What The Hell Is Wrong With My Comp

[Unrelenting]

My computer lately has been giving me some blue screen saying "A process of thread crucial to system operation has unexpectedly exited or been terminated"

I have a picture of it, but I need to know why its doing this? I've done numerous virus scans, and numerous registry cleans. But everytime I open say Firefox it goes to this screen and completly halts

[Bowley88]

Just at random times? what are you doing when it happens

[Unrelenting]

Just at random times? what are you doing when it happens

Honestly it is random, I'll go to sleep with my computer on and wake up turn my moniter on and have this message.

[Bowley88]

Do you know how to do a RAM test?

[Gowmars]

That was going to be my suggestion as well. Check your RAM.

[r1v3th3ad]

The blue screen of death...

besides ram, maybe you virtual memory
also with those scans, have you done spyware checks?
did you delete anything that came installed on the computer recently(or anything in general)...as in within a month before this started
any music/video/picture downloads recently that appeared blank? I've seen that, where you download a vid, play it, but there is not even a notch for seconds...could have been an executable file that fucked your registry, they like to sneak them out there.

[thecoalition]

wrong.

This problem occurs on a computer in which Windows XP or a later operating system is installed on a hard disk that is configured as a subordinate and no other device is connected to the same IDE controller channel (primary or secondary).
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CAUSE
This behavior may occur when you use Windows XP or a later operating system with some motherboards. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available.
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RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, use one of the following methods:• For Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) hard disks, configure your disk drive as master only. For Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disks, connect the hard disk cable to a master channel SATA connector on the motherboard.
• Connect another device as a master, such as another disk drive or a CD drive or DVD drive.
• Change your PATA and SATA IDE cable even if the cable does not appear worn.
• Install Windows on a new hard disk because it is possible that your hard disk or your Windows installation may be corrupted.

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MORE INFORMATION
Steps to reproduce the behavior
1. For PATA hard disks, set the hard disk jumper to slave mode. For SATA hard disks, connect the hard disk cable to a slave channel SATA connector on the motherboard.
2. In BIOS power management, set BIOS to S1 or S3 (STR).
3. Install Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2.
4. Restart the computer.
5. Set the computer to Standby.
6. Try to resume the system. The system stops responding.

[Bowley88]

What do you mean "this problem". Where do you get the idea that this specific BSOD is because of the hard drives?

[PhishPhood]

The blue screen of death...

QFT I've had this many times. In my experience it was due to an overheating video card.

[thecoalition]

ok guys computer lesson:
a bsod can be caused by anything hardware or software. all you need to do is look at the stop code listed on the screen. in this case it is 0x000000f4. go to microsoft and look at the list. then it will normally say what the typical cause is. it also helps to look at computer forums where people have had similar or the same issues.

the "this problem" was referring to stop code 0x000000f4 which is the one that unrelenting is referring to. are you happy now that i have laid out all of the logic behind my grammar bowley 88?

[Bulldog_916]

He's right dude, you might have your hard drive configured wrong or it could be any of your other disk storage media. Check everything on your parallel ATA and serial ATA connectors. If your HDD isnt set to master, it could have this conflict that causes the BSOD. Make sure it's set to master, check all of your cables to be sure they are ship shape. Replace if necessary. Then reinstall your operating system. There may also be a mobo issue that could require a flash of your BIOS. ONLY FLASH YOUR BIOS AS A LAST LAST LAST RESORT.

[r1v3th3ad]

I tried

[Unrelenting]

He's right dude, you might have your hard drive configured wrong or it could be any of your other disk storage media. Check everything on your parallel ATA and serial ATA connectors. If your HDD isnt set to master, it could have this conflict that causes the BSOD. Make sure it's set to master, check all of your cables to be sure they are ship shape. Replace if necessary. Then reinstall your operating system. There may also be a mobo issue that could require a flash of your BIOS. ONLY FLASH YOUR BIOS AS A LAST LAST LAST RESORT.

My Bios is still A03 i think theres A11's out now. would that be a result as well?

[Unrelenting]

sorry for double post but should I mention this computers about 3 years old and this is the first time this happened?

[Bowley88]

ok guys computer lesson:
a bsod can be caused by anything hardware or software. all you need to do is look at the stop code listed on the screen. in this case it is 0x000000f4. go to microsoft and look at the list. then it will normally say what the typical cause is. it also helps to look at computer forums where people have had similar or the same issues.

the "this problem" was referring to stop code 0x000000f4 which is the one that unrelenting is referring to. are you happy now that i have laid out all of the logic behind my grammar bowley 88?

