[Cubetech]

HI,
It seems a problem I had with Windows XP has just gotten worse. Over the last couple of months, I noticed that my computer for no reason whatsoever would shutdown and reboot. In some cases when I would go to shutdown it would just restart back up at Windows. It might take several times to shut down. Well now it just doesn't boot into Windows at all, except into Safe Mode.
Here is the BSOD error that I get that is all too familiar I noticed on different forums:
STOP 0x0000007f (0x00000008,0x80042000,0x0000000,0x0000000)
It tells me I might have faulty memory or a faulty video card. So before anyone jumps the gun about providing a solution. Read below carefully what I have tried so far. This has really stumped me.
Things I have tried so far:
1. Ran MEMTEST Overnight-11 passes-no errors-memory reads fine.
2. Done Chkdsk /r in Recovery Console-machine boots up normally and then fails to boot again.
3. Disabled all start-up items in Safe Mode and still fails to boot normally.
4. Tried to do a Repair through Windows XP CD installation CD-still fails to boot up normally.
5. Ran Hardware Diagnostic CD-The Troubleshooter v.7.02-Self Booting Diagnostics-by Smart-Certify Direct-ran tests on motherboard, CPU, RAM, Video Card, Cluster REad Test on Hard Drive-all passed with w/flying colours
6. Am NOT Running NOrton or anything Symantec-as some people have had problem with these programs about this error-using F-secure for my virus checker
7. Ran full virus and spyware (Spy Sweeper) latest version-nothing found-just before unit was able to boot normally again
8. Updated Motherboard BIOS to the latest
9. Replaced Both RAM Chips with another 512 MB Chip of a different brand
10. Tried to install new video card driver for my ATI Card after uninstalling old one in safe mode-won't let me install one as Windows won't properly install a generic driver.
11. Ran Dr. Watson in Safe Mode-no fault found.
12. Disabled page file, restarted computer, still failed.
13. Ran Spybot with latest definitions in SafeMode-computer rebooted once properly into Windows after finding some spyware-then it ran into the blue screen again.

My configuration:
Intel Pentium 3.4 Ghz Hyper-Threading
Intel 915PBL Motherboard
512MB DDR2 PC4200 RAM
ATI Radeon X700 PRO 256MB PCI Express
74 GB WD Raptor HD 10,000 RPM
Pioneer 4x DVD-R Burner
Sony 48x DVD-ROM
Antec Sonata Case

I have attached a zip file of the last couple of minidumps the comp did so anyone can analyze at www.geocities.com/wisn88.

I have researched around the internet and gotten no answers.
Thanks

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Hi and welcome to Geeks to Go. Random reboots are usually caused by heat, memory, driver issues or the power supply. You have already addressed memory. How about heat? How about the power supply? How about the video driver?

[austin_o]

Hi and welcome to Geeks to Go. Random reboots are usually caused by heat, memory, driver issues or the power supply. You have already addressed memory. How about heat? How about the power supply? How about the video driver?

[Cubetech]

Hi
Austin_0:
The video driver I uninstalled the current one to install a more recent one in safe mode. Apparently Windows won't let me install the latest Catalyst driver in Safe Mode. It gives me a severe error is this due b/c it's in safe mode? As well when you mention the fan on the CPU tends to spin rather loud at times. When I ran the Intel Monitor on my system I noticed it would get into the high yellow range and then the fan would really kick for about a good 30-45 seconds and then it's speed would come down to a humm. Any idea how could I test these two items?

[austin_o]

If the fans are running and the inside of the system is clean (no dust, cat hair etc), the issue may not be heat. You can check this thread for guidance in making a determination: http://www.geekstogo...lem-t75270.html
credit Doby for this:
Doby
post Oct 30 2005, 12:44 AM
Post #6


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Operating System:
windows xp sp2



Hi,

First your cpu is not 98c if it was it would be a crispy critter and it would not be working, so that tells me its a sensor problem

I like the finger test its a good comon sence approach, in general

35C to 45C = comfortable warm
45C to 55C = need to pull you finger after 5 seconds
55C to 65C = need to pull your finger after 1 second
70C burnt finger

If you can determine the cpu temp by the above scale and its comfortably warm then it has to be a sensor problem.

