Question About a Startup Error

2128 Views 25 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Kalim, Jan 7, 2007

Larch

Discussion Starter · Dec 23, 2006

The problem:
On start up some times get a "critical error" message that Windows recovered from a serious error.

2 files Windows says are linked with the error:
1) Mini101706-02.dmp
2) sysdata

Located in a "WER833b.dir00" folder in the Temp folder.

Not really sure what's up with it. Everything seems to run fine even though the error occurred. Just wondering if anyone knew what these files are for and if there is anything I should do.
Thanks for your help, and Merry Christmas! :biggrinsa

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

elf

· #2 · Dec 23, 2006

Probably a virus trying to run on startup, one that has since been deleted. You can probably disable it from your startup using msconfig.

If you don't know how to do that post back and I can walk you through it

Kalim

· #3 · Dec 23, 2006

Go to Start>Run>type: msconfig hit enter. Make your way to the Startup tab and check for whats listed there.

hwm54112

· #4 · Dec 23, 2006

Those two files and the TEMP directory are part of the error report and aren't related to the actual cause of the error. Do you get any additional text or a stop 0x00000000 along with the error reporting files you've listed

Kalim

· #5 · Dec 23, 2006

^ OP doesn't get a BSoD. Just a startup critical prompt.

Larch

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 24, 2006 (Edited)

Thanks for the replies.

I checked the Startup under msconfig, and found a program that is unnamed. Under it's "Location" it says, "software\microsoft\windows\CurrentVersion\run". I currently have it disabled during start ups.

Also, I used to get a blue screen that reported a failed driver/software. I can't remember the STOP numbers and stuff, but it said that a driver or software had failed. I believe it read as "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL". It seemed to only happen when I tried to close either my web browser (Firefox 2.0) or AOL's AIM Triton program and after my computer had been on for quite a while. They have since seemed to stop. I got the blue screen about 3-4 times randomly over a 2 week period.

Thanks for your willingness to help me!

PS. What does "^ OP" stand for?... Sorry :4-dontkno (See above post)

See less See more

hwm54112

· #7 · Dec 24, 2006

Original poster (that would be you).

your welcome

Kalim

· #8 · Dec 24, 2006

Hi Larch,

Do you still get any BSoD's?
Do you have anything in C:\WINDOWS\Minidump ?

Larch

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 24, 2006 (Edited)

Kalim,

I have not gotten a BSoD for about... over 3 weeks or so. Of course I haven't been using my computer that much since I've been back from school either.

I checked in the Minidump folder and it has a bunch of .dmp files which appear to be labeled with the dates of the reports, I'm guessing. There are 51 files in all.

Also, I should have mentioned before that randomly my computer will not shut down (Just happened last night). It will go to the shut down screen and stop processing as if it's done, but then it keeps running the HD. It makes "clicking" sounds like it's trying to turn everything off but can't...

Thanks.

Geekgirl

· #10 · Dec 26, 2006

Hi Larch and Welcome to TSF

It makes "clicking" sounds like it's trying to turn everything off but can't...

Is the clicking sound coming from the hard drive? You should Find the manufacturer of your hard drive and run their Hard Drive Diagnostics Utility. to test the integrity of your hard drive

Larch

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 27, 2006 (Edited)

It doesn't seem to be coming from the hard drive. It's more of an electronic "clicking" sound. It's kind of hard to describe. I'll check it out anyway and do as you suggested, though.
Thanks.

Edit-
Maybe it is the hard drive trying to shut down... I'm not really sure. I have a Dell Inspiron 8500 laptop, w/ a Hitachi 40GB HD.

The "clicking" noise it makes is the same noise as when I restart it, which has always been a normal noise. Hope that helps a little and doesn't confuse things.

Kalim

· #12 · Dec 27, 2006

A clicking sound by the HDD is normally when its performing some read/write near corruption.

