Bad_Pool_Caller BSOD

[saxomophone]

For about a month now I've been getting random BSODs. The most common error is "bad_pool_caller" Ox000000C2 (0x00000007, 0x00000CD4, 0x024C0000, 0X89C0F008) in Windows XP


I tried a format, no luck.

The system is a brand new Core 2 Duo E6600,
2 1Gig sticks of Kingston Hyperx Ram
EVGA 640 MB geforce 8800 GTS Superclocked
EVGA 680i SLI mobo


The problem seems to have no rhyme or reason. It usually seems to happen when I close something though, it's happened once or twice when closing an IM window, happened a few times I closed Battlefield 2142, has happened while playing Knights of the Old Republic, or when a couple other graphically intense games were closed.

The other error I've seen is "IRQ Driver not Less or Equal", which was what I got while playing Knights of the old republic 1 & 2.

I have a few kernel dumps, and some small memory dumps if they'd be useful. I tried reading them but couldn't make sense out of them.



ALSO, I dual boot Ubuntu, and I haven't had any problems in there, but I also don't play intense 3d graphics games in it, so that could be the reason.


BIG thanks to anyone who can help me out here!

 

[dclive]

Bug Check 0xC2: BAD_POOL_CALLER
The BAD_POOL_CALLER bug check has a value of 0x000000C2. This indicates that the current thread is making a bad pool request.

Parameters
The following parameters are displayed on the blue screen. Parameter 1 indicates the type of violation.

Parameter 1 Parameter 2 Parameter 3 Parameter 4 Cause of Error
0x00 0 Pool type Pool tag The current thread requested a zero-byte pool allocation.
0x01,
0x02,
or
0x04 Pointer to pool header First part of pool header contents 0 The pool header has been corrupted.
0x06 Reserved Pointer to pool header Pool header contents The current thread attempted to free the pool, which was already freed.
0x07 Reserved Pool header contents Address of the block of pool being freed The current thread attempted to free the pool, which was already freed.
0x08 Current IRQL Pool type Size of allocation, in bytes The current thread attempted to allocate the pool at an invalid IRQL.
0x09 Current IRQL Pool type Address of pool The current thread attempted to free the pool at an invalid IRQL.
0x0A Address of pool Allocator's tag Tag being used in the attempted free The current thread attempted to free pool memory by using the wrong tag.

(The memory might belong to another component.)


0x0B,
0x0C,
or
0x0D Address of pool Pool allocation's tag Bad quota process pointer The current thread attempted to release a quota on a corrupted pool allocation.
0x40 Starting address Start of system address space 0 The current thread attempted to free the kernel pool at a user-mode address.
0x41 Starting address Physical page frame Highest physical page frame The current thread attempted to free a non-allocated nonpaged pool address.
0x42
or
0x43 Address being freed 0 0 The current thread attempted to free a virtual address that was never in any pool.
0x44 Starting address Reserved 0 The current thread attempted to free a non-allocated nonpaged pool address.
0x46 Starting address 0 0 The current thread attempted to free an invalid pool address.
0x47 Starting address Physical page frame Highest physical page frame The current thread attempted to free a non-allocated nonpaged pool address.
0x48 Starting address Reserved Reserved The current thread attempted to free a non-allocated paged pool address.
0x50 Starting address Start offset, in pages, from beginning of paged pool Size of paged pool, in bytes The current thread attempted to free a non-allocated paged pool address.
0x60 Starting address 0 0 The current thread attempted to free an invalid contiguous memory address.

(The caller of MmFreeContiguousMemory is passing a bad pointer.)


0x99 Address that is being freed 0 0 The current thread attempted to free pool with an invalid address.

(This code can also indicate corruption in the pool header.)


0x9A Pool type Number of bytes requested Pool tag The current thread marked an allocation request MUST_SUCCEED.

(This pool type is no longer supported.)


0x9B Pool type Number of bytes requested Caller's address The current thread attempted to allocate a pool with a tag of 0

(This would be untrackable, and possibly corrupt the existing tag tables.)


0x9C Pool type Number of bytes requested Caller's address The current thread attempted to allocate a pool with a tag of "BIG".

(This would be untrackable and could possibly corrupt the existing tag tables.)


0x9D Incorrect pool tag used Pool type Caller's address The current thread attempted to allocate a pool with a tag that does not contain any letters or digits. Using such tags makes tracking pool issues difficult.
0x41286 Reserved Reserved Start offset from the beginning of the paged pool, in pages The current thread attempted to free a paged pool address in the middle of an allocation.


The _POOL_TYPE codes are enumerated in Ntddk.h. In particular, 0 indicates nonpaged pool and 1 indicates paged pool.

Cause
An invalid pool request has been made by the current thread.

Resolving the Problem
Activate Driver Verifier to obtain more information about these errors. For details, see the Driver Verifier section of the Windows Driver Kit (WDK).


__

Above from MS's debugger, re: c2.

So, run verifier, pick the top option, pick unsigned drivers, click finish, reboot, and let us know what happens.

Note: If you cannot boot into Windows due to bluescreens, simply pick SAFE MODE and run verifier again and turn off all verification - then send those dumps to me. Don't forget to run MPSReports every time you send me dumps...

While we're waiting for another crash, you might as well run mpsreports and send me the existing dumpfiles...

 

[bsobel]

Is any particular driver (.sys file) mentioned in the crashes or are they always different?

 

[saxomophone]

No specific file is ever mentioned in any of the crashes.

