Stop Errors

Stop errors are the result of a system failure that stops your computer altogether.  When an application fails it is referred to as a “fatal error”.  When the system crashes it is referred to as a “fatal system error”.  System crashes result in the display of an error screen– a blue screen which is commonly known as the “Blue Screen of Death”.  This occurrence has been present in all Microsoft Windows operating systems since Windows 3.1.  Early builds of Windows Vista have been reported to have a Red Screen of Death.  When a system failure occurs and this kinds of screens appear, there is useful error code displayed. 

This article provides a description of Stop errors and an overview of general information and suggestions.  This subject matter is typically more complex than what is provided here and we recommend that you investigate any particular area applicable to you.

Causes and Resolutions

The Stop error is not only an annoyance it can be an ongoing issue that is reflective of a more significant problem with how your computer is functioning and, unfortunately, malfunctioning.  Not only can this stop you in your tracks, a Stop error also means that any unsaved data you were working on is at risk of being lost.  The information presented with a Stop error, on the Blues Screen of Death, is useful as you can perform online searches to look for a solution to your problem.

Stop errors are caused by critical system errors and result in the operating system no longer functioning.  These errors can be the result of issues related to computer memory, hardware problems, faulty device drivers, the registry becoming corrupt, DLL’s (Dynamic Link Library) that are incompatible, or some combination.  The various Stop errors that you can encounter are also named and have particular attributes.

Here is an example: a Stop 0x0000000A error with Windows XP typically occurs when a driver uses an incorrect memory address.  Microsoft also lists the other following possible causes: “device driver, a general hardware problem, and incompatible software”.  To find out more information related to the cause or causes of your Stop error issue go to the Microsoft site at: http://support.microsoft.com.

During the course of writing this article, I had difficulties with my computer.  After starting it as I normally would, a black screen was displayed with a generic message stating that the computer was not shut down properly.  There were various options to start the system including last known good configuration or safe mode.  There is a timer counting down and if you don’t make a selection it will start automatically.  By using the up arrow I buy myself more time and read the message more carefully.  This has come as a surprise as the recent shut downs on this system seemed nothing out of the ordinary.  I had only noticed the automatic installation of updates by the operating system – the only installs I have been aware of for well over a month.  After I restart my system (choosing to start it normally), a dialog opens and there is the option to send an error report to Microsoft.  I do so and a browser appears.

This was a surprise as I was not aware of any device drivers installed on my machine.  The link displayed in the top right corner lead me to a Microsoft site, http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=322205, where there was a 10-step solution to the problem.

These Stop errors are numerous.  By visiting the Microsoft support site one can find pages of Stop errors that include causes and possible resolutions to the problem.  Here are just a few examples:

STOP 0x0000001E KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED:

Cause: “This behavior can occur if an older version of the Advanced SCSI Programming Interface (ASPI) layer is installed on your computer. By default, Windows XP does not include ASPI support.”

Resolution: “To resolve this behavior, obtain and install ASPI version 4.57 or later.”

Stop: 0x0000001E; Error Message During Setup:

Description: “The STOP 0x1E code is a common bug check code. The exception address usually pinpoints the driver or function that caused the problem.”

Possible Causes: “Lack of disk space for installation”, Third-party video drivers”, and “System BIOS incompatibilities”

Resolutions: “Reinstall on another hard disk when disk space is low”, “Remove the third-party video driver”, and “Upgrade the system BIOS.”

Stop 0x0000000A error in Windows XP

Description: “Stop error 0x0000000A (Stop 0x0A) indicates that there was an attempt in kernel mode to touch pageable memory at too high a process internal request level (IRQL). Typically, this error occurs when a driver uses an incorrect memory address. Other possible causes of this error are an incompatible device driver, a general hardware problem, and incompatible software.”

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314063

And one of my favorites…

STOP 0x000000EA THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER:

Cause: “This issue might occur if the display driver is caught in an infinite loop while it waits for the video hardware to become idle. This issue typically indicates a problem with the video hardware or that the display driver cannot program the hardware correctly.”

Resolution: “To resolve this issue, obtain and install the most current driver for your video adapter, or replace your video card.”

What To Do

To do or not to do?  This is the question.  One of the best answers is to see if the problem arises again.  Frequently you can simply restart your computer in order to reset your system.  You can also try and reproduce the issue to see if it has been corrected or if it was a one-time occurrence.  You do have the option of using the Last Known Good Configuration feature.  This is useful if you want to undo something that has occurred where you did not have any control over – such as something being downloaded to your system without your knowledge.  For XP, you can link to the Microsoft site here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307852 for more information about how to use the Last Known Good Configuration.

Getting more information is crucial in making a good decision.  However, with newer operating systems these system error screens can be hidden.  If you are running Windows XP you probably won’t see the Stop error screen.  XP has a setting that is on by default where the system will automatically restart when encountering a system failure.  To customize it so that you can view the screen and the information that it displays you can do the following:

1. Right-click the desktop icon My Computer and select Properties.
2. From the Properties window select the Advanced tab.
3. Go to the Startup and Recovery section and click the Setup button.
4. Clear the Automatically restart checkbox. 
5. Press the OK button to accept the changes.

