Another Win2K issue

Raveness

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I feel silly asking this knowing that I just completed my MCSE but I need help. I am running Win2K Pro using NTFS and my system keeps crashing. After a couple of crashes, my system will not boot. The error message \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced is missing or corrupted. I cannot figure out what is causing this. I have tried repairing it (using ERD, CD, and Rec Cons., Safe Mode, and Last Known Good, but it cannot be fixed. I have had to reinstall about 5 times and each time is the same problem. I have checked to see if my software is compatible w/ Win2K Pro and is ok. I have updated the latest sec. patches and using SP1/2 (won't use SP3), and I have also updated current drivers for my hardware for Win2K and updated software where applicable. What is strange, I am running the same software on my Win2K Server PC and experience no problems.

If anyone has any solutions, please let me know. I would be so thankful!

Here is my sys config:

AMD Athlon 900Mhz
512 MB SDRAM
Creative's 52x CD and CD-RW121032
Savage4 video
Creative Sound (still stuck in PCI128)
WD 60GB HD 7200 RPM
D-Link LAN

Thanks and take care! :smile:
 

Raveness

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The mobo is Shuttle AK12 (It is not the best, but it came at a great deal) and VIA chipset.

How would I go about underclocking the RAM?

Thanks so much for your help. :wink:
 

Raveness

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The RAM is set to 100Mhz, and I have tried differnt RAM from my other PC's and I still have the same problem. I still cannot figure out what my problem is. If you, or anyone for that matter, has any other hints, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks

<b><font color=blue>"May the wings of angels surround and protect you from all the worries
and fears as you walk into the fog of reality."</font color=blue></b>
 

jlanka

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there are some interesting posts on usenet - do a <A HREF="http://groups.google.com/groups?q=\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced+is+missing+or+corrupt&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search" target="_new">google search</A> for the error. The first one seems to indicate the size of the registry file has gotten too large.

also check out <A HREF="http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBF/TIP2700/rh2783.htm" target="_new">tip 2783</A> on the nt tips and tricks website

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>
 

thaloc

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Had the same problem in my comp at work, they've given me some crappy PIII in mobo on VIA chipset, and once every 2-3 days I was getting the same error. Solution - last time I did not install 4-in-1 drivers from VIA, and comp is working just fine for the last 2 months :).
However, I do not play games or anything on that machine, I do lots of java programming, some WWW surfing, and with mp3s playing in the background most of the time :p.
 

Raveness

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Thaloc,

Well, I did install VIA's 4-in-1 drivers. You really think that could've been my problem? Is there a way I can remove those drivers short of reformatting and reinstalling? On the box that I am having probs with, I do not play any games or anything. I use it for business, www, web designing and some programming.

Thank you again, and have a early Merry X-Mas!

<b><font color=blue>"May the wings of angels surround and protect you from all the worries
and fears as you walk into the fog of reality."</font color=blue></b>
 

thaloc

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Check in device manager if your IDE disk controller turned to SCSI controller (it did in my case, after installing 4-in-1). If yes, then you have the same problem as I did. If no, then I cannot tell, but I would try installing system without VIA drivers anyway.
In my comp without 4-in-1, disc controller is just 'VIA Bus Master IDE', and works perfectly fine. After installing VIA drivers, device manager claimed I now have SCSI controler with SCSI HDD and CD-ROM attached to it :), and it always ended with couple of crashes and finally with un-boot'able win2k. I ruined my system this way 4 times. On 4th try I specially checked what changes after installing VIA drivers, and discovered this odd change in device manager. So on 5th try, I skipped those drivers and everything seems to be OK.
I have no idea if you can uninstall 4-in-1 drivers. I've never tried it.
 

Raveness

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Ok, so I have the same problem you did. My hard drive and both of my CD drives are set to SCSI. So, it's great that the problem was probably found, but what other options do I have to remove the 4-in-1 drivers. I know you said you haven't a clue, but anyone who is reading this post, please tell me. I really don't want to reinstall after about 6 different times already. Does anyone know why the 4-in-1 drivers would cause your IDE to appear as a SCSI? Oh, and thank you to Thaloc for bringing that issue up, otherwise I probably wouldn't have caught it soon enough.

Help!

<b><font color=blue>"May the wings of angels surround and protect you from all the worries
and fears as you walk into the fog of reality."</font color=blue></b>
 

thaloc

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User LHGPooBaa in thread 'Why is it always "I have a problem with my AMD' in Components >> CPUs writes about that problem of ours, and says that 4.28 4-in-1 driver caused it. I checked my HDD, and 4.28 driver installer is there, waiting to screw up my system :).
So I think you can try to download newest version od 4in1 and install it over old one, I think it should replace bad drivers. I won't try it, since I have lots of work to do and I cannot afford to crash my Win2k right now :). I'm perfectly happy without any 4-in-1 pack.
 

