I dont think it is necessarily bad just something I have never fooled with is a little off.oh , my mobo is a p5n32 sli deluxe [asus]if it matters and I have overclocked nothing.
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