Constant BSOD STOP 0x0000008e problem

jjag

My computer was fine the last time I was on it Friday night. The next morning I awoke to find that I had no net connection. I ran my router diagnostics and everything was fine, so I reset the computer. When it came back up and windows started to load, I got the BSOD : 0x0000008e (0xc0000005, 0x806357f1, 0xba1b799c, 0x00000000)

I can boot up in safe mode just fine. I've tried using system restore with multiple dates and get the same error. In many places I've read that this is sometimes a memory error. I already had new memory so I installed it and still got the BSOD. I've run Norton and Spybot and they didn't find anything. I ran the extended system diagnostics that came with my computer and it didn't find anything. Same with chkdsk. I can't view my dump files or try some of the other utilities suggested because I can only start up in safe mode. Any insight to this problem would be greatly appreciated. I've included a zip file with the 5 most recent dmp files.

Windows XP Media Center Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 2
Dell Dimension DXP061
Intel Core 2 CPU
6300 @ 1.86GHz
2GB RAM

kryyst

Could be a bad memory slot and not the ram itself. I suggest getting a copy of the ubuntu live cd, off a friend if you have to. It's a handy tool to have for a couple reasons.

1st. It's got memtest as one of the boot options on it that will do a full memory test.
2nd. You can boot up into linux on it (doesn't install things to your harddrive) and in that fashion it does a pretty good stress test for the other components on your system.

One other problem it could be is that your pagefile may be corrupted. To fix your page file

1. Right Click on My Computer
2. Click on advanced tab
3. Click on settings in the performace heading
4. Click on advanced tab
5. Set virtual memory to 0
7. Then set it to no page file
8. Reboot

These steps may clear the problem. If it does then go back in and set your page file to on and for the size set it to System Managed.

If the problem isn't gone you'll need a Windows CD.

1. Boot up with the windows cd and go into repair console.
2. to to c: \ by typing in 'cd \'
3. delete the pagefile by typing in 'del pagefile.sys'
4. reboot (without the cd)

Problem should be gone now if it is a memory error, not caused by bad memory or a bad memory slot. At this point go into your settings and turn the page file back on again and system managed for the size of it.

jjag

Thanks for the suggestions.

I got memtest, burned it on cd, and booted from that last night and let it run through some passes. It didn't find any errors.

Then, I tried setting the virtual memory to 0 and no page file like you suggested. When I reset, it seemed to load windows a little longer, but then restarted again, just no BSOD, I'm assuming because it didn't have the virtual memory to create the dump.

I booted from my windows cd and ran recovery console. I went to C: in recovery console and tried to delete pagefile.sys, but it said the file was not found. I also ran chkdsk /p from the console and as before it said there were no errors.

Also, before I had run memtest or tried any of these other ideas, I installed new memory and used the two slots that hadn't previously been used and removed the old memory.

So it looks like memory is pretty much ruled out. I've tried using the microsoft crash analysis. For most of the dmp files I've had microsoft says it doesn't have a solution because it can't find a problem, but the most recent file said it was some sort of driver error.

bullzisnipr

jjag wrote:

I booted from my windows cd and ran recovery console. I went to C: in recovery console and tried to delete pagefile.sys, but it said the file was not found. I also ran chkdsk /p from the console and as before it said there were no errors.

Go back and run "chkdsk /r". It'll take quite a long time, but it checks every windows file to make sure it is present and not corrupt. If it finds one that is either missing or corrupt, chkdsk will replace it.

If that doesn't fix the issue, it's on to drivers. Begin with uninstalling the chipset and then everything else. Reinstall Chipset first, followed by everything else. Make sure to restart when it prompts for a restart, don't install two drivers before restarting.

jjag

Ok. I think I may have found the problem. I looked at my windows update log and it showed that updates had been made just before all of the trouble started. I then went to Add/Remove Programs to see if I could remove the programs. They weren't there. I went to Microsoft Support and downloaded the updates it would let me install individually, without Windows or Microsoft update since I couldn't use those in safe mode. After the first update and restart I got a BSOD again, but this time it was 0x0000000a. I did some more updates. Restarted. Now I'm in normal mode with no BSOD so far. Probably been about 10 minutes. Usually I get one after 30 seconds to a minute.

If a BSOD pops up again or new ones occur, I'll post them.

bullzisnipr

Are you running SP3 yet? I noticed in your first post it stated SP2..

jjag

No. Haven't had the chance. I was trying to make sure the upgrades that had been attempted had been reinstalled. Now that everything seems stable I'm going to try it.

bullzisnipr

Alright, sounds good. Let me know how it goes.

jjag

Attempted to install SP3. Got the old 0x0000008e part of the way through. Came back up in Safe Mode with Networking but didn't have any connection ability this time. Went ahead and bit the bullet and just did a factory reset. It seems to be some problem with windows update. Guess I won't know for sure now, but at least I'm up and running. Happy that I had backups.

bullzisnipr

Well, that sucks. But yea, at least you're up and runnin. Backups are a great thing