XP Stop Messages

T

Taffy Apple

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 4, 2005
Messages
376
I have a XP Pro box, and applications and explorer keeps falling over. And when explorer isnt falling over the box is BSODing. I usually get a 0xc0000005, but occasionally get a 0xc0000021a. The thing is Ive read so much about similar problems that Ive got information overload and dont know what to do next!

I ran memtest86, and it came back with a few fails in test 5. But Microsofts memory test thing said everything was fine (typical). Now if I was just getting the c5 stop message then Id go get a new ram stick, but the 21a stop is confusing matters and I dont want to waste my money on a ram stick that I dont need.

I have an ancient 98 box that I know works, and ive been thinking of just swapping the disks to see if the error migrates onto the 98 box. Now I cant see that swapping the disks would be a problem, but has any1 tried a swap like this and had complications?

Additionally can any1 suggest my next step, apart from getting some sleep!
 
You could swap you might want to read the STICKY

seems like a lot of work.. I'd swap the ram.. I trust memtest alot more the MS's test. see if it clears up the errors..
 
hulksterjoe said:
You could swap you might want to read the STICKY.
Click to expand...
That ain't gonna help here, this is definatly a hardware error. ;)

Errors in memtest indicate a failure in the memory (note I didn't say RAM). Anyways, it's likely bad RAM, but could be BIOS settings (voltages/timings), a BIOS bug, bad PSU, bad mobo.

Next step is to test the RAM one stick at a time. If they are both failing, it's likely not the RAM, if only one fails it's likely that stick.

edit: err well it'll help get the load to a working system, but it won't fix the problem.
 
Phoenix86 said:
edit: err well it'll help get the load to a working system, but it won't fix the problem.
Click to expand...

exactly: because you know and I know that as soon as the OP swaps the mobo and gets errors that there was gonna be another thread, about those errors compounded by the bad memory. I just figured we send'em in with all the info needed. :p
 
Thats just it I only got 1 stick of RAM. Oh well guess I'll just have to buy another 1.

Thinking about it, could I just stick the memory into the 98 box and see if that keeps falling over.
 
Ok, nevermind the ram swap thing.

I went and bought new ram, put it in the machine and ran memtest86 and it came back fine.

However, loaded windows and guess what. I'm still getting the c5 error.

Any suggestions?
 
Taffy Apple said:
Ok, nevermind the ram swap thing.

I went and bought new ram, put it in the machine and ran memtest86 and it came back fine.

However, loaded windows and guess what. I'm still getting the c5 error.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
It's possible, if not likely, the RAM corrupted something. The error in general says "I can't find something in the paging pool (disk or RAM)". Since we think the RAM is kosher, I would delete the page file (set it to 0, reboot, set it back, reboot) and see how it likes that.
 
No I just put the new ram in and booted.

I'll give resetting the page file a try then, and let you know how it goes.

Cheers.

[Ed] Do you mean as microsoft say on their support site, or quite literally just delete the pagefile?
 
You can't delete the PF from inside windows, it'll be a locked file. If you do delete it, from another OS, windows will just re-create it on boot according to your PF settings.

You can delete it a dozen different ways and windows won't really care, just pick on. ;)
 
Well in that case, I've just gone with what microsft said, I tried it with the duff ram before but it didn't work. Can't remember the q number.

Essentially, make a note of your min/max vm size, turn off vm, reboot, put the min/max back in and I still get the c5 error.

I know its a bit late to be saying this but I got a geforce4 440mx 64MB, but at boot it can't decide whether its a 64Mb card or 128Mb card could this be anything to do with this? I'm starting to think maybe.
 
Or go to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Local Security Policy. Then from the list on the left, click Local Policies, then Security Policies, and on the right side, double click on "Shutdown: Clear virtual memory pagefile" and change it to Enabled. That will clear it everytime you shut down Windows.
 
Tried resetting the pagefile, but still got the same message.

We're getting somewhere tho, becuase when I first got the computer it was very unstable. Thanks to changing the ram its not BSODing anymore, and everything that doesn't work is 1 step closer to finding the problem.

I appreciate all your help guys, surely we can't be that far from finding the problem. Famous last words!!!
 
I would reformat the system. Chances are your old RAM corrupted something on the hdd (think system files). That would explain why you still get BSODs, but not the complete lack of stability that you had with the defective ram.
 
RavenD said:
I would reformat the system. Chances are your old RAM corrupted something on the hdd (think system files). That would explain why you still get BSODs, but not the complete lack of stability that you had with the defective ram.
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Though clean installs arent my treat, I agree...
 
Windows isn't BSODing anymore, I just get explorer and app c5 errors.

I've seen posts on various sites saying clean installs didn't solve the problem, so I'd rather leave a clean install until I've exhausted all my options.

Thanks
 
I would tend to agree, I'd reformat, but if your a glutton for pain. ^.^

You can try running sfc /scannow. This'll check the system files against the install media, I'd recommend using a XPSP2 CD, also you will have to visit windowsupdate to re-patch any files replaced. Using the XPSP2 CD will cause less files to require patching after the repair.

Also you can try running an inplace install, or repair install. Again, visit windowsupdate to re-check unpatched files.

Good luck.
 
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