Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 11-26-2003, 04:08 AM

TReminga

Guest
Posts: n/a

Here are the stats I have for my machine:
P4 2.53ghz
Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
Creative Labs Live! Value
Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor

All drivers seem to go on fine.

My problem:
The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.

I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
this same problem?

Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
memory test apps out there.

Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!

Responses to "Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime"

TheCrewser

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 11-26-2003, 04:18 AM

Start->Control Panel->System->Advanced->Startup and Recovery
Uncheck Automatically Restart

At least now you will probably get a BSOD with an error message that
will be easier to track down.

Good Luck...

GLCrews,MCP

On 25 Nov 2003 20:08:34 -0800, tom@Reminga.com (TReminga) wrote:

>Here are the stats I have for my machine:
>P4 2.53ghz
>Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
>4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
>Creative Labs Live! Value
>Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
>Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
>1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
>3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
>Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor
>
>All drivers seem to go on fine.
>
>My problem:
>The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
>a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
>a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
>unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
>at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.
>
>I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
>plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
>back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
>a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
>caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
>have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
>this same problem?
>
>Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
>switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
>stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
>memory test apps out there.
>
>Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
>Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!

Michael Solomon $MS-MVP Windows Shell/User$

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 11-26-2003, 04:19 AM

First, be sure your antivirus software has the latest definitions and run a
virus scan.

If your system is clear of viruses, open Control Panel, open System, go to
the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery, remove the
check from "Automatically Restart" under System Failure. This will cause
the system to blue screen instead of restarting on errors and the
information on the blue screen may give a clue as to the source of the
issue.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

"TReminga" <tom@Reminga.com> wrote in message
news:5fa12c5e.0311252008.258b22fa@posting.google.c om...

> Here are the stats I have for my machine:
> P4 2.53ghz
> Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
> 4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
> Creative Labs Live! Value
> Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
> Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
> 1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
> 3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
> Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor
>
> All drivers seem to go on fine.
>
> My problem:
> The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
> a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
> a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
> unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
> at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.
>
> I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
> plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
> back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
> a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
> caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
> have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
> this same problem?
>
> Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
> switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
> stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
> memory test apps out there.
>
> Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
> Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!

CWatters

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 11-26-2003, 12:57 PM

"TReminga" <tom@Reminga.com> wrote in message
news:5fa12c5e.0311252008.258b22fa@posting.google.c om...

> I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
> plan to pull it out.

Fix that then see what happens.

> Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?

Depends what that faulty bit of memory is being used for I guess.

Kent_dieGo

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 11-27-2003, 05:27 AM

Hardware issues are tough to diagnose. Put sound card in different PCI slot.
Remove PCI cards to test. Experiment with BIOS settings. Get latest BIOS.
Run memtest86. Keep replacing parts until fixed. I have had a few
motherboards that were just basterds, and replacing solved all trouble.\

-Kent

Tim

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 11-27-2003, 10:11 PM

Could be h/w, could be s/w.

As soon as I hear IE, it makes me think spyware is installed...
Check you don't have spyware installed.
Get Adaware or other reputable spyware remover and run it a few times...

After you have eliminated h/w as the culprit, consider a Repair install and
re-installation of the latest service pack along with all subsequent
patches.

Follow the advice already posted and make sure you can take a good look at
the BSOD screen. Note down the STOP message - the first four lines. If a
device driver is causing or active during the crash, it may be listed near
the top of the blue screen (sorry, don't have a bsod in front of me to
describe in detail). Lookup for a name such as nv4_mini.sys. If you want
help with the STOP message, either go to http://support.microsoft.com/ and
do a search or post back.

The device driver listed (if any consistently) may then indicate device
driver itself, the device (EG graphics) has a fault, or main memory. Bad
memory can cause many types of faults.

You may know that memtest86 can report eroneous errors in test #5. What test
is reporting errors?

HTH
- Tim

"TReminga" <tom@Reminga.com> wrote in message
news:5fa12c5e.0311252008.258b22fa@posting.google.c om...

> Here are the stats I have for my machine:
> P4 2.53ghz
> Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
> 4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
> Creative Labs Live! Value
> Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
> Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
> 1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
> 3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
> Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor
>
> All drivers seem to go on fine.
>
> My problem:
> The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
> a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
> a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
> unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
> at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.
>
> I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
> plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
> back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
> a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
> caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
> have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
> this same problem?
>
> Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
> switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
> stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
> memory test apps out there.
>
> Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
> Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!

Frank

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 11-30-2003, 04:58 AM

"TReminga" <tom@Reminga.com> wrote in message news:5fa12c5e.0311252008.258b22fa@posting.google.c om...

> Here are the stats I have for my machine:
> P4 2.53ghz
> Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
> 4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
> Creative Labs Live! Value
> Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
> Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
> 1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
> 3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
> Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor
>
> All drivers seem to go on fine.
>
> My problem:
> The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
> a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
> a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
> unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
> at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.
>
> I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
> plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
> back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
> a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
> caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
> have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
> this same problem?
>
> Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
> switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
> stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
> memory test apps out there.
>
> Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
> Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!