Raveness

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So, I wonder if it's an AMD issue then? I checked with my mobo's website, and it doesn't list anything of the newest version of the drivers. I then checked the VIA website, and I believe it mentioned that I should check with my mobo manufacturer. Any other sites you recommend? I really don't want to lose anything on my PC since I do a lot of my work on it. Of course I do backups regularly, but still you know...

I don't mean to bug you...just in need of some help. But hey, thanks for all your help! I really appreciate it! :wink:

<b><font color=blue>"May the wings of angels surround and protect you from all the worries
and fears as you walk into the fog of reality."</font color=blue></b>
 

Raveness

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Hello? Anyone out there?

<b><font color=blue>"May the wings of angels surround and protect you from all the worries
and fears as you walk into the fog of reality."</font color=blue></b>
 

jasen

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The problem is with Via 4-1 drivers. I've gone through it myself, and my fathers PC is now afflicted as well. You can't get updated drivers from Via, because they only offer drivers for their own OEM mobo's, so you have to either get new drivers from your mobo mfgr, or simply do not use the via drivers. This might slow the system down slightly, but that's better than screwing windows up. So far it oly seems to affect some of their AMD based chipsets, and not all the time. They're not even acknowledging a problem at this point. I think it may also be due to what other hardware is combined with the chipset.
On my father's, he was getting occasional BSOD's at startup with a message "A driver corrupted pool memory holding pages destined for disk". And now he has the corrupted registry hive as you do. You can only reinstall.
If your brand doesn't have an updated fixed driver, I suggest just not install the Via drivers.
 

jasen

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I just found this: http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2

It has VIA Hyperion 4-1 driver version 4.45. It says suitable for any via chipset, but goes on to say those with hybrids (via southbridge and AMD northbridge) should not use it. If your board uses a via north and south then you can try it. I haven't tried yet myself, so can't really say whether it works or not.
 

lhgpoobaa

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hehe yep.
For some unknown reason Via COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY bolloxed up that particular driver revision, but not the one before nor any since (to my knowledge).
It wouldnt be such an issue, except the 4.28's were posted for a long time as the most upto date drivers on some manufacturers websites (ASUS), cauzing many innocent people to download them.
When i was unfortunate enough to do so i didnt experience corruption, thank god, but my dvd drive acted wierdly and i couldnt burn any CD's.

A simple driver update should do the trick.
<A HREF="http://www.viaarena.com" target="_new">http://www.viaarena.com</A> have the latest 4in1's... now called hyperion drivers.

<b><i>The Very Hungry Caterpillar</i> - George W. Bush's favorite childhood book.
Note: This book was first published a year after Mr Bush graduated from College.</b>
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by lhgpoobaa on 01/12/03 08:16 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

Raveness

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Actually I have received the same error messages as your father's. I have also experienced some of my software mysteriously disappear. Then again, my registry is corrupt. Anyway, I believe I have VIA north and south bridges so I can download the other VIA drivers. Hopefully Windows will be able to survive the "newest" VIA download.

Is this strictly a Windows 2K issue, or does it affect other Windows versions as well? I have also heard a lot of negativity regarding VIA, so I wonder if it would be advisable to get away from VIA...

<b><font color=blue>"May the wings of angels surround and protect you from all the worries
and fears as you walk into the fog of reality."</font color=blue></b>
 

Raveness

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For all that it is worth, I think I answered my own question from my last post above:
Is this strictly a Windows 2K issue, or does it affect other Windows versions as well? I have also heard a lot of negativity regarding VIA, so I wonder if it would be advisable to get away from VIA...
Here is what I found (I guess it's kind of what you guys have been trying to say in the first place), the link is rather long:

<A HREF="http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_sid=SO5Uxmzg&p_lva=&p_faqid=50&p_created=1003438707&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY250PTExNCZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPTQmcF9jYXRfbHZsMT01NSZwX2NhdF9sdmwyPX5hbnl_JnBfc29ydF9ieT1kZmx0JnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=" target="_new">http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_sid=SO5Uxmzg&p_lva=&p_faqid=50&p_created=1003438707&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY250PTExNCZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPTQmcF9jYXRfbHZsMT01NSZwX2NhdF9sdmwyPX5hbnl_JnBfc29ydF9ieT1kZmx0JnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=</A>

:redface:


<b><font color=blue>"May the wings of angels surround and protect you from all the worries
and fears as you walk into the fog of reality."</font color=blue></b>