 

[KB]

Whenever I see random BSODs I usually find it is a problem with the RAM. Try a single stick or different sticks. Try running MEMtest too.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: dclive
Run verifier, pick the top option, pick unsigned drivers, click finish, reboot, and let us know what happens.

Note: If you cannot boot into Windows due to bluescreens, simply pick SAFE MODE and run verifier again and turn off all verification - then send those dumps to me. Don't forget to run MPSReports every time you send me dumps...

While we're waiting for another crash, you might as well run mpsreports and send me the existing dumpfiles...

Want to give that a shot?

 

[saxomophone]

how exactly do I run verifier? I tried doing that once before after googling for instructions, but couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do.

 

[dclive]

Click Start.
Click Run.
key in 'verifier'
Press enter.
Pick the top option.
Pick unsigned drivers.
Click finish.
Reboot.

That's it!

 

[dclive]

Got your dumps ... still waiting on your mpsreports file....

 

[dclive]

You didn't send your mpsreports file, but in this case it isn't required.

Your Creative Labs Soundblaster card's drivers are causing the crash.

You have a few choices - remove the card or update the drivers being the two key choices.

Any other questions, let me know.

1: kd> lmvm e10kx2k
start end module name
b9d1e000 b9e30080 e10kx2k T (no symbols)
Loaded symbol image file: e10kx2k.sys
Image path: e10kx2k.sys
Image name: e10kx2k.sys
Timestamp: Sun Nov 04 22:02:30 2001 (3BE60F56)
CheckSum: 001ADCA3
ImageSize: 00112080
Translations: 0000.04b0 0000.04e0 0409.04b0 0409.04e0

 

[bwatson283]

i had a similar problem with my new build. my Ram and Video reference keep getting thrown a constant loop and crashed the system. I was due to a corrupt windows install.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: bwatson283
i had a similar problem with my new build. my Ram and Video reference keep getting thrown a constant loop and crashed the system. I was due to a corrupt windows install.

What is a "corrupt Windows install"? What was the actual problem?

 

[bwatson283]

I just reformated and it fixed it, and has worked like a top since. (Knocks on wood)

 

[dclive]

IC. Software problem, then. Next time, post the bluescreen information and we can fix it, without doing a reinstall and losing hours to that.

 

[saxomophone]

Thanks for the help. I'll update the drivers and cross my fingers that it will fix the problem.

 

[Fraggable]

I just had that error on a new Win Vista Ultimate build and it turned out to be bad memory. Memtest found it within 20 mins.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
I just had that error on a new Win Vista Ultimate build and it turned out to be bad memory. Memtest found it within 20 mins.

Which error did you have?

 

[Fraggable]

BAD_POOL_CALLER

I also got a 'memory management' error later on before I actually started testing memory. Turned out I had 2 bad sticks.

 

[saxomophone]

Okay, so that problem seems to be fixed, but since I fixed it a new problem has occured. Now, if I try to rip a CD in iTunes i get a BSOD that doesn't really tell me any information. I'll e-mail the dump to dclive. It's happened every time i've tried to rip an audio cd since updating my audio driver, although i haven't had any in game crashes.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: saxomophone
Okay, so that problem seems to be fixed, but since I fixed it a new problem has occured. Now, if I try to rip a CD in iTunes i get a BSOD that doesn't really tell me any information. I'll e-mail the dump to dclive. It's happened every time i've tried to rip an audio cd since updating my audio driver, although i haven't had any in game crashes.

OK. Be sure you follow my website and do the debug yourself too. Please post your results.

 

[saxomophone]

okay, here's my results. BugCheck C4, {81, 87b74a58, 8a, 0}

Unable to load image AFS2K.SYS, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for AFS2K.SYS
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for AFS2K.SYS
Unable to load image GEARAspiWDM.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for GEARAspiWDM.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for GEARAspiWDM.sys
Probably caused by : AFS2K.SYS ( AFS2K+1a0d )

 

[saxomophone]

I think I found the problem, I might have disabled the process from booting accidentally. I changed that, and will now see if anything changes.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: saxomophone
okay, here's my results. BugCheck C4, {81, 87b74a58, 8a, 0}

Unable to load image AFS2K.SYS, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for AFS2K.SYS
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for AFS2K.SYS
Unable to load image GEARAspiWDM.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for GEARAspiWDM.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for GEARAspiWDM.sys
Probably caused by : AFS2K.SYS ( AFS2K+1a0d )

There you go. AFS2k.sys. So, run MPSReports, explode/uncompress the CAB file it makes, and then search the *devices.txt (or *drivers.txt) file - I forget which - for that "afs2k" string, and you'll see where it is, who makes it, and all kind of other information that will help you in removing it.

 

[dclive]

I'll be out of business before long. Debugging dumps (at least the easier ones) is a breeze, isn't it? From now on, whenever you get a BSOD, you'll know exactly what to do.

 

[saxomophone]

Hmm... My fix didn't seem to solve the problem. I'll look into the mpsreport later, i need to run out now.



EDIT: But a quick google search yields this - The process Audio File System belongs to the software AFS by Oak Technology Inc (www.oaktech.com).

Description: File AFS2K.sys is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32\drivers. Known file sizes on Windows XP are 35840 bytes (39% of all occurrence), 43672 bytes, 82380 bytes, 84028 bytes, 43488 bytes, 80064 bytes, 84492 bytes.
The driver can be started or stopped from Services in the Control Panel or by other programs. There is no file information. The program is not visible. The service has no detailed description. AFS2K.sys is not a Windows core file. Therefore the technical security rating is 28% dangerous, however also read the users reviews.