Windows MCE: I'm stumped

Lt Shamrock · 07-23-2008, 05:48 AM

Hi all,
I have two current issues, possibly related but most likely not. The first and most annoying is a MCE stop error of 0x0000009c. So a hardware issue somewhere.

At first it pointed to the MB as the PS was shorting out, making it the third in two years. I replaced the board as well as the PS with no result. Employed the use of a power regulator after realizing a large storm had come through and the surge protectors weren't cutting it.

Next step, decided the RAM was to blame. Removed all RAM and tested each individually. All worked at first, after a few boots it would lock on windows black loading screen and MCE error (same issue as before). The only way to get to windows at this point was to do a safe-mode boot and restart. For some reason everything loads fine until you shut it down and reboot (But why? MCE is supposed to be a hardware issue but safe boot and restart to get into windows suggests software..?). Seems to display this pattern of working fine when re-seating hardware, for a few boots, then error strikes again.

Shouldn't be the RAM as it's not failing in post, so I pulled the Sound Blaster Audio card after reading a post. Seemed to fix the issue, but then two days later the same pattern reappeared. Hardware changes seem to make it happy for a day or so then it starts up again.

I have updated BIOS, and after two months of random trouble shooting am stumped as to what this might be. All hardware TS seems to work for a short time only. Specs are below:

Power Supply: Antec NeoPower 650
Mainboard : Asus A8N32-SLI-Deluxe (939)
Chipset : nVidia nForce4 SLI X16
Processor : AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ @ 2200 MHz
Physical Memory : 3072 MB
Video Card : Nvidia Corp GeForce 7900 GTX
Hard Disk : Maxtor (123 GB)
Hard Disk : ST3500320AS (500 GB)
DVD-Rom Drive : HL-DT-ST DVDRRW GSA-4166B
DVD-Rom Drive : TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S183L
Monitor Type : LG Electronics L1970HR - 19 inches
Network Card : Marvell Semiconductor (Was: Galileo Technology Ltd) Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper)
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Professional 5.02.3790 Service Pack 2
DirectX : Version 9.0c (May 2008)

Note: this system is running XP Pro 64 Bit software.

If anyone has any ideas on how to remedy this I would be most appreciative.
Thanks for any help,

Lt.

P.S.-Second issue can wait but may be related: Windows shuts down but tower does not power down in "stand-by" mode.

07-23-2008, 05:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
Lt Shamrock Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1 OS: XP pro 64	Windows MCE: I'm stumped Hi all, I have two current issues, possibly related but most likely not. The first and most annoying is a MCE stop error of 0x0000009c. So a hardware issue somewhere. At first it pointed to the MB as the PS was shorting out, making it the third in two years. I replaced the board as well as the PS with no result. Employed the use of a power regulator after realizing a large storm had come through and the surge protectors weren't cutting it. Next step, decided the RAM was to blame. Removed all RAM and tested each individually. All worked at first, after a few boots it would lock on windows black loading screen and MCE error (same issue as before). The only way to get to windows at this point was to do a safe-mode boot and restart. For some reason everything loads fine until you shut it down and reboot (But why? MCE is supposed to be a hardware issue but safe boot and restart to get into windows suggests software..?). Seems to display this pattern of working fine when re-seating hardware, for a few boots, then error strikes again. Shouldn't be the RAM as it's not failing in post, so I pulled the Sound Blaster Audio card after reading a post. Seemed to fix the issue, but then two days later the same pattern reappeared. Hardware changes seem to make it happy for a day or so then it starts up again. I have updated BIOS, and after two months of random trouble shooting am stumped as to what this might be. All hardware TS seems to work for a short time only. Specs are below: Power Supply: Antec NeoPower 650 Mainboard : Asus A8N32-SLI-Deluxe (939) Chipset : nVidia nForce4 SLI X16 Processor : AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ @ 2200 MHz Physical Memory : 3072 MB Video Card : Nvidia Corp GeForce 7900 GTX Hard Disk : Maxtor (123 GB) Hard Disk : ST3500320AS (500 GB) DVD-Rom Drive : HL-DT-ST DVDRRW GSA-4166B DVD-Rom Drive : TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S183L Monitor Type : LG Electronics L1970HR - 19 inches Network Card : Marvell Semiconductor (Was: Galileo Technology Ltd) Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper) Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Professional 5.02.3790 Service Pack 2 DirectX : Version 9.0c (May 2008) Note: this system is running XP Pro 64 Bit software. If anyone has any ideas on how to remedy this I would be most appreciative. Thanks for any help, Lt. P.S.-Second issue can wait but may be related: Windows shuts down but tower does not power down in "stand-by" mode. Last edited by Lt Shamrock : 07-23-2008 at 05:52 AM.