Machine_Check_Exception 0x9c

[sdbardwick]

AFAICT, I'm basically hosed (i.e. try different CPU, then buy new MB if known good CPU doesn't work)

Windows Server 2008R2 won't boot beyond screen that says select recovery or normal boot.
All add-in hardware removed, all integrated devices disabled, only boot drive attached.
Won't boot from known good Server08R2 DVD; same error.
Safe mode boot dies at CLASSPNP.SYS

Any off-the-wall suggestions?

 

[Chewy509]

MCE are a CPU hardware fault.... Most common causes in good hardware are: heat stress or not enough juice...

1. reset the heat sink/fan...
2. New PSU...

or, the CPU and/or motherboard are toast... (bad caps, dying chipset, etc).

 

[P5-133XL]

Machine_Check_Exception 0x9c

In Windows Vista and later operating systems, this bug check occurs only in the following circumstances.
WHEA is not fully initialized.
All processors that rendezvous have no errors in their registers.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg463286.aspx

PCI-E video card? Try a different card preferably using a different bus. Minimize number of sticks of RAM and then check it (memtest 86+).

 

[Bozo]

I would try a power supply. I had a CPU fan puke and the system wouldn't get past the BIOS.

 

[sdbardwick]

Well, the 3 most probable suspects at this point are PSU, CPU, MB. PSU is the oldest component (Antec NeoHE 500), so if one of the secondary caps went, it might have trouble outputting enough 12V. CPU/MB is i5-2500 on Gigabyte P67X-UD3-B3 (so revised version of P67) with all solid capacitors - no components show any external signs of failure.

Fails on integrated video, PCI-E, and PCI video.

Passes memtest 86+ (3 complete tests) and boots Ubuntu 10.4 live CD.

I'll swap out the CPU, PSU and MB tomorrow and see...

 

[CougTek]

CPU/MB is i5-2500 on Gigabyte P67X-UD3-B3
[...]
Fails on integrated video, PCI-E, and PCI video.

Explain to me how you can try the integrated video on a motherboard that has a chipset that doesn't allow you to use the GPU integrated in the processor? I have that very same motherboard and I can assure you that there isn't any video output on the backplate.

I've never had any Core processor failure. As others have suggested, try another power supply. Alos, if it doesn't boot from a known good media, have you considered a faulty optical drive? I searched Google for a classpnp.sys boot failure and came up with several hypothesis, many of those pointing a graphic driver issue.

 

[Mercutio]

Bad CPUs do happen, but they're vanishingly rare. I see maybe one every year or two.
This does not sound like any kind of CPU failure I've ever run across.

 

[sdbardwick]

Sorry, really not using integrated, just headless (no other graphic board installed).

 

[sdbardwick]

Alos, if it doesn't boot from a known good media, have you considered a faulty optical drive? I searched Google for a classpnp.sys boot failure and came up with several hypothesis, many of those pointing a graphic driver issue.

Boot from optical media fails with same error at same point (right after green progress bar) as boot from HDD. Also optical drive appears good (other computers boot all the way to setup screen from same media).

 

[Mercutio]

Silly question: Have you loaded BIOS defaults yet?

 

[CougTek]

I read someone who claimed to have fixed that problem by disabling SMART in the BIOs. Worth a try.

 

[sdbardwick]

Yup. Cleared CMOS via jumper and then loaded defaults.

 

[sdbardwick]

IIRC (but I'll double check) SMART was disabled when CMOS cleared/defaults loaded.

 

[sdbardwick]

Verified SMART off; no joy.

Eh, enough for tonight. Tomorrow I'll start swapping parts and then do a post-mortem.

 

[mubs]

A dying or dead motherboard coin battery produces weird results. Worth it to spend a few bucks to replace it, reset BIOS to defaults and try again before you throw out the CPU/MB.

 

[Mercutio]

What happens if you boot off a Linux Live CD?

 

[sdbardwick]

Tried with new PSU and a 3rd PCI-E video card (nVidia this time, AMD previously) - same machine check exception.

What happens if you boot off a Linux Live CD?

Previously booted (or at least I thought it did) a Ubuntu 10.4 CD. Now with Mint (latest) it stops with kernel panic (flashing CAPS and SCROLL lock lights on keyboard) about 12 seconds after boot process starts.

Onto swapping less convenient components like CPU and MB.

 

[CougTek]

Can you reflash the BIOS with a different version than the one that's already there? Seems more and more like a dying motherboard.

 

[sdbardwick]

I'll be dammed. Bad CPU. First time in 15 years. Swapped 2500k out for another 2500k and it is like there never was a problem.
Let's see how Intel handles warranty issues.

 

[Mercutio]

You'll have to call them. A human being will ask you about your troubleshooting steps and for every tiny little detail printed on the CPU. Then they'll issue an RMA and packing instructions. You'll ship the part to Kentucky and your replacement will be shipped out next business day. For me this is normally a two-day turn around from start to finish.