With this configuration you can see a Stop error screen and find out see why the system failure occurred.   You will need to write down the information as you will not be able to print the screen.  In fact, you will have to manually restart your computer.  To restart the system you can press the Reset button.  You can also choose to power off your computer by pressing and holding the Power button until the computer powers off (about five seconds).  It is best to wait for 10 seconds before starting it again.

During a stop error, the Windows system creates a memory dump file with a .dmp extension.  Finding and reading the dmp file is challenging.  To find where the .dmp file is located on your computer you can do a search for: *.dmp – where the asterisk symbolizes any given filename.  When you locate the file you will notice that it cannot simply be opened by double clicking on it.  For more information on reading the dmp file you can visit the Microsoft site: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263.  The information includes steps and information related to installing and running debug tools such as the WinDbg tool, KD.exe tool, or Dumpchk.exe.  You can expect some challenges.  For example, with using the Dumpchk executable, there are several steps that involve downloading and installing the executable, locating or installing I386 image (symbol) files, and running the command prompt utility.  

To determine what is going on with your computer we suggest that you take stock of any recent changes.  If you have recently installed software you may have to uninstall it.  Where you have installed hardware you can go to the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) and view the list of computer systems and peripheral devices that are Windows compatible.  This site is difficult to find but you can see a list of available links specific to your system here: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx.  If the issue is related to your hardware you will need to do some diagnostics to reveal if it is a physical problem require replacement or whether a device driver is required.  Before doing a generalized online search, we suggest that you go first to the manufacturer’s website a do a search or use the contact information available.(http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/)

Keeping It Clean

If your investigation has lead to the discovery of an operating system problem, you can check that your system is using the latest updates and service packs.  This is considered good practice regardless of what issues you may be facing.  More recent Microsoft operating systems, such as Windows XP, offer a Windows Update service.  If you have an earlier system you can go directly to the Microsoft website and look for any available updates specific to your computer.

Knowing the vulnerable nature of your PC functioning and the potential loss of data, backing up your files should be an ongoing, scheduled practice.  Windows XP includes a backup feature.  With the XP Pro version this is available by default after the operating system is installed.  With the XP Home version you need to download the backup option from the install CD.  We suggest that you do some online searches on how to do this beginning with the Microsoft site.  An alternative to this is using the free Microsoft application called SyncToy.  It is fast, easy to use, and works well as an alternative to overwriting files as it first checks to see if your backup files are out of sync.  You can do a search for it here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/. 

With your files safely backed up you can feel confident when using diagnostic tools and making changes to your system.  Regularly backing up your system and saving data is a good practice tip that you can do regardless of how your computer is performing.

Heavy resource use – having to use many applications at once or having particular applications “hog” system resources – can result to a system bog down and a reduction of performance.  As a result the flaws in the system are more exposed; that is, you could experience more application crashes, system failure, and performance degradation.  Take stock of what applications are not being utilized.  You can click Start | Settings | Control Panel and select “Add or Remove Programs” to see a list of installed applications and get information related to when you last used any of the programs on the list.

You might have noticed that your computer doesn’t start as quickly as when you first purchased it.  Many times installing applications results in having that program added to the Startup list.  This means that these programs launch every time you start your computer.  You can view the list of programs by going to Start | Programs | Startup.  Keep in mind that this may not be a true indication of what processes get started when you fire up your computer.    You can better manage these items using the Windows System Configuration Utility (MSConfig).  There are applications you can buy that are dedicated solely to managing startup programs.  We suggest checking out RegCure as it includes this functionality and it works to scan and clean registry items that can – and should be – safely removed.

Uncertainties

Keep in mind that there are situations that arise that you may not be aware of that are detrimental to good computer performance.  For example, spyware could be loaded on to your system and tying up resources.  There are instances when software is downloaded to your system without your permission or has been installed as an add-on included with another program you installed.  Also, unknown downloads can happen by simply visiting a site.  This is referred to as drive-by-downloads.  These malware items (“malicious software”) have been created for one purpose – for financial gain.  They are unethical and at times unlawful.  Providing yourself with a good defense is crucial. For detection and cleaning of spyware protection try XoftSpySE Anti-Spyware.

Glossary

Operating system: the software that is built in to the computer system and is required to operate and assist you in managing your computer.  This includes management of all system resources such as the hardware components, software programs, and the user interface. 

DLL: short for Dynamic Link Library.  A DLL file contains data stored in a library that can be accessed and shared by several applications that are performing similar tasks.  This is known as component-based software architecture and it is more efficient and prevents coding duplication.

Device Driver: a required software program for interaction between applications and hardware devices.  The driver controls the hardware device and becomes an interface or “translator” for that device.

Command Prompt: An interface where you type in instructions to perform specific tasks.  There are a specific set of commands and specific DOS (Disk Operating System) syntax required.  You can open the interface by going to Start | Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt.