"Unknown Hard Error" - need help desperately

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joerg M. Colberg
  • Start date Start date
J

Joerg M. Colberg

Hi all,

we've got Win2K installed on a computer here and it keeps crashing with
an "Unknown Hard Error". When it does that it does it out of the blue as
far as we can tell. The system starts up fine and it shuts down fine and it
never crashes when I work on something. It basically only dies when I'm
away - so that's usually at night. I checked the event log and there is one
recurring error (which indicates some network issues) BUT it doesn't crash
every time that error shows up. I also made sure that the size of the log
files is large enough and that the system makes sure it always has enough
space for the log files. Yet it keeps crashing. And best (worst) of all,
the company that sold us the computer folded. If anybody got an idea please
email me at colberg (at) bruno.phyast.pitt.edu. Any hint, tip, trick might
help!

Thanks a bunch in advance!

Best,
Joerg
 
This is a KB article that may help.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;314474

Does the system event log indicate a stop code associated with this error. By any chance is it a Stop 0xc0000221.
This could be caused by a corrupt file, bad RAM, problem with the hard drive, problem with the controller, problem with the CPU.

Joe Griffin[MS]
Windows 2000 Server Setup Team
 
Hi Joe,
This is a KB article that may help.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;314474

Does the system event log indicate a stop code associated with this error.
By any chance is it a Stop 0xc0000221. This could be caused by a corrupt
file, bad RAM, problem with the hard drive, problem with the controller,
problem with the CPU.
Click to expand...

I don't see any such information anywhere. That error window just
says "Unknown Hard Error" andt there's no blue screen. We checked the
memory and the hard drives and they appear to be fine. I also don't see
anything useful in the even logs - are there any other logs to check and,
if yes, where should I look?

- Joerg
 
There is something else that dawned on me about this kind of issue.
You say it only happens when you are away from the machine.
Are you using a screen saver?
If so, use a different one or not one at all and see if you experience the same problem.

Usually, if it is a software issue there will either be a Stop or a Dr. Watson indicating that something happened in kernel mode or in user mode. If the machine
just restarts, usually it is a hardware issue. There are utilities that trap the stop code information and it never gets to the system event log.

Joe Griffin [MS]
Windows 2000 Server Setup Team
 
There is something else that dawned on me about this kind of issue.
You say it only happens when you are away from the machine.
Are you using a screen saver?
If so, use a different one or not one at all and see if you experience the
same problem.
Click to expand...

Initially, I didn't use one at all. Then, I thought that if I just
keep the machine busy it won't crash. But using SETI@Home as a screen
saver - which keeps the machine busy at all times - didn't solve
the problem.
Usually, if it is a software issue there will either be a Stop or a Dr.
Watson indicating that something happened in kernel mode or in user mode.
If the machine just restarts, usually it is a hardware issue. There are
utilities that trap the stop code information and it never gets to the
system event log.
Click to expand...

I'm very tempted to think it's a hardware error. I'll try to do some
more tests.

Thanks for the help!

- Joerg
 
I'm not sure if this will apply to you or not - I found this threa
while googl'n for the same error message.

My computer would randomly pop up a small box in the middle of th
screen that said "Unknown hard error" with an OK button. This starte
after I had upgraded my Veritas RecordNow DX 4.56 to Sonic RecordNo
version 6.7.0. After removing the Sonic software, I've had no furthe
issues.

Event Viewer showed no errors.

One of the symptoms I had after installing it was the hard driv
activity light would remain on constantly - and you could hear the har
drive "click" ( reset ) itself. All input stopped working - no mous
movement, no keyboard LED's working, ect. Then this error messag
would keep displaying over and over after repeatedly clicking OK o
closing the window.

Intel P4 2.4Ghz
Asus P4B266 (Intel chipset)
512MB RAM
Dual WD 60GB drives on IDE0
Sony DRU-500A on IDE1
Win2K SP4 - fully updated

Myna
 
I just wanted to add my two cents to the mix... I experienced the sam
"Unknown Hard Error" on one of our rebuilt W2K systems here in m
office. I had logged out and left the system alone for awhile when
attempted to log back in and noticed the dialog box. I hit OK but i
came up again... I hit Ctl-Alt-Del and that brought up the logi
window. I attempted to log in and then nothing happened except tha
damn box just kept popping up when I would click OK. I tried C-A-
again but it no longer worked. At this point I decided to unplug th
computer since the power button didn't do anything.

When I powered on again, I received the DOS message "Operating Syste
could not be found." (One of my favorites, by the way, especiall
immediately after having used the OS!). Anyway, I powered down again
restarted and it was fine--I could log in without a problem.

Analysis? Well, the parts from the system came from a system whos
internals went caput awhile ago. As far as I know, the only thing tha
was salvaged and brought into this system was the motherboard. My gues
is that the motherboard has some serious yet intermittent flaw causin
this "Unknown Hard Error" since I've witnessed this problem on thi
machine in the past.

So as far as your issue is concerned, it may indeed be the hardware an
not something software related. If this problem went away after th
backup software on that other poster's system was removed, maybe i
wasn't the software but the components with which the softwar
interacted that caused the problem. Try thinking about the problem fro
that point of view--that it might be a hardware issue--and you migh
figure it out

FactoryJo
 
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