+1 to your internet ego, high five.

[Unrelenting]

I was actually hoping coalition would find an answer

[thecoalition]

sorry dude was out getting ice cube trays and shit since my ice maker in my fridge broke. then next thing i know im at bed bath and beyond looking at knives and shit.

ok did you try all the stuff that i previously listed? check your jumpers as well? mine are set for cable select so they go in the order they are plugged. not sure if you are using pata or sata but the pata ribbon will say master and slave right on it.
also does it only do the bsod when you open firefox? or any program?

welp after some further research into the error its been given off by a few things before: bad i/o devices, bad ram, improperly seated ram, bad hdd, bad cable to hdd...alot of stuff. so heres what i would do for some diags.
1. open the case and reseat the ram
2. run checkdisk on the hard drive(s)
3. stress test the drive(s)
4. stress test the ram

for the drive fitness test download hitachi's dft: http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
and also seatools http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools

for the ram you can use: http://www.memtest86.com/

with those youll have to create iso discs.
then just insert a disc->boot from disc and run test

with the dft youll need to select the ata only test (unless you have a scuzzi which i doubt)
then just follow directions.
with memtest if it passes 2x or more your ram should be okay.

well thats all i can do from here for now so try that stuff and let me know how goes. if you should need more assistance just repost in here with the results of everything. the stress tests may take a few hours depending on what is/isnt wrong so i would hop to.


+1000 respect to unrelenting for understanding my awesomeness.
p.s. nicoyette and ...some guy who hasnt posted here much are also computer buffs. im sure they will post if i missed anything.

[Perrj99]

Probably due to too much porn.

[Unrelenting]

Probably due to too much porn.

considering my laptop is for porn, no.

[Unrelenting]

sorry dude was out getting ice cube trays and shit since my ice maker in my fridge broke. then next thing i know im at bed bath and beyond looking at knives and shit.

ok did you try all the stuff that i previously listed? check your jumpers as well? mine are set for cable select so they go in the order they are plugged. not sure if you are using pata or sata but the pata ribbon will say master and slave right on it.
also does it only do the bsod when you open firefox? or any program?

welp after some further research into the error its been given off by a few things before: bad i/o devices, bad ram, improperly seated ram, bad hdd, bad cable to hdd...alot of stuff. so heres what i would do for some diags.
1. open the case and reseat the ram
2. run checkdisk on the hard drive(s)
3. stress test the drive(s)
4. stress test the ram

for the drive fitness test download hitachi's dft: http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
and also seatools http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools

for the ram you can use: http://www.memtest86.com/

with those youll have to create iso discs.
then just insert a disc->boot from disc and run test

with the dft youll need to select the ata only test (unless you have a scuzzi which i doubt)
then just follow directions.
with memtest if it passes 2x or more your ram should be okay.

well thats all i can do from here for now so try that stuff and let me know how goes. if you should need more assistance just repost in here with the results of everything. the stress tests may take a few hours depending on what is/isnt wrong so i would hop to.


+1000 respect to unrelenting for understanding my awesomeness.
p.s. nicoyette and ...some guy who hasnt posted here much are also computer buffs. im sure they will post if i missed anything.

what exactly is a stress test?

[Bulldog_916]

It tests the full range of your computer's capabilities. Not just what you do normally, but everything outside of that as well. This tests your buses, your processor, your video card, I/O of the hard drive, memory testing, everything. It's like a fitness test but for your computer.

[Unrelenting]

Right now im turning this back on, and its going through a long checkdisk, with errors. I'm thinking my drive is close to extinct at this point. Only thing I need to do first is get the 400$ plus in my iTunes music before the HDD's gone.

[thecoalition]

If youre getting errors in check disk then i would highly recommend you back up your data then just go buy a new hdd and reload windows. Once a hdd gets errors it will always be erroneous.

[Unrelenting]

If youre getting errors in check disk then i would highly recommend you back up your data then just go buy a new hdd and reload windows. Once a hdd gets errors it will always be erroneous.

I would back my data up if I could stay on this machine for more than 15 seconds

Ok I just just got "KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR" What?!

[St. Goodypants]

If you have a 2+gb pen drive you can follow these instructions to back up your files by running Linux from your flash drive:
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2007/09/28/us...gibbon-install/

You can also set up another hard drive with another xp installation and just copy the files you want to save onto it before you get rid of the old drive. I'm assuming that you are going to get a new one because this one seems to be more or less fried. This would probably be the easiest procedure. Edited February 28, 2008 by St. Goodypants