-How far do you get in shutdown...I mean do you see the blue log off screen?
-Is this a new problem.. how long has it been happening for if not?
-Have you tried Last Known Good Config?
-Do you have any System restores saved (Check in System Tools in Accessories by asking it to restore to an earlier point only to come top the screen where it will list them and then click cancel.)

Them minidump files: delete all of them but the last 3. Next time you get a BSoD, look in there for a minidump of the exact date and you can use the debugging tool by MS to analyze it.

If you have your XP CD, type sfc/ scannow in Start>Run and hit enter. It should run the System File Checker, rather silently and see if that helps you ut here. Reboot after it finishes.

See less See more

Larch

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 27, 2006

Thanks Kalim.
To answer your questions:
1) It gets to the blue log off screen where it says "Shutting Down..." or whatever. It stops all processing, but keeps spinning the HD quietly.
2) I can't remember when it started. It's only happens randomly and not too often.
3) Forgive my ignorance, but I'm not completely sure what the "Last Known Good Config" is... Sorry

4) I have System Restore dating back to about a week ago I think. But the problem has been happening off and on for about 3 weeks or more. I didn't think anything of it the first couple of times.

Thanks again all.

Kalim

· #14 · Dec 28, 2006 (Edited)

Thats a typo by me, very sorry!

Can you please try that again, but sfc /scannow

The forward slash was in the wrong place.

NOTE: there's a space after sfc.

hwm54112

· #15 · Dec 28, 2006

if kalim's suggestion doesn't work, another possibility is UPHclean. sounds like you might be in some sort of a shutdown loop

Larch

Discussion Starter · #16 · Dec 28, 2006

Thank you very much Kalim for the correction!! And don't worry about it. I'm just very grateful that I have somewhere to turn with people who know a million times more about computers than I do!

Thanks hwm54122! I'll post back tomorrow some time after I've had a chance to try the different things.

Larch

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 28, 2006

I've run the sfc /scannow and restarted the system after it was done. I then shut it down and it shut down completely, seemingly without problem.

I'll give it a couple of more tries over the next few days and give an update on it.

Thanks again to all who helped me out! I appreciate it!

Larch

Discussion Starter · #18 · Dec 29, 2006 (Edited)

Just a quick update after having run the sfc /scannow, I have started and shut down my PC 4 times throughout the day.
1st time, shut down ok
2nd time, wouldn't shut down (Got to blue "Shutting Down..." screen, but kept spinning the HD and left the screen lit, but no processing)
3rd time, shut down ok
4th time, shut down ok

Only difference is that I had it on for quite a while on the 2nd time (~2hrs). The 3rd and 4th times it wasn't on much longer than a half-hour to an hour, or a little less.

I'll have to see after I finish this post how it does. I've tried the sfc /scannow and I'm not sure if it worked or not... Didn't really seem to because of the 2nd try. I'm going to try the UPHclean after this. I tried the run the DFT like Geekgirl suggested (post #10) but I can't get it on a floppy (it's 2.07MB) and I couldn't get it run off a CD... I tried putting it on the CD, but it wouldn't run it on statup.

See less See more

Kalim

· #19 · Dec 29, 2006

The HDD Diagnostic Tool: You can get an EXE download to create a diskette, an image download for the diskette or an ISO image download to create a CD with.
If its the ISO, Burn the ISO image onto the CD. When you reboot you have to press F8 (on most computers) and get into the boot menu which allows you to choose which device to boot from. Thats where you choose CD-ROM and hit enter. If burned on correctly, it should work and show the HDD utility screen allowing you options to test.

Try the hive cleanup aswell, but right now I'm thinking its a conflicting service that doesn't quit when instructed to. One installed from a 3rd party software (definitely if its music match or music/video associated).
If the above suggestions don't resolve the issue and return well, then you can disable all extra services and try booting up.

Here's a guide to compare with, as in what you need and whats extra: http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm

See less See more

hwm54112

· #20 · Dec 29, 2006

the ultimatebootcd. has the hdd utility on it. given the error occurs more often the longer the computer has been running tends to indicate the hive cleanup will work

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.