Why the dreaded blue screen?

  • Thread starter Thread starter George
  • Start date Start date
G

George

Am using Dell WinXP-pro PC, fairly new in terms of hardware/software
versions. Wondered if someone could offer some inisights into what' going
on with blue screen problem...

My 3rd grader plays Need-for-Speed, the car racing software, with full
multimedia effects, etc. When exiting, he says it brings up some windows
screen and he can't get out even though he clicks things lots of times... so
he just removes the CD (house rule is you have to put your CD's back in the
box when finished). I later find full blue screen that has this white
writing...

---------------------------------------------------
A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent
damage...
KERNEL_APC_PENDING_DURING_EXIT
(more text here)
***STOP: 0X00000020 (0X81AAF5ES etc.
(more numbers here)
Beginning dump of physical memory
--------------------------------------------------

I have to press reset button on PC. Wondered what causes this, what to do,
and why WinXP doesn't resolve it, seems like just taking the CD out can't be
a big offense.

Thanks for any insights
 
George said:
Am using Dell WinXP-pro PC, fairly new in terms of hardware/software
versions. Wondered if someone could offer some inisights into what'
going on with blue screen problem...

My 3rd grader plays Need-for-Speed, the car racing software, with full
multimedia effects, etc. When exiting, he says it brings up some
windows screen and he can't get out even though he clicks things lots
of times... so he just removes the CD (house rule is you have to put
your CD's back in the box when finished). I later find full blue
screen that has this white writing...

---------------------------------------------------
A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent
damage...
KERNEL_APC_PENDING_DURING_EXIT
(more text here)
***STOP: 0X00000020 (0X81AAF5ES etc.
(more numbers here)
Beginning dump of physical memory
--------------------------------------------------

I have to press reset button on PC. Wondered what causes this, what
to do, and why WinXP doesn't resolve it, seems like just taking the
CD out can't be a big offense.

Thanks for any insights
Click to expand...

It doesn't resolve it because it /can't/ resolve it. This (usually)
indicates a driver problem and, as the thing the system was being used for
when the error occured was graphics intensive, then it's almost a dead cert
that the graphics card driver is to blame. Visit the card manufacturer's
site and download the latest. Doesn't matter how new the system is, it's
always a good policy to download the latest drivers for all hardware
installed on a system as soon as you get it because the system could have
been sitting around for weeks- and the manufacturer-installed drivers are
*NEVER* the latest.

If updating the graphics card driver doesn't do it, try the sound card.
Heck, update all your drivers - never hurts to be running the latest.
 
Thanks Bastet, greatly appreciate. Just to make sure, would these be the
(best) steps...

PART 1. DOWNLOAD LATEST DRIVER of ____.exe from manufacturer or Dell.

PART 2. INSTALL IT: Start > CntlPanel > (classic view) > Display > Settings
Advanced > Adapter > Properties > Driver > Update Driver > (point it to
Click to expand...
the file?

Also, how good does "Rollback Driver" work... if the whole thing collapses,
can I really get back to where started?

Would you say that the main and most complex drivers that most need updating
are...
-DISPLAY
-SOUND AND AUDIO
-Any others?


Thanks again
 
George said:
Thanks Bastet, greatly appreciate. Just to make sure, would these be
the (best) steps...

PART 1. DOWNLOAD LATEST DRIVER of ____.exe from manufacturer or Dell.

PART 2. INSTALL IT: Start > CntlPanel > (classic view) > Display >
Settings

Also, how good does "Rollback Driver" work... if the whole thing
collapses, can I really get back to where started?

Would you say that the main and most complex drivers that most need
updating are...
-DISPLAY
-SOUND AND AUDIO
-Any others?


Thanks again
Click to expand...

I have a Dimension 8300 and, if you've registered your system it will tell
you what drivers are available for your particular model in the downloads
section of the site. However, the drivers Dell offers are always out of date
and I recommend downloading them directly from the manufacturers (especially
for the graphics and sound cards).

Driver rollback will uninstall the last driver update installed (but if you
have real problems you'll need to do it in safe mode).

What's the difference between 'sound' and 'audio'?! They're synonyms! ;o)

As I said before, update everything.
 
Back
Top