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BSOD

zerocool1

Diamond Member
Cross posted in OT

Ok, here are my system specs.

a8nsli on 1008 bios
venice 3000+
1 gig dual channel geil memory DDR400
Leadtek TV tuner card
ATI/Sapphire x800XL
Ultra PSU(the modular ones)

I'm running Server 03 on this box. Not sure if that'd make a difference.


I keep getting a BSOD, and the error given is machine_check_exception and it doesn't give me any more information. Before it would just give me an error when watching a DVD over Daemon tools but it errors on just about everything now.

I'm not overclocking at all. I've checked if it were something I did with my memory timings. umm...
what are the safe ranges for PSUs?
Thanks in advance.

Amit

EDIT: Using SATA Raid
Some error info:

machine_check_exception Stop: 0x0000009C
just did memtest for 13+ hours. No errors at all. I'm very confused/
 
not overclocking at all. I would update my bios, but on asus's site they say to also download the chipset drivers which I cannot finish downloading. It gets stuck at 1.1 meg. And now the North American part of the site is down AGAIN.
 
Power rails should be withing 5% of specified voltage. For 12 volts that would be 11.4 - 12.6. A calculator will give you the others.

There is no accurate way to measure voltages except with a digital multimeter ($20 at Radio Shack). Onboard voltage monitoring is notoriously unreliable.

If you suspect power issues, play safe and swap the PSU. You could have bad capacitors in the PSU (a lot of that lately). Voltage may not indicate a problem if you have bad caps.

I'd prune your startups. WHY are you running Daemon Tools on a Server 2003 box? Are you actually using this as a server or as a workstation. If the latter, WHY? Server 03 is NOT a workstation OS and is not going to be compatible with some apps you'd use on a workstation. Some incompatible background application like that could be causing your problem. I have no idea if Daemon Tools is compatible with Server 2003 or not, but I wouldn't have it running on a server. You don't run ANYTHING on a server OS that you don't need to. Daemon is a possible culprit since it emulates a hardware SCSI controller and drive and the Machine Check Exception is generally a hardware error.

If you've hacked the OS to enable XP features in it like System Restore so you can use it as a workstation OS, then I don't even want to talk to you. You're running a hacked and inherently unstable OS and you shouldn't be suprised if you have problems. Install WinXP.

Machine Check Exceptions are usually hardware or driver related. A failing drive, for instance, can cause it. Download the drive manufacturer's diagnostic and run a full (advanced) diagnostic test on the drive.

Bad memory can also cause that error and so can incorrect memory timing. Run MEMTEST86+ for 12 hours to check memory stability. If you've fiddled with your memory timing make a note of the settings and then reset them to BIOS safe defaults and see if that helps.

Overheating can also, indirectly, cause hardware faults that will generate this error.

Lots of other hardware related issues can cause this error as well. Get the exact error code and consult this page: http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.php

SYMPTOMS
A computer running Windows NT Server or Workstation shows the following Stop error code:
STOP: 0x0000009C (0x00000030, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x80003CBA)
NOTE: The parameters for the Stop message may vary from the parameters shown.
CAUSE
The computer processor detected a hardware error and reported it to Windows NT using the Machine Check Exception (MCE) feature of Pentium processors or the Machine Check Architecture (MCA) feature of some Pentium Pro processors.
MORE INFORMATION
Windows NT Server and Workstation version 4.0 now have the ability to report exceptions generated by the MCE or MCA features.

The Pentium and Pentium Pro processors provide a mechanism to detect and to report hardware-related problems such as memory parity errors and cache errors. To signal a hardware error, the processor signals the detection of a machine check error by generating a machine check exception (Interrupt 18). Windows NT simply reports the fact that the error occurred and displays parameters that you can use to decode the exception. Contact your hardware vendor or processor manufacturer for information regarding the Machine Check Architecture or consult the Intel Pentium Pro Family Developer's Manual - Volume 3: Operating System Writer's Manual.

Hope this helps...
 
thx a lot flying penguin, I couldn't find my xp disc and the msdnaa server was down.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that it also happens when daemon tools isn't running. and I am running it as a workstation.
 
This thread, MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION BSOD states the cause of a machine_check_exception is typically memory or cpu cache. Your successfull memtest would leave the cpu cache. Maybe try disabling the cpu cache in the bios and see if that ends your errors. Of course, this would not be a long term solution.

Microsoft Support: STOP: 0x0000009C (0x00000004, 0x00000000, 0xb2000000, 0x00020151) ... points to:
  • System bus errors
  • Memory errors that may include parity or Error Correction Code (ECC) problems
  • Cache errors in the processor or hardware
  • Translation Lookaside Buffers (TLB) errors in the processor
  • Other CPU-vendor specific detected hardware problems
  • Vendor-specific detected hardware problems

Of course, it may be your PSU, and reading Power Supply 101 may help.

Fortron AX400-PN 400W with dual 12V rails for $47.
Fortron AX450-PN 450W with dual 12V rails for $57.

WMD 3200+ for $132 + shipping.
 
Ok...

1) you're using an Ultra X-Connect PSU. 😛 More rice = less meat, if you see what I'm saying. How about a nice normal PSU with more money spent on the insides?

2) what voltage are you giving the RAM? If it's on AUTO, then kick it up to 2.8 volts in the JumperFree Configuration menu in the BIOS. Voltage is to RAM what octane is to gasoline-powered engines... some need more than the vanilla setting.

3) Make sure that you've got the EZ-Plug connected to the motherboard. More points of power deliver = better. Page 2-25 of the A8N-SLI Deluxe manual shows the location of the EZ-Plug, presumably the A8N-SLI non-Deluxe's manual is similar.
 
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Ok...

1) you're using an Ultra X-Connect PSU. 😛 More rice = less meat, if you see what I'm saying. How about a nice normal PSU with more money spent on the insides?



3) Make sure that you've got the EZ-Plug connected to the motherboard. More points of power deliver = better. Page 2-25 of the A8N-SLI Deluxe manual shows the location of the EZ-Plug, presumably the A8N-SLI non-Deluxe's manual is similar.

checked these two still having problems. Now to check the voltages.
 
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