Blue screen errors when running VNC

[Fardringle]

My wife's computer recently developed a problem that has me stumped.

She uses VNC to connect to a computer at an office to occassionally do some consulting for them. Everything has been running fine up until about two weeks ago, when she suddently started getting frequent blue screen errors. I've been able to narrow the problem down to VNC itself as the blue screens NEVER happen except when she's running VNC, but I can't figure out how to fix it. There aren't any errors of any kind in the System, Application, or Event Logs in the Control Panel that would point to the cause of the problem.

I have completely uninstalled and reinstalled two different versions of RealVNC as well as TightVNC and UltraVNC and every one of them gets the blue screen errors while connected to any computer using VNC. I also completely uninstalled (inluding driver cleaner) and re-installed a half dozen different versions of the Nvidia Detonator drivers with no change.

I have looped 3DMark, Prime95, and MemTest for hours with no errors or problems at all on the computer.

The errors usually don't pop up immediately after connecting to VNC (although that has happened a couple of times) and she may be able to work for as long as 30 minutes or more before getting the errors, but since the problem started she has never been able to go for more than an hour with VNC connected without getting a STOP error.

Using VNC to connect from my computer to her home PC or to the office computer works normally for hours without any problems so it appears to be something odd with the client "driver" for VNC on her computer, if there is such a thing.

Anyway, the specs on her PC are:

* Windows 2000 Pro, SP4, all updates current.
* Athlon XP 2000+ CPU (no difference in errors when stock, overclocked, or even dramatically underclocked, temperature never goes up to a level I would worry about even under heavy load.
* Shuttle AK35 motherboard with newest BIOS.
* Kingston 512MB PC2700 Value RAM.
* 2x Micron 256MB PC2100 RAM.
* Gainward Gold Sample Ti4200 128MB AGP video card
* Linksys LNE 100TX(v5) PCI Ethernet adapter.


I have approximately 30 mini dump files from the crashes that I can send to someone if you want to view the results. I tried to look at them myself using Microsoft's minidump viewer but I'm not sure what to look for in the files.

The error code is "STOP: 0x000000D1 (0x00000006, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x00000006). Research on Microsoft.com (particularly this article) for this error would seem to indicate a problem with the MRXSMB.SYS driver, but I have replaced that file from the source CAB files on the 2000 Pro CD with no change. The article says that they have an unofficial hotfix for the problem, but my attempts to contact Microsoft to get the fix have been unsuccessful.

 

[dclive]

If MS says they have a hotfix, call the normal helpline number, tell the person you want the hotfix, and they'll give it to you in moments. It should be trivial; what's going wrong?

I'd be happy to look at the dumps (be sure to run mpsreports and mail me the resulting .cab file too) but if the MRXSMB update fixes the problem, then by all means grab that first. See my .sig for full details.

 

[TSCrv]

Originally posted by: Fardringle

* Windows 2000 Pro, SP4, all updates current.
* Athlon XP 2000+ CPU (no difference in errors when stock, overclocked, or even dramatically underclocked, temperature never goes up to a level I would worry about even under heavy load.
* Shuttle AK35 motherboard with newest BIOS.
* Kingston 512MB PC2700 Value RAM.
* 2x Micron 256MB PC2100 RAM.
* Gainward Gold Sample Ti4200 128MB AGP video card
* Linksys LNE 100TX(v5) PCI Ethernet adapter.

That linksys card should be the problem. I have had the same problem running Torrents through any ver linksys 10/100 card and i have found that they simpley cant support too many open connections at once. i know it was ver 4.1 or 4.2 that had lots of problems, and ver 5 did also. i use all intel cards now, mainly gigabit but also the older 10/100 cards, they work fine, that is the ONLY thing i changed when i had the BSOD problems, and it fixed it.

if its not the card then idk what to say, hope it helps.

 

[Fardringle]

I tried a different NIC, but the only spare I have at the moment is a different model Linksys and it had the same problem. There are rarely more than a few connections open at a time and this card has been running perfectly in this system for over a year, but it's an easy test. I'll try to track down a spare NIC of another brand to try. Thanks.

As for contacting Microsoft, they want me to pay a service charge just to talk to them for support on Windows 2000. I'd rather wipe the drive and reinstall everything than do that.

 

[dclive]

There is no service charge - when you call the number, you'll be asked if you just want a hotfix. The rep will give you the hotfix. It's that simple. At no time do you give your credit card # or anything other than your name and e-mail address.

Did you already send the minidumps and mps reports output?

 

[dclive]

When you put in the hotfix, did that resolve the issue? If MS says a hotfix fixes the problem, let's do that first.

 

[Fardringle]

Sorry for the delay in replying, but no, it did not make any difference.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Fardringle
Sorry for the delay in replying, but no, it did not make any difference.

What's the hotfix they gave you?

 

[dclive]

Fardringle?