PDA

View Full Version : Most annoying intermittent problem following cold start


rotorcraig
26th Jan 2005, 18:46
Can anyone help with the following problem which has been driving me mad??!!

My PC is a home build (maybe 3 years old, and perfectly well behaved until a few weeks ago) based on an Asus A7N266-VM motherboard, running XP SP2.

When I boot from cold an intermittent problem sometimes occurs within 1 to 5 minutes of starting up:

- mouse pointer changes to the "reading CD in background" cursor,
- windows freezes,
- PC speaker sounds a two tone "ambulance siren" type alarm.

On reboot, the above may or may not happen again within the first 5 minutes. BUT once I've got through that 5 minutes or so, the machine will be stable for days on end.

Pretty sure that my installation is clean, but here's a HijackThis Logfile just in case...

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.0
Scan saved at 19:41:14, on 26/01/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Kerio\Personal Firewall 4\kpf4ss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Conexant\AccessRunner ADSL\CnxDslTb.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\sstray.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\ASUS\Probe\AsusProb.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Kerio\Personal Firewall 4\kpf4gui.exe
C:\Program Files\Kerio\Personal Firewall 4\kpf4gui.exe
C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
D:\Installation Stuff\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_EMC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CnxDslTaskBar] C:\Program Files\Conexant\AccessRunner ADSL\CnxDslTb.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nForce Tray Options] sstray.exe /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ASUS Probe] C:\Program Files\ASUS\Probe\AsusProb.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NVMCTRAY.DLL,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\npjpi142_06.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\npjpi142_06.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1104787615634
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{6570827B-10B3-4BA2-8660-D2E8749A5799}: NameServer = 62.241.160.200 158.43.240.4
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Kerio Personal Firewall 4 - Kerio Technologies - C:\Program Files\Kerio\Personal Firewall 4\kpf4ss.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Driver Helper Service - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe

Thanks,

RC

Lost_luggage34
27th Jan 2005, 15:46
As you kind of suggest, sounds like a hardware issue.

Are you able to look at the Motherboard and associated cards physically by opening the case ?

My be the unlucky case of ageing components. Look for badly seated PCI boards, bulging capacitors, poor power connections.

Certainly worth cleaning out all the dust (especially from the fans), removing and reseating all connectors from the power supply and the same process for all cards. Leave the cover off and see the result.

Worth downloading a temperature utility to see what heat is like on hard drives and around the CPU - this is a good start :

PC Wizard (http://www.cpuid.com/pcw.php#download)

Unfortunately it doesn't give the core temperatures i.e. CPU temp. but can give some indications of what may be wrong.

While not an expert in HiJack I don't see anything there to be concerned about.

E-Liam
27th Jan 2005, 18:06
Hi Rotorcraig,

As Lost Luggage says, the log is absolutely clean. You have no idea how happy that makes me.. :)

You can fix this one..

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k


just as housekeeping, but that's it.. :ok:

Cheers

Liam

Toxteth O'Grady
27th Jan 2005, 18:16
The two tone sound is probably your bios alarm for CPU overheat, which ties in with the other symptoms. What's the temp of your CPU showing in the bios health monitoring?

rotorcraig
28th Jan 2005, 19:12
Thanks folks, I have been running ASUS Probe to look at temperatures etc.

Right now PC has been running uninterrupted for 48 hours and CPU temperature has ranged between 35C/95F when idling and 38C/100F when in use. Case temperature typically a couple of degrees lower.

CPU fan has been running at a consistent 2550 to 2575 RPM throughout.

Power supply is most variable with +12v anywhere between +12.2v and 13.2v, +5v anywhere between +4.7v and +5.4v etc. The history graph for voltage looks like a scatter diagram rather than a line.

Yes I can take side off case, and I know it's dusty inside - particularly the CPU fan. I'll get a can of compressed air over the weekend and get it cleaned up.