FWIW
I am having a similar problem and I have corked it down to my
fasttrak tx4000. I was running a 0+1 RAID. It worked fine from
about July til about three weeks ago. Scenerio as follows:
My 4 WD drives have zeros written to them.
Run memtest 1 pass. OK
Run MS memory test. OK
Install fasttrak tx4000. run memtest 1 pass OK. run MS memory test OK
Install 4 HDDs to fasttrak tx4000 test OK
Build array------MS memory test fails the first for test and then locks up
Memtest86 will not fail until the second pass.
I get the same results on 4 different boxen. GA 865PE, GA 865P, ABIT
845PE and an Intel 440BX.
What a RAID array has to do with memory, I don't know. I am working
with Promise on this. I believe that they will replace my card.

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 12-04-2003, 07:49 PM

It sounds like you've answered your own question.

Bad memory will cause random hangs (and reboots if you've got windows
configured to do so) as the PC will often go off into lala land when values
in memory change at random.

If memtest86 isn't passing, then you're going to have problems like this
sooner or later.

Replace the faulty memory.

"TReminga" <tom@Reminga.com> wrote in message
news:5fa12c5e.0311252008.258b22fa@posting.google.c om...

> Here are the stats I have for my machine:
> P4 2.53ghz
> Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
> 4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
> Creative Labs Live! Value
> Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
> Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
> 1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
> 3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
> Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor
>
> All drivers seem to go on fine.
>
> My problem:
> The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
> a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
> a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
> unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
> at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.
>
> I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
> plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
> back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
> a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
> caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
> have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
> this same problem?
>
> Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
> switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
> stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
> memory test apps out there.
>
> Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
> Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!

sqr

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 12-04-2003, 09:19 PM

http://free.hostdepartment.com/k/kad...leshoot.html#p

--
sqr
--
ftp://sqr.myftp.biz

<mr_donk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ddMzb.558722$pl3.528057@pd7tw3no...

> It sounds like you've answered your own question.
>
> Bad memory will cause random hangs (and reboots if you've got windows
> configured to do so) as the PC will often go off into lala land when

values

> in memory change at random.
>
> If memtest86 isn't passing, then you're going to have problems like this
> sooner or later.
>
> Replace the faulty memory.
>
>
> "TReminga" <tom@Reminga.com> wrote in message
> news:5fa12c5e.0311252008.258b22fa@posting.google.c om...
> > Here are the stats I have for my machine:
> > P4 2.53ghz
> > Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
> > 4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
> > Creative Labs Live! Value
> > Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
> > Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
> > 1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
> > 3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
> > Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor
> >
> > All drivers seem to go on fine.
> >
> > My problem:
> > The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
> > a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
> > a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
> > unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
> > at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.
> >
> > I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
> > plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
> > back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
> > a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
> > caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
> > have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
> > this same problem?
> >
> > Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
> > switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
> > stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
> > memory test apps out there.
> >
> > Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
> > Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!
>
>

Mr. Elbe

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Random reboots- Bad memory? Device Driver error everytime

Posted: 12-05-2003, 02:27 PM

On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 19:49:29 GMT, <mr_donk@hotmail.com> wrote:

>It sounds like you've answered your own question.
>
>Bad memory will cause random hangs (and reboots if you've got windows
>configured to do so) as the PC will often go off into lala land when values
>in memory change at random.
>
>If memtest86 isn't passing, then you're going to have problems like this
>sooner or later.
>
>Replace the faulty memory.
>
>
>"TReminga" <tom@Reminga.com> wrote in message
>news:5fa12c5e.0311252008.258b22fa@posting.google. com...
>> Here are the stats I have for my machine:
>> P4 2.53ghz
>> Gigabyte GA-8IHXP Rev 2.1
>> 4x PC1066 Samsung 512MB RDRAM rimms
>> Creative Labs Live! Value
>> Gainward GeForce4 128MB Ultra video
>> Promise TX1000 IDE RAID card
>> 1x IBM 120GB Deskstar
>> 3x various 120GB hard drives- spanned with Promise card
>> Linksys 802.11g wireless adaptor
>>
>> All drivers seem to go on fine.
>>
>> My problem:
>> The system is very unstable, usually when I am using IE. I will click
>> a link and presto the box will reboot itself. It usually happens once
>> a day, sometimes twice. I rarely go for a day without it rebooting-
>> unless the box is unused. There have been times it also reboots itself
>> at night while I sleep- so it does not HAVE to be under load.
>>
>> I have run memtest86 on my memory and have found one faulty module. I
>> plan to pull it out. Every time though the system reboots it comes
>> back with an Microsoft Recovered from Error message. It always blames
>> a Device Driver for the problem, but never tells me what device driver
>> caused the error. I would have pulled the RAM already but I did not
>> have the crimms to put into the slots. I am wondering if others have
>> this same problem?
>>
>> Are there any other memory tests I can run besides memtest86? I
>> switched the memory around and the errors continued to follow the
>> stick, so I know which one it is. I have heard that there are other
>> memory test apps out there.
>>
>> Would faulty memory cause Windows to report that device driver error?
>> Any help would be great, I am SO sick of such a flaky box!
>

I had something similar happen. Problem was that the fan on the video
card ceased rotating.

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