STOP 0x8e errors - beer for the solver!

[stom]

Gentelmen, and ladies, a puzzler for you...

I have a clients computer:

Pentium 4 2.66 533
256MB ram 333
40gb maxtor ata
cd drive
Biostar p4tpt mobo

Trying to reinstall windows with no luck! Boot from cd, get to "enter to install windows" screen and as soon as you press enter the message "inspecting drive etc etc" at the bottom flashes, then it bsods with the stop 0x0000008e error.

now please, no cries of "oh thats a well known bug! check your ram!" i am aware

I have checked the ram with memtest (leaving it running for 2-4 hours) and even replaced the ram with modules from two different working machines. However i still get the problem.

I've removed all but the basics: just a cd drive and hdd attached to the mobo, one keybaord and monitor. no mouse, no network cables, no pci cards etc etc. (one agp gfx card which i also know to be working).

Now, i'm reluctant to tell them the thing is shafted becase it was working (technically, although buggy as hell and full of a previous owners junk) when they brought it in. however i suspect it may be the motherboard.

does anyone have any suggestions? as mentioned, a beer to the person that solves the problem.

all the best,

stom

 

[Guest]

Have you set the BIOS to the default settings? Have you tried disabling Plug & Play in the BIOS. I would still try different RAM.

Grumpy

 

[stom]

Have you set the BIOS to the default settings?

Of course, it was one of the first things.

Have you tried disabling Plug & Play in the BIOS

I have not, i will try that and report.

I would still try different RAM.

Different from the three, seperate, known-to-be-working modules that i have already tried and tested for errors?

EDIT :> I forgot to mention i've tried it with different hard drives as well.

 

[fattony]

i don't trust those biostart mobos...any temprature issues? swapped the power supply? update the bios if resetting it didn't help...if there are updates

 

[WilliamT]

I don't think its a Windows memory problem because Windows has to be running to see that problem not while your installing.

Its more likely that a file from a previous Windows install somehow got corrupted and when the install tried to access it, this caused the Windows Installation to fail. When you do re-installs, the Windows installation looks for existing system files to load so your previous system configuration stays intact.

I would try to run the old install of Windows in Safe-Mode and see if that works. If this works, then it means one of the startup files on the hard drive is causing the crash.

For example, the Backdoor.Rustock.B trojan will add a startup file so when you try to re-install, it cause the install to crash when Windows tries to execute it. The trojan usually enters a machine when someone opens an infected email attachment.

Here are your options.

1. Hook up the drive as a slave and copy over any important files before blowing it away and re-installing Windows from scratch.

2. Install Windows debugging tools and look at your mini dump files to find out which system file is causing the problem.

here is a reference:

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic31341.html

Based on that you can try to disable/remove that file from the Windows command line.

good luck.
William

 

[CHEEZball]

it's the MB, gotta, if the ram's ok, that would be the next step down that's connected to the ram. you're in a shop, get swapping!

 

[marshahu]

Try hooking up that hard drive to a different PC as slave, copy over important files and then using Computer Management in Administrative Tools, format and delete the partitions on that hard drive. That way when you put the hard drive back into the client's computer, you are starting as if you have a hard drive fresh out the box rather than having to deal with a hard drive which needs to be formatted and could have other existing files that are preventing the installation from going AOK!

It is all well and good trying different types of RAM but are each of these sticks of RAM supported manufacturers for the motherboard? Have you tried just using one module of each RAM - that way you can filter out the dodgy modules from the good ones and see whether it is the slots which could be dodgy - the memory itself may not be dodgy but if the motherboard doesn't support it then you've pretty much had it.

Failing that it could well be the motherboard - why are you reinstalling Windows for them in the first place?? if it was buggy as hell then maybe these bugs were caused by the motherboard's misbehaviour - you could tell them that the motherboard was the cause of the problems and the only thing you can do is offer to replace the motherboard with an MSI, Asus or other respectable brand motherboard which above all supports their RAM 100%. Some PC manufacturers are mad enough to cut corners by getting cheap generic ram regardless of whether it's compatible with the motherboard!

Try the above in the order I have suggested so you can single out whether its the hard disk, memory or worst of all the motherboard. Also check the PSU is not on its way out but don't go too in depth on investigating the PSU issue - if it has been running all this time chances are the PSU is fine.

Good luck

 

[pscowboy]

A bad CD drive could cause it.

Also, to rule the mobo in or out, disconnect the cd and try the install with a new hd. If you get the STOP error, it's the mobo.

If you don't, then replace the questionable cd and try the install again with the old hd.

If you get the STOP error again, it's the hd.

Those STOP errors are almost always the result of corrupt drivers, OR drivers trying to deal with bad hardware.

 

[deadlysushi]

Bottom line.... its bad RAM.

 

[edklite]

Bottom line.... its bad RAM.

no as pscoboy said bottom line its bad drives

 

[CHEEZball]

Bottom line.... its bad RAM.

bottom line... this is over A MONTH OLD

 

[edklite]

Bottom line.... its bad RAM.

bottom line... this is over A MONTH OLD

bottom line is you are damn right and honestly I'm getting tired of people answering posts from august and etc