Agree CPU overheat most likely, but can't reconcile that with failure only ever within the first 5 minutes after a cold boot! But will get cleaned up and post back next week!

Cheers

RC

PS ... got rid of that dumprep process, thanks E-Liam.

Spitoon
28th Jan 2005, 19:39
You say that the voltage history looks like a scatter diagram - are you answering your own question????

PS instability is a common cause of problems that manifest themselves in all sorts of ways. Why it should happen from cold who knows? A new PS is cheap, mayme you've even got a spare lying around somewhere. Why not try another PS in there as a first step in fault finding?.

Toxteth O'Grady
28th Jan 2005, 20:14
Download Prime95 here (http://mersenne.org/gimps/p95v238.exe) and run the torture test for at least 6 hours to test your system stability.

If it errors, try running Memtest (http://www.memtest.org/#downiso)

If P95 fails but Memtest shows your memory is ok take a look at your boot sequence with BootVis (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=664)

If you can't pin down the problem to your currently set start-up processes and apps, use msconfig to deselect your system.ini, win.ini, all services except Essential and all startup items. Reboot and run the P95 torture test again.

If it still errors, disconnect/remove all hardware, drives (inc. floppy/optical) and pci cards. Leave just one hard disk, one memory stick and your graphics card.

Try P95 again.

If it still errors buy a new psu.

:cool:

TOG

rotorcraig
29th Jan 2005, 08:49
Thanks; I ran the torture test for 10 hours overnight; pushed temperature up to 44C/111F but generated no errors at all.

So will clean all the dust up this weekend / make sure that everything's firmly reseated, and see what happens next.

If problem persists will get a new PSU in (and maybe a new CPU fan for good measure).

RC

Toxteth O'Grady
29th Jan 2005, 09:38
I guess from your mobo you have an Athlon XP Palomino or Thoroughbred CPU. A stress temp max of 44C indicates you have excellent CPU cooling. That's not your problem and no need whatsoever to buy a new fan.

Google for Bios Beep Codes and see if you can pin down what the "ambulance sound" is for your mobo/bios.

:cool:

TOG

rotorcraig
29th Jan 2005, 12:04
Yes CPU is AMD ATHLON XP2400+ 266MHZ FSB 256Cache Thoroughbred.

Found various references on Google including...

Award BIOS Beep Codes

Repeating High, Low beeps - CPU failure (possible cause Bad processor)

Award BIOS Beep Codes

Repeating High/Low - Either the CPU is not seated properly or damaged. May also be due to excess heat. - Check the CPU fan or BIOS settings for proper fan speed.

RC

Toxteth O'Grady
29th Jan 2005, 12:24
Well you obviously don't have a cpu failure, given the success with P95; nor a heat problem from the temps you are getting.

That only leaves the badly seated, which is unlikely because the problem is so sporadic.

Worth trying a reseat of your cpu and heatsink though. Clean off all the old thermal interface material from the heatsink and cpu with Akasa TIM Cleaner and rubbing alcohol. Reseat carefully using a quality TIM like Arctic Silver 5.

If you still get the problem I would suspect a failing mobo as cpus tend to fail catastrophically when they go.

However since you are in general getting stable performance, if you can live with the annoyance then I would wait until it craps out altogether and then replace your mobo.

:cool:

TOG

rotorcraig
2nd Feb 2005, 20:22
Well folks, I have this evening given my PC a good spray out with "aero duster 101" and swapped the PSU out.

It's now running even cooler, and the Asus Probe graphs are showing straight lines at +12.42v, +4.84v, +3.38v and +1.66v rather than the scatter diagrams that it was previously reporting.

So fingers crossed that the dreaded "two tone horn" may be gone too! Certainly got a clean boot from cold this evening, but only time will tell...

RC

rotorcraig
8th Feb 2005, 20:53
A quick update to say that since I replaced the PSU there have been no repeat occurrences of the problem (touch wood!!).

Thanks all for your help,

RC