My computer keeps crashing without warning!

[tranceboy]

Im currently running with a P4 20gb HDD 128mb RAM PC with Win XP pro, I have had xp for about a week now and have downloaded SP1 with no problems and everythings been going great, TILL LAST NITE, after being online for 5-10 min my pc crashes without warning (when i mean crashes i mean it just switches off and reeboots itself!?!?!?!?!) Iv used Norton AV2002 and run tauscan but they aren t finding any malicious code, this happens all the time now. when the pc reboots and i get the microsoft error msg the following is displayed, The following files will be included in this report to microsoft :

C\WINDOWS\MINIDUMP\MINI 100502-02.DMP

C\DOCUME~1\DAVIDC~\LOCALS~\TEMP\WER1D.TMP.DIR00\SY SDATA.XML

This means nothing to me, does anyone have any ideas?? on what the problem could be, or why this is happenening?

Any advice gratefully recieved

cheers:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

[Wiggo]

Open up your event viewer (control panel under Admin tools) and see what went on. ;)

[tranceboy]

hmmmmmm, went into event viewer, and found the time my pc crashed, tried to link to knowledge base but there was no info availible on my fault. Im pretty certain the problem is related to winmx as iv noticed this only occurs when im running winmx and downloading files, so i have deleted win mx and re installed it and am currently prayin:rolleyes2

[tranceboy]

[email protected] Its Happened again and i aint running win mx, could it have anything to do with a registry patch i downloaded from speedguide.net to speed up my adsl connex?

[Wiggo]

You really only need those speed patches for Win 9X operating systems as NT operating systems are already optimized. ;)

[Mingus]

tranceboy-

I had the SAME EXACT PROBLEM!! I nearly took a baseball bat to my computer. I tried turning off all of the software I had running, I tried swithcing my power supply, and everything else I could think of.

I finally gave up and reformatted and did a clean install of XP Pro, and now my computer works great.

[dick471]

Add another stick of 128MB of Ram and your problem will be gone!

[tranceboy]

:cry: Oh Dear!

Hmm, its a funny one, cause i was on my pc lastnight for 8hrs and it never missed a beat, im almost sure its connected to winmx and kazaa cos it only ever seems to happen wen they are running (i usually leave them d/l overnight or wen im busy doin summat else) im gonnae persevere wi it for a bit longer 2-3 days then im goin for a format an reinstall, cos its strange how its just started happenin overnight so too speak.

: peace2:

there again the baseball bat solution does seem quite attractive too cos its extremely irritating wen it happens and i do have a short fuse.............................................. ......................................

[tranceboy]

Another 128MB RAM STICK, iv been thinking bout that too as i do think that would help my computer run better full stop. As i do run a lot of apps in the background wen the puters on(Zonealarm,Norton,Messenger,SQL Server) and thats just in the taskbar theres hunners more in task manager.

However could someone please explain the following: When i open my computer (bearing in mind iv only 128MB) up where the memory cards are i have FOUR all identical, too me this seems excessive for a puter thats only meant to have 128MB is this how the ram is apportioned between these 4 cards? and if i buy an upgrade will i get one new card or have to buy four ITS ALL KIND OF CONFUSING!!!

<my head hurts!!>

I thought youd only need ONE card for 128MB? I know someone is going to ask me what kind of ram i have DDRAM,SDRAM and i honestly cant remember but if its vitally important to know to answer my question ill cracK 'er open and have a look 2nite (cant be bothered jus now cos its a nightmare to get into my PC screws and plastic casing crap im sure its designed to STOP you getting in.

CHeers All

Sorry for all the bother :snip: :cheers:

[Mingus]

Ram wasnt an issue with my computer, I had 512 megs. I found that if i shut my computer down for more than like ten minutes then it would run fine, for maby 5 - 10 hours and then start restarting automatically again.

[Mingus]

You probably have 4 - 32 meg sticks of ram.

You can buy just 1 128, or 256 stick, and replace 1 of your 32's with it. You can leave the other three in.

[tranceboy]

Cheers man, think my ram needs upgrading anyway cos i remember reading somewhere that win xp is meant to be a memory hungry *****!, an my pc does seem a bit slower since installing it, your problem does sound exactly like mine, cos if i leave my pc off for a while then it seems to clear itself its just the fact that it seems to occur only when im running p2p apps that really p-ing me off! Better go to dabs and start pricing! thanks 4 all the help guys im sure ill get it cured one way or another now!

[Wiggo]

Rightly you need a minimum of 256MB of memory for XP but 512MB is best for it. ;)

[tranceboy]

S-O-R-T-E-D

YEEEEEESSSSSSS YA DANCER!!!!!!!!!!

Finally iv solved the problem of my pcs mystery crashes!!

Heres what i did/found in case anyone else has similar probs,

I disabled the automatic bootup option after a crash so i could get the lovely blue crash screen up (thought id seen the last of those after upgrading from ME:laugh: ). When it crashed it mentioned a dll called alcan5wn.sys which i tracked down and found it was to do with my alcatel dsl modem driver. so i rushed off to the alcatel dsl website and lo and behold i found an upgraded driver and hey presto problem solved.

HAPPY AGAIN! ( I hate in when my pc aint workin right)

Thanks to all how gave advice regarding this problem it was really p"ss%ng me off!