Some general information on Blue Screens and Stop messages

  • Thread starter Thread starter Adam Albright
  • Start date Start date
A

Adam Albright

Some may find this useful:

http://www.aumha.org/win5/kbestop.php

Don't take literally everything you read there word for word. While a
nice reference that's linked to many additional sources stop errors
can be very broad and mean many things could have happened. Use as a
starting point, not a absoulte cure. Ever if referenced to a different
version of Windows like NT or XP the stop errors generally pretty much
mean the same thing regardless which version of Windows you're
running. If you get a Stop error (BSOD), Windows has encountered
something severe enough that is actually has stopped running, hence
why is got the nickname of blue screen of death.

If you get a BSOD (blue screen of death) and no specific driver is
named the important part is the funny looking code that's shown first,
with the last two alphanumeric references being the important part
like a 7B or 8F.
 
I used to collect websites that explain stop errors. There are many, and
some new stop errors have been generated by Vista that haven't been caught
up to by MSKBs or the sites.

While some are purely hardware invoked, the vast majority are software
invoked and while MSFT often takes the stance that as high as 80% are drive
mediated, in fact that's an oversimplification.

Many BSOD stops could be prevented by configuring Driver Verifier

1) Not to inspect antivirus *software drivers (this has nothing to do with
the competent functioning of your AV program)--who has an AV program who
thinksthat the company who makes it might have software drivers that will
harm your OS?
2) Disabling deadlock detection in Driver Verifier

Driver Verifier is a utility built into Vista and XP and Win 2K that is
known by far less than 1% of people who turn on a PC with Windows on
itincluding many CTOs and IT pros.

There are a number of MSKBs on it.

Besides configuring driver verifier correctly, knowing how to deploy all the
Win RE tools available, and there are more than Startup reapair, and knowing
how to exhaust all 4 safe modes and LKG at F8 Win Adv Options is the fast
way to go about fixing far and away most BSOD stops.

Win RE can be used in situations where you can boot to Windows Vista as
well.

CH
 
Back
Top