[swisstonyholmes]

Hi this is my first post so here goes,

I've been setting up an old machine for a friend with a brand new hardrive running Windows XP, but every so often the system BSOD's on me. The reason for doing a clean install on a new hardrive was a) the original hardrive was running low on space and b) the old setup had viruses and also BSOD problems but no BSOD error messages were recorded until now. Before installing the new hardrive I thought I would run memtest for a while to see if any problems occurred, as I've had similar problems in the past with BSOD and it was the RAM at fault. No such luck here though memtest ran for 24Hrs without any errors.

Next I installed the new hardrive with Windows XP and all of the latest updates which installed without any problem at all. Next I installed antivirus and any other relevant software without a problem no BSOD's yet. I then slaved up the original hardrive (after scanning it for viruses first) to retrieve any personnel documents, music and videos. This was when was my first BSOD happened right in the middle of copying videos over the BSOD error message read IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. I rebooted the system then continued to copy the remaining files when AVG popped up and said it had found a virus in a file a was trying to copy. So I stopped the copying process and scanned the original slaved drive with AVG and Lavasoft's Ad Aware when it BSOD again the error message read PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA.

After retrieving as much data as I could from the original hardrive I thought the BSOD could be to do with the original hardrive being faulty. So I then formatted the original hardrive to be used as extra storage which formatted ok and removed it from the system at the next re-boot to see if it cured the BSOD's. It didn't seem to cure the BSOD's as randomly they seem to keep appearing with no apparent trigger, so I now suspect another piece of hardware or driver.

Other thing's I've tried already include:

Switching the memory from one socket to another. Still BSOD's.
Completed the malware and spyware cleaning recommended on this forum. Still BSOD's.
Thrown it out the window!! Still BSOD's.

Can anyone please help as this is the last problem before the system is complete (or goes in the bin!) .

Thanks in advance,

Tony.

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Open Windows Explorer.
Navigate to: C:\Windows\Minidump folder.
If you see any .dmp files, zip all of them, and attach zipped file to your next reply.
Vista users. You may need to copy .dmp files, paste them into some other folder, or desktop, and zip them there.

[Broni]

Open Windows Explorer.
Navigate to: C:\Windows\Minidump folder.
If you see any .dmp files, zip all of them, and attach zipped file to your next reply.
Vista users. You may need to copy .dmp files, paste them into some other folder, or desktop, and zip them there.

[swisstonyholmes]

Thanks for your reply Broni,

Attached are the requested Minidump files in a zip fie.

Attached Files

•  Minidump_Files.zip   112.12KB   217 downloads

[Broni]

It looks to me like RAM problem, so start with...

If you have more than one RAM module installed, try starting computer with one RAM stick at a time.
NOTE Keep in mind, the manual check listed above is always superior to the software check, listed below.
If you have only one RAM stick installed...
...run memtest: http://www.techspot....topic62524.html

There are also couple of errors coming from SiWinAcc.sys file, which is SATALink Windows Accelerator. I don't know, how relevant it's here.

[swisstonyholmes]

Broni,

Thanks for the reply, first of all it was suggested to me I should download and run the manufactures hardrive tools which is Seagate Seatools for Windows and see what the results were they are as follows:

My drives are both Maxtor model numbers: STM3500418AS (new drive) & STM3320820AS (original drive)

Smart Test - Failed for both drives even though they are both smart compatible, not sure this has anything to do with my problem but reporting it any way.

Short Drive Self Test - Both drives passed

Long Drive Self Test - I will get back to this later, just giving you the results in order of the manufactures test list

Short Generic Test - Both drives passed

Long Generic Test - Keep reading and you will find out what happened

Back to the results of the long drive self test, both drives were tested at the same time the 320Gb drive passed without any problems. The new 500Gb seemed to freeze half way through testing of both drives, when I say freeze I mean the progress bar stopped moving so I left it to run the tests when I came back BSOD! the error read:

MEMORY_MANAGEMENT_ERROR

STOP 0X0000001A (0X00041284, 0X017BB001, 0X000032B8, 0XC0883000)

I then rebooted the computer tried to run the Seagate tools again but was confronted with an error message:

FATAL ERROR: DEVICE DISCOVERY

I have attached a screen dump of the exact error message. Tried to run the tools again and it started fine. I then continued to test the 500Gb drive on its own and the drive passed 2nd time round.

Continued to the long generic testing, tested both drives at once went away and left it to it. Come back and BSOD! the error read:

IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

STOP 0X0000000A (0XEA8304, 0XEA830468, 0X000000FF, 0X00000001, 0X80541B72)

I'm not sure if the BSOD happened during the testing or after the test had completed. So I rebooted again and ran the long generic test on the single 320Gb drive went away and left it to it. Come back again BSOD! the error read:

DRIVER_IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

STOP 0X000000D1, (0XFFFFFFFF, 0X000000FF, 0X00000008, 0XFFFFFFFF)

I have now given up running any more tests and thought I should post the latest minidumps here. See what you think.

With regards to my installed memory and running memtest, I ran memtest a while ago for 24Hrs with no errors so i presumed the memory was ok. I haven’t seen the link you posted with regards to running memtest before. I will have a good read and run it again and post any results I have. Just for your information the memory installed is:

Buffalo DD402 - 512/B
PC3200U-25330-B1
512Mb
400MHz
CL2.5
64M x 64 DDr SDRAM
Non Ecc
Unbuffered

Once again thanks for your help.

Attached Thumbnails

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Attached Files

•  Minidump_Files.zip   47.14KB   165 downloads

[Broni]

Software RAM testing is never 100% accurate.
To be 100% sure, the only way is...

If you have more than one RAM module installed, try starting computer with one RAM stick at a time.

Failing SMART test is not good.

All three new dump files indicate RAM corruption again.

[swisstonyholmes]

Broni,

I have run Memtest86 V2.11 on my one and only RAM stick for 10hrs on standard configuration it passed with 42 passes and 0 errors. I guess this gives us a reasonable level of confidence that the RAM is ok? I have attached a photo of the results screen just in case there is any other information you require.

Thanks.

Attached Thumbnails

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[Broni]

I'm not sure, what else to tell you.
Unfortunately, software RAM test is never 100% reliable, so I'd try to get new RAM stick.

[swisstonyholmes]

Broni,

Looks like I may have to buy some new RAM then, its a shame Memtest didn't find any errors. Just for your information Memtest is still running at the moment it's at 82 passes and 0 errors. I will let you know of any further developments as and when they happen, thanks for your help so far I will be back soon.

Thanks.

Edited by swisstonyholmes, 26 July 2009 - 12:40 PM.

[Broni]

Having 1GB of RAM will definitely improve the way, your computer works.
Keep us posted.

[swisstonyholmes]

Broni,

I had already recommended this as an upgrade to my friend I think he was going to do it anyway, suppose we can kill two birds with one stone here. Cheers for you support.

Thanks.

[swisstonyholmes]

Broni,

Quick question you said earlier in one of your posts that failing the SMART test was not good, why is this and what is SMART. Sorry I could research SMART but I'm too lazy.

Thanks.

[swisstonyholmes]

Broni,

You also mentioned SiWinAcc.sys file as a possiable problem could this be worth exploring further?

Thanks.

[Broni]

I'd simply start with replacing RAM, so we can eliminate one culprit, and we'll worry about the rest, if it doesn't help.

[swisstonyholmes]

Broni,

Just a quick update, I've replaced the RAM with two 512 sticks and have run the Seagate tools tests twice on the long generic and twice on the long drive self test. I then ran AVG virus scan the same time as Ad Aware scan and so far NO MORE BSOD'S!!! Hurray. :haha:

Are there any other tests I can do to 100% guarantee that the system is now ok?

I guess what I can learn from this is that Memtest is never 100% right.

Thanks for your assistance, I will be sure to come back and post on this forum again.

Thanks.

Edited by swisstonyholmes, 01 August 2009 - 05:30 AM.