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Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

On my wifes computer there is a problem I haven't managed to sort.
It intermittently comes up with an intermittent  fault just after boot affecting a range of programs - usually only one of them  (Outlook Express, Kaspersky, PDFXchange Viewer are three recent ones).
The last one was that after about 2 hours of running on screensaver Kaspersky reported a license database corruption.
A reboot fixed it.
I have tried running memcheck from a boot CD - no errors
I have tried a full disk read and verify scan with HDDScan from a boot CD with no errors reported.
I haven't tried a Windows repair or reinstall yet as the problem appears to be more fundamental than that.
Any suggestions as to what I could try next
10 REPLIES 10
Strat
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

Hmmmm....today I've had the Kaspersky license database corruption message and Kaspersky reporting it's firewall disabled.
A reboot has cured it for now but I'm not convinced it has gone away...yet.
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
sideband
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎22-06-2007

Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

Perhaps a more fundamental check of the hard drive using the very powerful chkdsk c: /f from the command prompt.
This will report "volume in use" and offer to complete next system restart, reboot and let chkdsk complete...the /f switch will repair errors on the hard drive.
Oldjim
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Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

That was the first thing I tried
Oldjim
Resting Legend
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Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

ignore the Kaspersky one - that is Kaspersky problem http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php?showtopic=228189&hl=problem+with+KIS2012+updating+its+databases
Quote
P.s. This is a new thread with the same title as the one which grew by 50 something in 1 hour! Obviously many were affected by this very unfortunate "update thingie", to facilitate easier reading and avoid the 40+: "I see it too and +1 posts" i moved the only real important ones (the first and the one with the fix) into a new thread.
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

Now got error PFN_LIST_CORRUPT
Strat
Community Veteran
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Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

I haven't had that. Were you doing anything specific like a scan or did it just pop up?
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

That was the result from the BSOD
I am starting to wonder if there is a memory problem.
Once the computer is free I am going to load a piece of fancy tuning software and see if I can manually increase the memory voltage as there are two different types in there = one pair is 2.6V and the other 2.8v and I wonder if the default is setting it at 2.6v
Next step will be to go back to 1 pair only and see if that fixes it
whelpton
Grafter
Posts: 104
Registered: ‎06-06-2011

Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

Im not too sure if a memory misvoltage would cause an issue like that. If its occuring when the software for the machine starts loading up then it could be one of several things.
Have you tried booting in safe mode? Does the computer sucessfully boot in that mode and remain operational?
Can you see anything in the system restore wizard that was installed around the time the machine started crashing like this?
Aditionally, do you have the full 0x0 error code? Should give us a bit more information than just the PFN.

P.s Theoretically, when you are using two memory chips of different voltages/frequencies. The higher one should be restricted to the lower voltage/freuency. So no tuning should be required AFAIK.
Oldjim
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Posts: 38,460
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Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

I will write down the full error message next time.
The reason I suspect voltage is that a reboot seems to work every time - at least I don't get a BSOD again
Regarding your final point - if the voltage is restricted to that for the lower value then this could cause problems with the other memory which won't run properly on those voltages
I will do a number of checks over the next week to see if I can isolate it. The first thing is probably to go back to 2 memory sticks and see if it fixes it
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Intermittent fault usually just after boot in XP

I contacted Crucial and received this response
Quote
Thank you for your email. I am very sorry but your BALLISTIX memory modules are not compatible with the RAM you have in your system and this is why you are having this error message. We also don't recommend these parts for your board.

Now to order the correct RAM