Machine_check_exception

[Ex-Bay]

My PC has started acting up (again). The blue screen of Death has struck again.
Fortunately, I have a second machine to use. Despite trying to look up the problem on Google, I did not understand much about it (I'm a bit of a total Biff with these things). I gather that a certain amount of checking the seating of the RAM, and cooling of the CPU, etc..

So, before I investigate the price of a new motherboard, etc., can anyone offer me a bit of a help line please?

DT_Xtremez_06:

 

[grumpyoldb]

My PC has started acting up (again). The blue screen of Death has struck again.
Fortunately, I have a second machine to use. Despite trying to look up the problem on Google, I did not understand much about it (I'm a bit of a total Biff with these things). I gather that a certain amount of checking the seating of the RAM, and cooling of the CPU, etc..

So, before I investigate the price of a new motherboard, etc., can anyone offer me a bit of a help line please?

DT_Xtremez_06:

EB, have you cleaned out the inside of the case lately? Sounds a bit like an overheating problem.
I open mine up once a month, go round the fans, graphics card, CPU, memory etc with a clean paint brush, then use the hose of the vacuum cleaner to clear all the bum fluff out of there.

It's costs nothing, and helps to keep the air circulating.

 

[propersplitbrainme]

.......then use the hose of the vacuum cleaner to clear all the bum fluff out of there.

DT_Xtremez_42:
You stand a fair chance of frying your machine with static electricty by using your vacuum cleaner there Grumps. Better to use a can of compressed air.

 

[grumpyoldb]

DT_Xtremez_42:
You stand a fair chance of frying your machine with static electricty by using your vacuum cleaner there Grumps. Better to use a can of compressed air.

If the machine is switched off, but still connected to the mains it is still earthed.
I've not had a problem with it so far. A can of compressed air just blows all the dust into the air for you to breath in.

 

[Rolf Harris]

Give us a clue what is actually wrong with it.

What your basically saying is meaningless without putting some meat on the bones.

Stop code
Error logs
Have you been pi$$ing about with it (a little bit of knowledge ...)
What actions YOU have done after the fault appears
Does it re-occur - if so, is it the same symptoms & codes
Does it happen in Safe-Mode

Saying it blue screens and expecting help is much like going to the doctor with a headache and expecting a full diagnosis.

Tell us more and you might get a solution.

 

[lilgurn]

download linux (google "ubuntu") and download the live cd. Burn it and use it to boot your computer. If you use the option to "Try Ubuntu" from the Cd then it will load linux slowly without touching your current windows o/s.

If it works fine then its not hardware so you can just re-install xp (losing all your data) from the restore disks you should have with it.

Alternatviely you can just re-install Windows from the restore disk (you WILL lose all your data and settings - FACTROY RESET) Easiest thing in the world and will cure this 99.9% of the time.


Possible causes: Registry Corrupt, Files Corrupt, Virus Infection, Driver Failure and general tampering

Have fun, but you don't need to purchase anything

 

[I Look Like Kevin Costner]

If the machine is switched off, but still connected to the mains it is still earthed.
I've not had a problem with it so far. A can of compressed air just blows all the dust into the air for you to breath in.

Some of the circuitry is still ESD sensitive and waving static producing things such as brushes and vacumn cleaners on it wouldn't be recommended if you asked the manufacturer of that kit.

 

[monobrow]

Possible causes: Registry Corrupt, Files Corrupt, Virus Infection, Driver Failure and general tampering

Suppose now is as good a time as any to pi$$ on your chips...

Machine Check Exception usually means hardware is suffering and it can't be any more specific. Sometimes it's an over heat, badly seated RAM / expansion board, it can't tell you, but it's caught the error.

Using a live linux (try knoppix as a better toolbox on a disc) will not touch hard drives unless you mount them or carry out any kind of disk operation. So if it is disk related, it won't be shown. As the error is general as, you can't rule them out!

Re-installing windows is a peice of ****, but should be just before a format and re-install on your list of things to do if all goes to ratsh!t.

Could even be popped capacitors. They're still doing the rounds!!

 

[grumpyoldb]

Some of the circuitry is still ESD sensitive and waving static producing things such as brushes and vacumn cleaners on it wouldn't be recommended if you asked the manufacturer of that kit.

Fairdo's. I've never had a problem with it. I just don't like the idea of blowing dust around the room. I've had one health scare. Don't need any more thanks.DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[lilgurn]

Mate, if you don't care about your previous data then just re-install XP. Windows Blue screens occur so often it is unreal. There may be some diagnostics in your BIOS (press either "Esc" "F2" or "Del" when your computer has just restarted) for the Hard Drive and so on. You can also leave it on the bios screen for a few hours to check for heat problems.

When a RAM chips goes bang you will hear an intermittent beeping when the machine boots and will get nothing else so I can't see it being that.

... Seriously I would just re0install XP, or if you have a spare Hard Drive then just unplug your old Hard Drive and whack the spare in. But XP on that and see how it loads.

There are other means (i.e. SAFE MODE, Hirons Boot Disk, Linux Multi-Boot) and so forth but there more complicated.

 

[Ex-Bay]

Give us a clue what is actually wrong with it.

What your basically saying is meaningless without putting some meat on the bones.

Stop code
Error logs
Have you been pi$$ing about with it (a little bit of knowledge ...)
What actions YOU have done after the fault appears
Does it re-occur - if so, is it the same symptoms & codes
Does it happen in Safe-Mode

Saying it blue screens and expecting help is much like going to the doctor with a headache and expecting a full diagnosis.

Tell us more and you might get a solution.

Stop code ? - is that the hex gibberish on the blue screen before it all goes black ? The first group is loads of zeros and 9C
Error logs; eh? If it's on the hard drive I cannot get at it.
No, I have not been messing with it since I managed to get it all working a couple of months ago. The case has about 3 fans (two blowing IN, one small exhaust and the PSU blowing out. I even tried opening one side of the case.
Yes, it does do it again; last time, I got exactly the same results.
Yes, it does happen in Safe Mode. I get the black safemode screen then it runs through lots of files and ends with one the looks like Mpub.dunno.

The first time it happened, The machine was on (running F@H as usual) and all I did was move the mouse. Then it fell over.
I managed to run the "AprilFools" antivirus prog and got "it is not infected".

I did wonder about a thermal problem, but I cannot read the temperatures in its current state.

The BIOS displays OK. Windows starts up Ok. It gets (sometimes) all the way to the Start Menu !.

I just tried it and got as far as the desk top. The errors were:

0x all them zeroes 9C (0x zeroes 4, 0x80546270, 0xB200000000, 0x000070F0F)
CPU Fan 2960
CPU Temp 31 C

Note: the two machines are in different rooms, so I had to go and have a peek). It's just booted up right, and according to the Windows "The machine has recovered from a serious error; send details to Microsoft?" - Yes. (several times).
Back comes Firefox connected (?) to Microsoft which suggests it's a hardware problem. ("Contact your manufacturer" which is a real help, I don't think).

Hope this info is of use; I'm getting peeved with this problem already. . . .