troubleshooting hardware issues

[Thauzar]

Hi, I was having trouble with bsod 0x000000F4 and 0x00000077, everything was fine for a week then yesterday all hell broke loose and I can't stop getting them. I want to know if there is a benchmarking or troubleshooting program out there that could test EVERY piece of hardware I have so I know exactly what's going on before I go back to the computer store. If those %$/QW% can't mount it right the first time, I better know what's wrong and tell them right away how to fix it.

I don't care if it's not freeware, my morality will bend to warez for this one, single use if I have to cause I'm about to with this computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jeremy]

bsod 0x000000F4 and 0x00000077

Windows STOP Messages

0x000000F4: CRITICAL_OBJECT_TERMINATION

(Click to consult the online MSDN article.)

One of the many processes or threads crucial to system operation has unexpectedly exited or been terminated. As a result, the system can no longer function. Specific causes are many, and often best resolved by a careful history of the problem and the circumstances of the error message. One user, who experienced this on return from Standby mode on Win XP SP2, found the cause was that Windows was installed on a slave drive; compare KB 330100.

Perhaps one of the system critical processes in Task Manager is somehow being terminated? Perhaps some sort of malware of terminating one? Or maybe it has nothing to do with malware at all.

0x00000077: KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR

(Click to consult the online Win XP Resource Kit article, or see Windows 2000 Professional Resource Kit, p. 1549.)

A page of kernel data requested from the pagefile could not be found or read into memory. This message also can indicate disk hardware failure, disk data corruption, or possible virus infection.

I'd recommend you test your RAM with Memtest and your harddrive with whatever diagnostic tool corresponds to the brand of your HD. Also, if you want to test your CPU, try Prime95 on Torture Test for 24 hours and see if any errors are produced. Perhaps, try to image your HD with Acronis/Ghost so you have a backup incase your OS needs to be wiped out.

Does it seem to occur at suspicious timed intervals? When you load a certain application? Any pattern at all you can notice?

Also, Zxian's post in this thread has good advice regarding troubleshooting BSODs.

Edited August 28, 2006 by Jeremy

[Thauzar]

it always happens when downloading something from the net, large files with IE, or when dc++ is open, or when utorrent runs, and it only happens quicker if I open MSN on top of one of those 2.

I checked my memory with mem test for a night, and it's ok, could not check my drives though cause the seagate utility runs in dos and does not detect my sata drive, and the diagnostic tool from WD seems to have lots of options BUT diagnose...

sometimes it's when I come back from screensaver, bring up msn and quickly click the MAIL button to open hotmail in IE

or when I want to delete a folder with files I just used with a program I just closed

or when I tranfer files from one partition to another... usual stuff, but it's not bsod on the spot like with utorrent and dc++

Edited August 28, 2006 by Thauzar

[Jeremy]

Ok, so it's obvious it has something to do with traffic incoming/outgoing. Are you using the latest versions of drivers for your hardware? If a recent update to a particular driver has resulted in frequent BSODs (as you stated everything was fine last week), try reverting back to a previous version of the driver.

Are you using an onboard ethernet adapter or card?

As for your concern about software to test all hardware, the best I could find was a trial version of BurnInTest v3.0, available here.

Ok, you edited your message as I was editing mine. Not so obvious now. But for the majority of issues, it seems traffic-related. I used the WD diagnostic tool in college, never had a problem with it back then. Data Lifeguard, right. if you have difficulty with that problem, I'd also suggest using Ultimate Boot CD v3.4 (download from another working PC, burn to CD, boot to it. I believe it has harddrive diagnostic tools, not 100%. I can verify that when I get home. There's also GeekSquad Boot CD.

In all honesty, I'd say it's your ethernet controller/card and main harddrive. Not 100% but that is definitely what it sounds like, considering you get 2 BSODs and the reasons I got from that website.

Edited August 28, 2006 by Jeremy

[Thauzar]

I don't have a driver history since it's a new computer, on a fresh XP install so all drivers are the most up to date, forceware, graphic, etc etc.

I run it on the onboard gigabit ethernet adapter from my asus m8n32, it bsod happened when I was connecting on the onboard wifi, and it's still happening in the same conditions on direct cable connection.

I also happen to have a noticed some IRQ stacked around IRQ 22 with usb controler, nertwork controler AND one of the hard disk controler all on the same IRQ might be that too but I can't change that since XP's so smart

I'm gonna take a look on that app you linked to

thanks

[Jeremy]

I also happen to have a noticed some IRQ stacked around IRQ 22 with usb controler, nertwork controler AND one of the hard disk controler all on the same IRQ might be that too but I can't change that since XP's so smart

hehehe, we took numerous IRQ tests in college just to memorize them and I never got them. But I do know that there are 15 main IRQs and after that there are many, many more, but are "virtual IRQs" for XP.

Basically, if they are both using the same IRQ, you can go into the BIOS and free up an IRQ that corresponds with hardware you may not use. Not entirely sure, though. I'm not familiar with much beyond that point, but I know puntoMX does. He's on his way.

[puntoMX]

@Thauzar

Did you install all the nVidia drivers? Looks like a ATA/SATA controller problem to me. Nothing to do with the NIC.

Give us some more specs about your computer too please...

EDIT: Okay, so you did a fresh install? If so return the motherboard .

Edited August 28, 2006 by puntoMX

[Thauzar]

yeah well I'm going back to the computer shop tomorrow 1st thing cause it's been 2weeks I try to figure out what the problem is.

as for burnintest, tryed testing everything together at 50 and passed, then selected only ram-network-disks at 100 and bsod!

so now i'm gonna test each of those 3 independently, then if all pass im gonna try disks with network.

And yes I did installed all the drivers. So you think it could be the mobo that's wrong? I hope the coming test results will light us a bit thanks for checking up on that thread guys!

[puntoMX]

Almost 100% sure it´s the motherboard, faulty chipset. I asked you for some specs of your PC but you didn´t gave them; If you use a Maxtor drive and you bought it with the other hardware then try if they switch it for you with an other brand, nVidia and Maxtor is WAR! .

[Thauzar]

you are right!

the specs are AMD AM2 4600+ with M8n32-SLI DELUXE wireless edition mobo

asus nvidia 7900GT video card

creative soundblaster x-fi music

it was supposed to be 3 seagates but found out I got 1 WD3200KS as primary hd and 2 seagates 320gb ones in raid mirror (with nvidia mediathing...)

a modem card

2GB corsair ram

600watt enermax psu

and a couple of fans...

[Thauzar]

it's exactly what I thought, RAM is not involved in the problem, and independently network and hd are ok, it's the combination of HD and networks that fail. I quickly got a 0x00000077 bsod

so it's either a very bad and stupid irq conflict, or the mobo as you said, hd failure seems excluded since it passed the independent testing...

and it's definetely not a virus infection since it's a fresh install, and anyway I installed nod32

[Jeremy]

it's exactly what I thought, RAM is not involved in the problem, and independently network and hd are ok, it's the combination of HD and networks that fail. I quickly got a 0x00000077 bsod

so it's either a very bad and stupid irq conflict, or the mobo as you said, hd failure seems excluded since it passed the independent testing...

and it's definetely not a virus infection since it's a fresh install, and anyway I installed nod32

Which is why I thought puntoMX would share his knowledge on IRQs.

Perhaps this site will help you.

[puntoMX]

@Jeremy,

Those are just Hardware IRQs, not emulated Software IRQs used and made by Windows. There is nothing you can change about how Windows is giving those IRQs, or you must hack it .

@Thauzar,

Soon I will get this mobo for my server because of the dual NIC and can be used as load-balancing of some kind (not sure about it but soon we will find out ). You really have a strange issue here and the only thing I could think of it a bad Southbridge, this chipset is still build out of 2 chips, soon there will be single ship "chipsets" from nVidia witch will make production cheaper, we already see it with the 6100 chipset from them.

570/590 Chipsets are a nice peace of art, using a lot of features from the a lot more expensive server chipsets.

Any way, return the motherboard with a good description of the defect/error for faster RMA.

(I would change that mobo directly for any of my customers)

[Thauzar]

I'm going back to the store this morning, I'm gonna show them easily with burnintest what's happening, and I'm gonna show them this thread with your expert opinion about what could be the problem. If they are not too dumb they'll quickly replace the mobo and i'll be out of the store in a fly.

I'll update here as soon as I got news

[Thauzar]

The frickin thing didn't bsod yet! , even if it ran as I did yesteday with burnintest.

But since I provided lots of info about the error, and I also told him to go on dc++, download a torrent and connect on msn, which gave me lots of bsod here, the tech will check it more thouroughly. I hope it's not gonna play tricks on me and work fine then bsod as soon as I get home...

Edited August 28, 2006 by Thauzar