ARRRG!!!! My Windows XP Machine won't stop Rebooting!!!

[wheresgrant3]

After a year without a single burp, my system is having major issues today! It keeps rebooting over and over again and I havent been able to find an answer. Hoping someone can help.

 

 

I built this system last summer. It's running Win Xp Pro and the specs are below

 

MSI Intel 865I Chipset

PIV 2.8GHz

2-512 DIMM DDR PC2700

CDRW

Seagate internal 80GB drive

West Digital External 80GB Drive

NVIDIA FX5600

Sound Blaster Audigy

M-Audio Audiophile 24/96

350 watt power supply

 

 

After coming home last night from work I saw that my PC had rebooted. I usually leave it on so it was odd that it had rebooted, although the power supply has been a little flaky. When ever the power dips, (use the microwave, a vaccum and a hairdryer all at once and it browns out) it tends to reboot, so I didn't think much of it. This morning however it had rebooted again.... and everytime since it has crashed at some point... sometimes a few minutes after rebooting... sometimes in mid boot.

 

To get a better grip on the problem I have done a number of things listed....

 

1) Downloaded new Virus updates and tried to run a full scan... it never makes it all the way through before the system crashes.

 

2) Checked the system for Klez.worm and sasser virus. Nothing turned up.

 

3) Disabled Auto Restart and started logging error messages...some of the following I have received from my Blue screen are

 

STOP 0x0000004E PFN_LIST_CORRUPT

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0xA)

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

BAD_POOL_CALLER

 

All of those messages are pointing to a hardware or software driver problem.... Well, here is the catch... I haven't installed any new hardware or software in the last 24 hours.

 

 

Well that is not entirely true... I did install that Hammerhead drum machine software posted in another thread, and Spybot to get rid of some adware...however I uninstall both programs while running my machine in safe mode.

 

I have unplugged all of my USB devices and even moved my mouse and keyboard back to a bus port.

 

The only other thing I can think of is that my front intake fan (I have three that blow out and one that blows air in) is not working. Maybe heat could be causing my system to crash. But it's hard to imagine one little case fan bringing a system down to it's knees, especially where there are 3 others working overtime to cool it off.

 

Anyone have any ideas? Has this ever happened to any of you. I've been struggling with this since 6 am and I everytime I think I found the problem it turns out to be something else.

[jigg]

First step: Check for a BIOS update from MSI. I've had a %75 success rate on fixing blue screens this way. If autoupdate was enabled, it may have changed a driver that caused the flipout. The "IRQ" line makes me immediately think BIOS issue, and even something as small as a modem driver could be the culprit.

Next, check the CPU temperature and CPU fan. There should be a temp monitor in the BIOS setup.

The only other thing I can think of is possibly memory. If you can get ahold of a spare RAM module, swap it and see if that fixes it.

Good luck, and don't panic!

[mucsusn]

Since you have ruled out Klez and sasser, and you already know to disable auto restart..........you know the turf.

 

I would try a new power supply. Get one from someplace with a decent return policy.

[Jimmyzegg]

Well, I have had issues in the past where I also got the messages:

 

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0xA)

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_ARE

 

Now this was when I was working with a system built of a lot of different parts, some mine, some lended to me from a friend. It seemed sometimes as though it was an overheating problem because I would find drastic ways to cool it and that seemed to fix the problem for awhile. I tried just about everything short of swapping out the motherboard. Reinstalling the OS would lead to the exact same thing. I eventually just gave up....

 

Now in your case it could be completely different, as this type of thing is weird enough to be anything....but good luck

[Kirumamoru]

Yep, you've already done all the things I would have suggested.

 

Kiru

[LameAim]

 

Originally posted by mucsusn Since you have ruled out Klez and sasser, and you already know to disable auto restart..........you know the turf. I would try a new power supply. Get one from someplace with a decent return policy.

 

 

Agreed. Also, have you recently added any internal or external hardware components?

[jigg]

Definitely sounds like a BIOS issue. What's the model of your motherboard? It should say right at boot.

[Kirumamoru]

Actually, yeah, I'm gonna also suggest the power supply as a culprit. When mine died the computer would restart if you even brushed the case.

 

Kiru

[J3RK]

I'm liking the RAM and power supply. If you're getting page faults, then that's usually a RAM or software issue. If the power supply is bad though, that can cause about a million things that don't look like power issues. You could get a page fault if not enough power is supplied to the memory. You can have random crashes when not enough is supplied to the CPU. Which would look like a restart. You can also have problems if the system can't write reliably to the HDD because it's not getting constant power. Never go cheap on the power supply. There are a million and three power supplies that say they are 350-400 watts, but they're crap. I'd recommend something from Enermax, Antec, Sparkle Power. I use a Sparkle Power 400W, and have never had a single problem. It sounds silly, but you can somewhat reliably tell how good a power supply is by how much it weighs. If it feels like it's made of cardboard, then it's crap. It doesn't have decent cooling components. If it weighs quite a bit, it most likely has decent heat sinks. Cheap power supplies almost always have cheepy cooling and the bare minimum build quality/components. I'd try someone else's power supply (or pick up a new one,) and see if that fixes it. Then I'd move on to the RAM if the PSU isn't the problem. After that, I'd start looking at the CPU/Motherboard, but it doesn't seem likely that that is the problem. Of course if it's the OS install or some software that got installed, none of this will help, but it doesn't sound like this is the problem.

