STOP error messages - where's JDC?

[Simon W]

Note mainly to JDC since he already knows about the STOP errors on my Windows 2000 Pro AMD machine.

John - still getting the random crashing with STOP errors. The latest ones are:

STOP ERROR: KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED. SMTCPMON.sysSTOP ERROR: PFN_LIST_CORRUPTSTOP ERROR: SPBBCDrv.sysSTOP ERROR: NTOSKRNL.exeI found a trojan yesterday (Trojan.Delf.bg) but got rid of it with AVG Anti-spyware.

I tried changing the 3 x Elixir PC2700 memory sticks for PC3200 Twinmos ones from my Intel machine (all 512Kb per stick).

The AMD machine wouldn't start with any of the Twinmos sticks. I don't know if it's because they're ECC (the motherboard is an Epox 8K3A+ DDR333 which doesn't accept ECC memory).

I'm now trying the Elixir sticks one at a time to see if it's a particular stick that's causing the problem.

Any ideas? Is there a good memory test programme I can use?

[Rich]

Don't know if this will tell you anything Simon - http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/

[Simon W]

Just ran the Crucial scanner Rich and it doesn't do much except identify what's in the system:

Maximum Memory Capacity: 1024 MB
Currently Installed Memory: 512 MB
Available Memory Slots: 3
Number of Banks: 4
Dual Channel Support: N.A.
CPU Manufacturer: AuthenticAMD

It's got the maximum memory capacity wrong - it's 2Gb on this m/board. The 512Mb 'currently installed' is correct (only 1 of the 3 sticks is in the machine at present) but it doesn't actually test the memory.

[JohnDotCom]

Note mainly to JDC since he already knows about the STOP errors on my Windows 2000 Pro AMD machine.

John - still getting the random crashing with STOP errors. The latest ones are:

STOP ERROR: KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED. SMTCPMON.sysSTOP ERROR: PFN_LIST_CORRUPTSTOP ERROR: SPBBCDrv.sysSTOP ERROR: NTOSKRNL.exeI found a trojan yesterday (Trojan.Delf.bg) but got rid of it with AVG Anti-spyware.

I tried changing the 3 x Elixir PC2700 memory sticks for PC3200 Twinmos ones from my Intel machine (all 512Kb per stick).

The AMD machine wouldn't start with any of the Twinmos sticks. I don't know if it's because they're ECC (the motherboard is an Epox 8K3A+ DDR333 which doesn't accept ECC memory).

I'm now trying the Elixir sticks one at a time to see if it's a particular stick that's causing the problem.

Any ideas? Is there a good memory test programme I can use?
Sorry Simon only just seen this. I'm away from work this week and just have a trusty laptop with me looking for hotspots to connect up to! Will be back Sunday Evening and if I haven't answered before and you still have these recurring problems will come back to you then mate.

[Simon W]

Sorry Simon only just seen this. I'm away from work this week and just have a trusty laptop with me looking for hotspots to connect up to! Will be back Sunday Evening and if I haven't answered before and you still have these recurring problems will come back to you then mate.


Ok, thanks John.

[r44712]

Still getting the random crashing with STOP errors. The latest ones are:

STOP ERROR: KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED. SMTCPMON.sysSTOP ERROR: PFN_LIST_CORRUPTSTOP ERROR: SPBBCDrv.sysSTOP ERROR: NTOSKRNL.exe

This sounds like driver errors to me and nothing to do with the memory. If you want to eliminate the memory as a cause, swap the two (original) DIMMs over in the slots.


What is causing the error to happen - is it one specific thing, or does it happen randomly?

Have you recently added any new hardware?

Check in "Device Manager" (right click my computer, select 'Properties' and click on the 'Hardware' tab followed by 'Device Manager') for any items that might be crossed or have question marks next to them.


Do you have any Symantec products installed, or Secret Marker?


Two of the errors relate to problems with the hard disk, is it full?

[Simon W]

This sounds like driver errors to me and nothing to do with the memory. If you want to eliminate the memory as a cause, swap the two (original) DIMMs over in the slots.


What is causing the error to happen - is it one specific thing, or does it happen randomly?

Have you recently added any new hardware?

Check in "Device Manager" (right click my computer, select 'Properties' and click on the 'Hardware' tab followed by 'Device Manager') for any items that might be crossed or have question marks next to them.


Do you have any Symantec products installed, or Secret Marker?


Two of the errors relate to problems with the hard disk, is it full?


Many thanks for the reply 44712. I have answered your questions below.

I tried swapping the DIMMs over but it made no difference. The problem has been happening for a while now, no new hardware added before the first occurrence.

Three 512Mb 2700 sticks are normally installed but now testing them one at a time.

It could be a driver but God knows which one.

It appears to be completely random - no specific activity seems to be the cause, unless it's the live ADSL connection or Outlook 2003 running. The machine just stops with BSOD showing one of the aforementioned errors (or perhaps another not listed above - I got fed up writing them all down).

No crosses or question marks in Device Manager, except for one red X for AC97 on-board sound, which is disabled due to the presence of a Creative Audigy 2.

None of the hard drives are anywhere near max capacity - the machine has 3 x 123Gb IBM deskstars.

Symantec programmes are installed: Norton SystemWorks Premier 2006 with Norton Antivirus, Norton Personal Firewall 2005, Symantec WinFax Pro 10.

Usual nightmare with Norton programmes - don't know why I keep buying them. Live Update refusing to update because it thinks the subcriptions have expired (they haven't). Recently spent 12 hours solid on the phone to Symantec's support people (they're now in India). Customer support is worse than absolutely useless. If they'd been in the UK, I'd have driven over there and sorted them out.

No Secret Maker installed (not that I know of anyway).

Ignore that! Secret Maker is in fact installed. At least it was until a minute ago - I've just obliterated it with Your Uninstaller 2006.

[JohnDotCom]

Simon, Only a quick mention not relevant to your problems, it is advisable only to run one FireWall so if the Windows one is on turn it off if using the Norton one (Only relevant if your OS has one of course)!

[Simon W]

Simon, Only a quick mention not relevant to your problems, it is advisable only to run one FireWall so if the Windows one is on turn it off if using the Norton one (Only relevant if your OS has one of course)!

No integral firewall with Win2K John, so ok on that score, just Norton Firewall running.

[r44712]

If you are getting many random errors, I'd suggest doing a repair install of Windows. I don't know if its possible with Win 2K, tho. (WinXP has the option if you have the original Windows disk - its annoying how some PC manufacturers give you their 'own' copy of Windows which doesn't have all the extra features).

Make a backup before you begin, so you have something to fall back on.


It just sounds Windows is all in a muddle on that machine, have you tried a registry scanning tool to try and reduce the number of errors?

[Simon W]

Yes I've tried tools to sort the registry but I don't think it's that. Secret Maker was installed - could that have been it?

[Simon]

Do you have an ATI Radeon graphics driver on your system Simon?

[Simon W]

Do you have an ATI Radeon graphics driver on your system Simon?

Yes, Catalyst v6.3. Graphics card is a Powercolor Radeon 9800.

[Simon]

Could well be your ATI drivers then.

I remember you saying once that you had "IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" come up too and doing a quick search brought up this article on the MS knowledgebase http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/285014

Could be worth checking out...

[Simon W]

Well spotted Simon. I'll see if there's a new Catalyst available.