System Freeze

[ddrueding]

This is my 4th system in the last month with this issue.

System boots normally, and no errors are encountered. Within 30 seconds of startup, system becomes unresponsive. The mouse still moves, and the numlock light still changes, but nothing happens. Safe mode boots fine, NOD32 doesn't detect anything, a format/reinstall fixes it (therefore not hardware).

All are XP Pro, with full updates.
All are A64 systems

 

[P5-133XL]

MSConfig is your friend ...

 

[ddrueding]

Interesting. With MSConfig set to "diagnostic startup" (pretty much everything disabled) it still freezes EXCEPT for the MSConfig window itself (the active window at startup). It is still available for moving and selecting options. This makes me think that it is explorer itself crashing.

Ideas?

 

[Handruin]

Maybe try disconnecting all USB devices? Does the drive scan ok?

 

[ddrueding]

No USB devices. Scandisk and Memtest86 work fine.

 

[Will Rickards]

I have a system freeze happening but have not been able to find the cause.
Frustrating to no end. I feel your pain.
I wish their was some software to monitor the system and help diagnose causes of system freezes. If it gave me the dll name or something I could research it but there is nothing.

 

[ddrueding]

I'm busy running through every applicable test on the Hiren's boot CD. So far everything looks completely normal.

 

[CougTek]

You obviously lack the talent to correctly configure this computer. Get rid of it by shipping it to me and let me alleviate your suffering. I'm such a good guy that I would be willing to pay for the shipping. ;-)

 

[Handruin]

Don't trust him. Canada recently reported a shortage of hammers. I say conspiracy, I'll let you decide.

 

[ddrueding]

This one is old. I built it as my most basic office system more than a year ago.

A64 3200+
1GB RAM
Gigabyte NF4 board
250GB Samsung Drive

 

[CougTek]

nForce 4? Don't install the Nvidia Firewall. Don't enable NCQ/TCQ. Try a PATA drive instead of a SATA drive.

P.S. I buy my hammers locally, not in Canada.

 

[ddrueding]

I never install the firewall, and I leave all drive-based settings at defaults. The Samsung drive testing utility passed with flying colors.

 

[Handruin]

Does it boot a Linux live CD without problems? Is there anything left in the BIOS to disable as a test (sound, nic, etc)?

 

[ddrueding]

Ubuntu live CD works fine. Windows safe mode runs fine. All the diagnostic tests I have run fine.

I really don't think this is a hardware issue, it's happened on 4 different machines recently. I suspect some form of malware/etc is the culprit, I just want a fix other than nuking the OS, as I suspect I'll be dealing with this some more.

 

[ddrueding]

Ubuntu live CD works fine. Windows safe mode runs fine. All the diagnostic tests I have run fine.

I really don't think this is a hardware issue, it's happened on 4 different machines recently. I suspect some form of malware/etc is the culprit, I just want a fix other than nuking the OS, as I suspect I'll be dealing with this some more.

 

[Bozo]

Try boot the computer up and getting Task Manager open to Processes. Posible you could catch a process using too much CPU power and give you a hint.
Have you tried any of the Systernals utilities? They have a root kit finder app.

Bozo :joker:

 

[ddrueding]

Good tips Bozo. I'll try them out when I get home tonight.

 

[ddrueding]

MS has managed to kill Sysinternals

Just tried a repair install:

"An error has been encountered that prevents Setup from continuing.
One of the components that Windows needs to continue setup could not be installed.
The Parameter is incorrect.

Press OK to view the Setup log file."

Log File:

"Installation Failed: D:\I386\asms. Error Message: The parameter is incorrect."

 

[Bozo]

Sysinternals: looks like they are all there to me:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx

Bozo :joker:

 

[ddrueding]

Thanks Bozo, looks like the links I was trying to follow from Google were old...

 

[mubs]

How about Win Updates? SvcHost.exe is known to eat up 100% of your CPU (even if it's an 800 THz one) for ~ 10 minutes on system startup. After what seems like an eternity, the system will come back to you.

Turn off Automatic Updates in Control Panel \ Security Center and see what happens.

I've seen too many systems with this problem. I've seen some without it (including this, my personal m/c).

 

[sechs]

If the pointer still moves, it's not frozen.

Does the explorer and desktop appear?

 

[ddrueding]

It did. Unfortunately, the attempted repair install has now borked the whole thing. Fortunately (?) I just got a call from another client who is having the same problem with a different computer, so I'll have another go in a few days.

 

[ddrueding]

Interesting. This machine will not load XP Pro onto a completely formatted HDD, but Vista and Ubuntu 7.04 both load fine and operate without any issues.

Anyone experienced this before?

XP Pro gives the same error as before:


"An error has been encountered that prevents Setup from continuing.
One of the components that Windows needs to continue setup could not be installed.
The Parameter is incorrect.

Press OK to view the Setup log file."

Log File:

"Installation Failed: D:\I386\asms. Error Message: The parameter is incorrect."

 

[Bozo]

Maybe you have a bad XP CD???

Bozo :joker:

 

[ddrueding]

I tried a retail disk and 2 copies of the ISO downloaded from MSDN. I'll try TinyXP when I get home.

 

[mubs]

Try zeroing the disk for the first few hundred tracks.

 

[ddrueding]

I tried a whole new hard drive, still no joy. Unfortunatly, play time is up on this box; they'll be getting Vista.

 

[Sol]

It could be the optical drive... Unlikely, but no more so than anything else you haven't tried...