There is another way to determine how far off the sensor is, this is unsientific but,,,,,,,

After the computer has been off for several hours take note of the room temp and boot up and as quikely as you can go into bios and read the cpu temp, the cpu temp should be the same as the room temp but maybe 5 degrees higher to account for the time the cpu has been running and the temp it builds in such time. The rest is sensor error

Rick

With regards to the video driver, I suggest doing some clean up on that. Go to http://www.drivercleaner.net/ and get Driver Cleaner (it is free). Make sure you have the current video driver available to install. Then go to add/remove programs, and remove the current driver. Then boot into safe mode and run Driver Cleaner TWICE, each time deleting all that it finds. Then re-boot (not safe mode!) and install the current driver.

I had a similar problem with random reboots. The event log pointed to a driver issue with my video card. I did the above, multiple times trying different drivers. It didn't fix it. I updated my bios, still didn't fix it. I ran memtest like you did, no trouble found. Research I did at various forums indicated the probable cause was the power supply. I reviewed the sticky posts at http://www.hardforum...isplay.php?f=93
and figured out my 480 Watt Raidmax power supply that came with my case was only capable of delivering 290 watts, and I needed at least 370 for the components that I had added since I bought it. Raidmax is on the list of suspect power supplies found on the above thread. I ended up replacing the power supply with a 550 W Forton power supply and the problem went away.

Note that I am not saying that YOUR problem is your power supply. I am only giving you this detail for a guide as to how to approach it. Random reboots are a real pain to troubleshoot. You just have to methodically work through each possible cause to rule it out. In the end, it could be the one that is often the most over looked, the power supply. I hope this information will help you figure out what is causing your problem.

[austin_o]

I got a message from the server, unable to process my request, please try again in a minute...when I made the above post at Today, 08:39 AM. So I did that, and ended up with a duplicate post. Edited this one.

Edited by austin_o, 06 November 2005 - 04:29 PM.

[Cubetech]

austin_o:
I did do the Driver Clean method as you suggested more than twice and apparently after rebooting Windows keeps asking to install a driver in safe method says it found a Video Controller and b/c I am unable to provide a driver for it says your new hardware may not work properly.
I checked my Bios and went into the Hardware Monitor.
Here's what I found:
Processor Zone Temperature:71 degrees
Processor A Zone:45 degrees
Processor B Zone:40/45 degrees

It seems whenever I try to boot my computer normally and I would do this over and over again. Here is the sequence of events:
Intel Splash screen comes up (CPU fan running at high speed)
Windows Splash screen comes up
Disappears for a split seconds and comes back-Splash screen disappears
Pointing arrow appears in middle of screen for a split second (while CPU fan decreases in speed)
Monitor goes blank (Cpu fan increases in speed)-system restarts and Intel Splash Screen shows up.
And this happens over and over again.

[austin_o]

I am not sure what the first zone temp of 71 is (maybe internal core temp of the cpu??) but the zone a & b temps look ok. Did you try the finger test suggested by Doby? Does it agree with the bios results? If so, probably not heat. So, if I understand your last post correctly, you have a continuous reboot loop if you try to boot normally, but you can still boot into safe mode? I would be thinking about trying another power supply...

I found multiple hits at M$ support for a search on "reboot loop" . You may want to look at some of those.

Edited by austin_o, 10 November 2005 - 08:10 AM.

[Cubetech]

austin_o:
Austin, I did a search on Microsoft Support site for 'reboot loop' and nothing seems to applies to my situation there. The question I have to ask is why does the computer boot into Safe Mode and can stay on without shutting off for hours and hours on end. Yet the power supply could possibly be the culprit in normal mode. If the power supply was the culprit wouldnt' it be causing problems in safe mode as well? I have not tried the finger test by Doby. Should I placing my finger right below the CPU fan on the side of the CPU?
The other item I was thinking of doing is removing the CPU and fan. Wiping the heat sink area clean and re-applying thermal transfer paste on the heatsink and mounting the CPU and fan tightly.

[austin_o]

Safe mode uses minimum system resources, and default video drivers. It may well be a driver issue that is causing your problem, rather than the power supply. Did you add any components or install new drivers before this trouble started? If you did, try reversing what you did, such as removing the component or rolling back the drivers. Have you tried a system restore to a point prior to the trouble?

Here is something you can try: http://pcsupport.abo...ootbreakout.htm

Edited by austin_o, 11 November 2005 - 08:37 AM.