Alt Tab - "unexpected_kernel_mode_trap"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alfie
  • Start date Start date
A

Alfie

I am trying to track down this intermittant problem. In W2000, SP4
with a number of applications open. I will switch windows by using Alt
Tab. I have used this key conbination for a number of years but have
not had this problem. "unexpected_kernel_mode_trap" screen appears
and system reboots. What information can I provide that would be
helpful in understanding the problem?

I should add that just previously to seeing the problem I used
Pagedefrag. After running it I have had to reset the pagefile size.
The program does an excellent job speeding access.

When it comes to these kinds of issues I am very inexperienced.
 
Do you get a blue screen of death with a bug trap number? or Stop
error?

You could install the windows debugging tools, and debug your
memory.dmp, this usually tells you what file is causing the issue.
 
Thanks for the reply

I do have DrWatson but I am not sure of what to look for. What
debugging tools are part of the system that I could install? I get a
black screen of death. The screen indicated
"unexpected_kernel_mode_trap".
The screen disappears after about a second and I don't see that
quickly.

I have to keep my Alt-Tab usage in check otherwise the problem occurs.
 
Go to Start|Settings|Control Panel|System|Advanced,
and in Startup and Recovery, under System Failure,
UNCHECK "Automatically Reboot".

Then, when your system fails, you will see the infamous
"Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) which is informative.

Post back here with the TOP LINE you see on the BSOD.

Thanks for the reply

I do have DrWatson but I am not sure of what to look for. What
debugging tools are part of the system that I could install? I get a
black screen of death. The screen indicated
"unexpected_kernel_mode_trap".
The screen disappears after about a second and I don't see that
quickly.

I have to keep my Alt-Tab usage in check otherwise the problem occurs.



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From a DrWatson log:
Application exception occurred:
App: (pid=1584)
When:2/10/2006 @ 09:33:16.192
Exception number: c0000005 (access violation)

DrWatson didn't have today's log for some reason.

I did UNCHECK "Automatically Reboot". The system collapsed after a
few ALT TABs.
A screen that said something like contact your system administrator
flashed and then
it rebooted. The Startup and Recovery has a default operating system
"Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
Display list of operating systems for 30 seconds is checked
System Failure
Write an event to the system log is checked
Send an administrative alert is checked
Automatically reboot is unchecked
Write Debugging Information
Small Memory Dump (64 KB) is selected
Small Dump Directory: %SystemRoot%\Minidump
 
A friend photographed the screen and this what I think it said.
***STOP: 0x0000007F (0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000)

TIA, /a
 
That would be called a "7F" error. You can Google for info on what it
may be and how it may be corrected; the MS site will also have info of
course, and Google will probably find it for you. That's not the kind of
info I carry between my ears. Some system errors are easier to diagnose
than others; some have one cause and some have many possible causes.

However, if the auto-reboot is unchecked, the blue screen should remain
visible indefinitely. The box should not be auto-rebooting. If the BSOD
is disappearing that's likely a sign of some hardware glitch. Is this a
laptop perchance, and are you hitting ALT-TAB hard, and is there a
possibility that something underneath the keyboard (like RAM or one of
the system chips or even just a loose cable) is part of the problem? Try
ALT-ESC, try a very gentle ALT-TAB, see what happens.
A friend photographed the screen and this what I think it said.
***STOP: 0x0000007F (0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000)

TIA, /a



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Thanks for your help. I will try to just use Alt-Esc. It is a Laptop.
I have run memory tests. I had the problem with both the internal
keyboard and an external one.

Achieving 100% success is easy. You only have to get it right one time.
Achieving 99% success is much, much harder.
 
I didn't help much at all, but I wish you good luck and hope whatever
that problem is it doesn't creep elsewhere.

....and averaging better than 50% success is a real accomplishment :-)
Thanks for your help. I will try to just use Alt-Esc. It is a Laptop.
I have run memory tests. I had the problem with both the internal
keyboard and an external one.

Achieving 100% success is easy. You only have to get it right one time.
Achieving 99% success is much, much harder.



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Last night, even though, I knew that it wouldn't help with the problem
I removed the keyboard from the Thinkpad and cleaned it. It was sort
of like a rodent compulsively cleaning oneself when confronted with a
snake and not knowing what to do. The ALT TAB triggers the problem so
I am using ALT ESC. There don't seem to be any references to ALT TAB
causing this kind of error.

May be the solution will a reinstallation of W2000. Luck to you, /a
 
Have you talked to IBM (or Lavoris or whatever the PC offspring calls
itself this week) about this oddity? IBM does some funny things with
drivers, and who knows what BIOS or other kybd-related processes might
be doing to poor old W2k. Could be a known problem, and if it is perhaps
it's not worth doing anything about. But it's always nice not to have
loose ends around. Unless, of course, you're a theologian. Or a
proctologist.
Last night, even though, I knew that it wouldn't help with the problem
I removed the keyboard from the Thinkpad and cleaned it. It was sort
of like a rodent compulsively cleaning oneself when confronted with a
snake and not knowing what to do. The ALT TAB triggers the problem so
I am using ALT ESC. There don't seem to be any references to ALT TAB
causing this kind of error.

May be the solution will a reinstallation of W2000. Luck to you, /a



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I did speak to IBM tech support for Thinkpads. I have to admit,
whether they help or not, they try to be helpful. The person said that
the problem didn't seem to be a hardware problem. I fish around for a
while until longer...

Thanks for the amusement.
 
Because I've never used alt-tab (or a Thinkpad, altho I'm a retired
IBMer) I googled around for "alt-tab" thinking your problem might have
left tracks elsewhere.

One hit at PCWorld is a downloadable "Better Alt-Tab". Dunno why it's
better or whether it might run well on your TPad, but it could be fun to
try when you have absolutely nothing better to do. And if it works, not
only might there be some sort of clue to one of Life's Grand Challenges,
but that old motor reflex might be useful again:
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,3233,00.asp

It also appears that alt-tab has a history of undocumented bahaviors
that some people find annoying. As best I can tell from the paper at the
URL below, this is because a whole lot of condition-testing happens
during alt-delete, some of which can create problems for application
developers. If that is correct, then the BSOD behavior you've been
seeing could very well be a function of some 'confluence' of code
expectations in one or more of the apps you're running when you hit
those keys. It might be very easy in that case to discover an errant app
by a process of elimination. Then again, it might not. And I'm not sure
what you'd do with the info if you did discover some app was involved.
There does not seem to be an angry mob of users incensed by this problem
and ready to tear down the Bastille. :-)
http://bdn.borland.com/article/0,1410,26050,00.html
I did speak to IBM tech support for Thinkpads. I have to admit,
whether they help or not, they try to be helpful. The person said that
the problem didn't seem to be a hardware problem. I fish around for a
while until longer...

Thanks for the amusement.



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