Author Topic: BSOD the Microsoft curse... Fixed! (Read 371 times)

Blue Mako · « **on:** September 18, 2001, 08:45:00 PM »

I don't want to sound like I'm completely and utterly useless when it comes to computer hardware but...

I am getting the "Blue Screen Of Death" quite often when I am booting up or shutting down my computer. It usually occurs just as the desktop is opening up and when the "Windows is shutting down" screen should pop up.

The BSOD reads "A fatal exception error has occurred" and then gives a paging address.

I am thinking about formatting my hard drive and re-installing the OS. I wouldn't mind some opinions as to whether this will do any good or whether it sounds like a hardware fault.

My system is about 1 year old and is:

PIII 733MHz
Win 98SE
Geforce 2 MX 32MB
192MB RAM
Dx 8.0
20Gb HD
SB Live
56k internal modem

Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm wary of diving in and spending ages formatting and re-installing to little effect...

Thanks in advance.

[ 09-19-2001: Message edited by: Blue Mako ]

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #1 on:** September 19, 2001, 06:51:00 AM »

not much in the way of advice, but i had a friend that looked up the paging address on a ms site and found where the corrupted file was on his comp. replaced the file and it fixed the machine. your prob my be different but hey what do you have to lose ? all the knowledgable people on this site should be able to help you find the source for codes . or just do what i do. start over every 6 months or so from a fdisk . ms operating systems suck...

Vermillion · « **Reply #2 on:** September 19, 2001, 07:23:00 AM »

Usually about the only thing you can do to fix those types of problems is to backup your data, wipe the HD, and reinstall Windows.

And then you still might not fix it.

Isn't Windblows wonderful !!

lll111LLL · « **Reply #3 on:** September 19, 2001, 07:40:00 AM »

have u installed any new drivers lately? it could be a driver causing it. how long since u last did a fresh install? if u been doing a lot of installing and uninstalling it some files could be corrupted or fragmented. did u try running scandisk? if all else fails if u have reinstall cds or whatever u could do a low level format and reinstall everything. BTW win98se aint to stable, get linux its much better, and free, if u have the hard drive space might as well download a version and give it a try

[ 09-19-2001: Message edited by: lll111LLL ]

Blue Mako · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2001, 05:58:00 PM »

Fixed it!

111 was right, it was a driver problem. I had recently changed my steering wheel for a USB model and the software was conflicting with the existing drivers. I re-installed the Microsoft Sidewinder software and now everything is hunky dory... Well almost, now the 9th button on my MS SPP joystick won't work in AH. Any clues? I will post this in the bug forum.

Thanks for your responses guys. This little episode has just reaffirmed my disgust in MS. But then again, nothing will run under Linux so what do you do?