[wheresgrant3]

I'm leaning in this direction. Right now I have the case open and to let the air circulate and it hasn't crashed ye. However I am in my 4th attempt and doing a full system virus scan and it looks as thougn the program is locked. It has been scanning C:Program FilesDriverGuideToolkit for 15 minutes now.

 

Jigg,

I haven't downloaded any updates for any software in the last 48 hours, however there might have been an automated download. Not sure which motherboard I have. I think it may be 865 PE Neo 2 MS-6728. Not completely sure. I don't want to reboot my PC again... it's been running stable for 30 minutes now.

[jigg]

Tap the case, I dare ya.

Kidding, of course.

[wheresgrant3]

Tap... tap! ..... ....

[wheresgrant3]

For {censored}s and giggles I tried to restart my system....

 

It crashed on impact. It tends to crash most frequently when I sign into my username.

 

This time this error came up

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

 

I'M NOT GIGGLING ANY MORE:mad:

[jigg]

1. Get thee to a CompUSA.

2. Get thee to MSI's website (provided you have the good fortune to keep your system running).

My sympathies. I know this frustration all too well.

[wheresgrant3]

Which F-key function allows you to enter the BIOS? I know f8 allows you to safe boot.

[jigg]

Typically, it's delete. Either that, F2, or F10, maybe. It differs a little between manufacturers.

[J3RK]

It will be the delete key for that board.

[wheresgrant3]

Update:

When you install Microsoft Windows XP, you may receive a Stop Error message that is similar to one of the following while the Setup program is running:

 

STOP 0x0000008e

 

 

STOP 0x00000050 PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA

 

 

CAUSE

This behavior may occur if one of the following conditions is true:

One or more of the random access memory (RAM) modules that are installed on your computer are faulty.

The RAM configuration is incompatible with Windows XP.

RESOLUTION

To troubleshoot this behavior, follow these steps:

Remove some of the memory modules that are installed on the computer. Leave at least the RAM that is required for the computer to start and run Windows XP.

 

The recommended RAM to run Windows XP is 128 megabytes (MB). The minimum is 64 MB, and the maximum is 4 gigabytes.

 

For example, if two 256-MB memory modules are installed on your computer, remove one of the memory modules.

Restart your computer, and then run the Setup program:

Insert the Windows XP Setup CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive, start the computer, and then click OK to select the first option screen to install a copy of Windows XP.

Click Accept, and then follow the instructions on the screen to complete the Windows XP installation.

If you again receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section, go to step 4.

Remove a different memory module, or install the RAM in a different memory slot.

Restart your computer, and then rerun Setup.

 

You may have to restart your computer several times to identify the specific memory modules that are not working correctly

 

For those in the know.... A Question

... if I am running two 512MB DDR Dimms (PC2700) do I have to run those in pairs? Can I test one, then the other?

 

 

You guys are great, thanks!

[mucsusn]

Try one stick at a time. Your mobo and chipset do not require matched sticks

[jigg]

Shouldn't have to. I'm running a single 512 chip right now. Sounds like a surge may have fried one of 'em.

[wheresgrant3]

Well... it's not the memory... I tried both DIMM and I got crashes on both of them.

 

I did discover that I have a pair of PC3700 466Mhz DIMM's NOT PC2700. I didn't buy these components, my buddy did.

 

Back to square one.

[J3RK]

Having faster RAM is fine. That board will have no problem with that. You can run one at a time, but to utilize the capabilities of your board, one in each channel is best. If you've eliminated the RAM as the problem, it could still be power. (And probably is.) Is there another sytem you can try putting both of those DIMMs in, in the unlikely event that both are bad? It really sounds like the power supply to me.

[GigMan]

Hey Grant -

 

I have seen this reboot phenomenon several times in my years as I.T. guy for Pequannock Schools (Pompton Plains, NJ) - so here's my 2 cents:

 

1) Older, crappy, "white-box" machines (no-name clones built by NJ "State Contract" vendors that our school system dealt with) used to do that when the power supply was dying. I'd put in a new power supply + voila! Stable machine w/no more reboots.

 

2) Bad memory can cause this reboot phenomemon also - but it would usually just make beep noises instead. Sounds like you ruled out the memory as a culprit, anyway.

 

3) Within the last month, I had a Dell Optiplex GX270 Pentium 4 Windows XP PC doing the reboot dance + I finally figured out why: I had installed Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition v9.0 onto the PC (actually, had "pushed" it onto the client PC from the server - very cool...) before I had uninstalled the Norton AntiVirus 2003 that was already on the PC.

 

I called Dell, went through all the diagnostics, nothing... finally I realized what I had done (installing the new before uninstalling the old) + I used XP's built-in System Restore function. I just rolled back to the day before and voila! I had a functional system again. Actually, the principal of the school this was in had a functional system again, for which she was grateful, since it was the week before school was to open.

 

Once the PC was in a useable state, I uninstalled the Norton AntiVirus 2003 and then pushed the Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition v9.0 onto the PC + has been fine since.

 

[rylos]

I had a CPU heatsink get enough of a dust buildup up on it that the CPU would overheat, even though you could see it's fan whirring merrily away. One finger touch on the heatsink gave that one away, they should not be hot enough to burn!

[grutko]

Do you know if Windows updates are automatically downloaded and installed on your computer? A friend of mine just installed SP2 on his computer and it started doing what you have described.