Help Needed: Blue Screen of Death (Vanity)

1 Oct 2002 | tictoc

[tictoc]

Can a Freeper techie help me out?

My main work PC is on the blink, crashed one day while surfing the net.

I've tried to completely reinstall Windows 2000 in a freshly reformatted system partition. Installation seemed to go well while the screen was blue with white lettering (formating system partition, installing Windows 2000 files from the CD-ROM). Then it changes to a turquoise background. A few times I made it almost all the way through the hardware recognition procedure which follows: but never until completion.

Every time it ends in a Blue Screen of Death but each time with a different error message:

"IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"

"UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP"

"NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM"

"DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"

"KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED"

"A device driver has damaged the system memory administration pool"

... and sometimes memory addresses (different each time) and a file name (sometimes ntkrnl or atapi.sys) are indicated.

I've tried everything I know: created four HD floppy disks using MAKEBOOT to boot from drive A:, used the various repair and checking options during initial installation (they work fine), started Windows 2000 in Secure Mode, VGA mode, Debug Mode etc.

It always ends more or less at the same point.

Could this be a faulty RAM chip that only makes itself noticed when "higher memory areas" are accessed? However, during bootup sequence the computer tests the RAM (128 MB) and says "OK".

I've gone into BIOS and disabled all caching and shadowing options, and changed system timings to the slowest values. Nothing seems to help.

Any ideas?

[tictoc]

Thank you for the tip but I did choose NTFS, as previously installed, instead of FAT.

[ResistorSister]

Have you ever installed 2000 before?

If yes. Did you install it on the same machine/hard drive that you are trying to setup today?

[AAABEST]

Virus in the boot sector.

You can try going to DOS and typing "FDISK /MBR". Sometimes that will take care of a corrupt master boot record.

[ChadGore]

Linux: The ultimate windows service pack.

[dennisw]

It might be that you are not setting the partition to NTFS type file system. My source comfirm that you need NTFS partitioning for Windows 2000.
________________

I have always installed on NTFS part but I'm pretty sure you can install it on FAT32. There are good reasons for doing this. In dual boot mach. win2k is not visible when you boot to win98 if installed on NFTS.

HOWEVER/// Win2k and it's files are visible from win98 if installed on FAT32 partition.

[tictoc]

Yes to both questions. The BSOD occurred before the present reinstallation attempts.

[FreetheSouth!]

This type of error is most likely a hardware error. Check these items:

Check the CPU fan. By that I mean the fan on the processor itself (a failed CPU fan can cause this type error from excess heat)

Does the BIOS allow you to check voltage output from the power supply? (A power supply with an over/under voltage can cause the system to fail to load and/or run properly)If not, barrow a known good power supply from another system and try loading 2000 again.

Does this motherboard have a VIA chipset? If so, replace with an Intel chipset motherboard. I’ve had no end of trouble with Via boards that would work for a year or more then just go walkabout on me.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

check your fr mail.

[jude24]

That, or delete the partition. Theres a little program out there called "delpart."

2 years ago, Office 2k had an undocumented bug that really trashed my system when the install crashed. Only way I could fix it was to delete the partition and reinstall the OS from scratch.

[tictoc]

You can try going to DOS and typing "FDISK /MBR".

Thank you.

How and when do I get to a DOS prompt? I hit the F8 key during Windows 2000 bootup sequence, attempting to get "Secure Mode with Prompt", but did not get a DOS prompt that way.

[Askel5]

Hysterical ... how long have you been waiting for this thread?!?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

no dos in win2k. use a win98 diskette.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

after that, i suggested he write zeroes to the drive. gateway has a nice utility for doing that.

[tictoc]

I have no doubt that Linux is a superior OS but I am only an intermediate-level computer user not an expert. In addition, I require 100% of M$ Office software and files to work as under Windows for the purpose of being able to exchange files with clients, 99% compatibility is not enough for me.

Have read mixed reviews regarding Windows emulators and/or Star Office and am not willing to take the risk.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

He needs to work on his computer, not toy around with it ;o)

[Askel5]

check your fr mail.

No fair ... not on this thread. Folks will really hate you if they think you have "secret" Microsoft knowledge you can't share with the masses who are saddled with this secondrate also-ran OS.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I am not sure about the advice I fr mailed, it was not an MS fix, just what I would try if it were me. AAABEST said the first thing, as well, except I said format /mbr. Then write zeroes, and need a win98 diskette (no dos in win2k) Thats about it. Plus a said some mean things about you :) (just kidding)

[w1andsodidwe]

My source comfirm that you need NTFS partitioning for Windows 2000

Not true. You can run with FAT32.

[js1138]

Do you by any chance have an IBM drive?

[tictoc]

Drive C: is MAxtor 7000A/AP series drive. Drive E: is an ancient Seagate but contains no system files. Also have CD drive and a CD/RW drive.