It sounds like the Prescott CPU problem caused by systembuilders installing
Prescott processors on boards which do not fully support them. As a result,
the processor microcode is not updating correctly.
The quick test is to boot into a safe build and rename
%windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys so that it does not load. This should
allow the machine to boot up with whatever microcode update the BIOS has
supplied. Then if a kernel debugger is attached a !cpuinfo or a !cpuid and
a "rdmsr 8b" will tell you the processor family/model/stepping and microcode
update id.
If you don't have a kernel debugger attached, the Intel Processor Frequency
ID Utility will provide this information:
http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/
The microcode version is identified by this utility as "CPU Revision"
So for this CPU:
.. CPU Family = 15
.. CPU Model = 3
.. CPU Stepping = 4
The microcode revision should be at least 8 (if it is zero, then no
microcode update was installed at all):
.. CPU Revision = 8
Renaming update.sys is NOT a fix--it will simply allow you to identify the
problem, boot the pc, and remove SP2 until you can obtain a bios update from
the motherboard manufacturer to properly support the Prescott processor.
--
Larry Samuels MS-MVP (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm