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X2 + WinXP problems

Posted: 2005-12-12 03:44am
by Miles Teg
So, I have a funky problem with my X2 and WindowsXP, which I am not sure is fixed by the new SP2 Dual Core Performance Hotfix from M$.

Anyway, it goes like this: If I am running (with C'n'Q enabled in the BIOS, but not in power management) with both cores essentially idle, my machine will experience a couple of dumb problems: 1st my pvr (GBPVR starts getting really choppy playback, and 2nd my machine will fail to restart correctly (freezes at 'Window is shutting down..." screen. Often, this flakeness will continue until the entire machine freezes up.

Now, if I load up an instance of Seti@Home or Prime95, and let it use one or more cores, the problems above go away completely. I recently discovered this problem after having Seti@Home start screwing up on me (their servers are having problems apparently). Anyway, as soon as I stopping running seti@home, all went to hell. I reinstalled XP thinking it was probably a humped installation (plus I got a new HDD), but the problem did not go away with that.

Also, I have no problems running Linux, and I've run a bunch of diagnostics on my hardware and know it's A-Ok. Anyway, anyone have a similar problem, and was it fixed by the aforementioned patch?

Thanks,
Miles Teg

Posted: 2005-12-12 04:09am
by Faram
Reposting an old post of mine.

Link to crash debug tool here
Thought I would share this information on how to get some information out of a Blue Screen Of Death BSOD for short.

First of make sure that you log the crash, to do this follow these simple steps.

1. Right Click on my computer and choose properties.
2. Click on the advanced tab
3. Under startup and recovery choose Settings
4. Chose small memory dump and make a note of where it will be saved, usually c:\windows\Minidump\
5. Download and install Microsoft debugging tool, Microsoft.com
6. Start windbg choose “file/open crash dump” navigate to the memory dump file.
7. Here you might a indication of what is wrong, in my case the driver ar5211.sys

Code:
Probably caused by : ar5211.sys ( ar5211+16940 )


8. For more information about the crash type “!analyze –v”

In my case the ar5211.sys file is the driver for a wireless network card, I changed the driver and no more problem.

But if you get inconsistent error and different drivers all the time, it is likely that the memory is at fault.

Attaching a small dump file here to try this out on.

Linky to a small dump file here, use save as.

Or if this is a hassle for you use this site.

oca.microsoft.com
D/L and do the stuff above and post what you get, then you will know what causes the crash.

And that is a good start ;)

Posted: 2005-12-12 04:36am
by Miles Teg
Faram wrote:Reposting an old post of mine.

Link to crash debug tool here
Thought I would share this information on how to get some information out of a Blue Screen Of Death BSOD for short.

First of make sure that you log the crash, to do this follow these simple steps.

1. Right Click on my computer and choose properties.
2. Click on the advanced tab
3. Under startup and recovery choose Settings
4. Chose small memory dump and make a note of where it will be saved, usually c:\windows\Minidump\
5. Download and install Microsoft debugging tool, Microsoft.com
6. Start windbg choose “file/open crash dump” navigate to the memory dump file.
7. Here you might a indication of what is wrong, in my case the driver ar5211.sys

Code:
Probably caused by : ar5211.sys ( ar5211+16940 )


8. For more information about the crash type “!analyze –v”

In my case the ar5211.sys file is the driver for a wireless network card, I changed the driver and no more problem.

But if you get inconsistent error and different drivers all the time, it is likely that the memory is at fault.

Attaching a small dump file here to try this out on.

Linky to a small dump file here, use save as.

Or if this is a hassle for you use this site.

oca.microsoft.com
D/L and do the stuff above and post what you get, then you will know what causes the crash.

And that is a good start ;)
Yup, that's how I'd normally debug, but I don't even get a BSOD, just a hard freeze. It's really a pain in the arse =( Thanks though! I've even tried running the driver verifier, with no results (it say's alls well with drivers).

Miles Teg