Generic Troubleshooting Procedures

For general troubleshooting of Windows 2000 Stop messages, follow these suggestions:

• If new hardware has been added to the system recently, remove it or replace it to see if that resolves the error. Also, try running hardware diagnostics supplied by the system manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer to see if an updated system BIOS or firmware is available. Make sure that any expansion boards are properly seated and all cables are completely connected.
• Confirm that any new hardware is listed on the Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). For more information about the HCL, see "Additional Resources" at the end of this chapter.
• If new device drivers or system services have been added recently, remove them or update them to see if the problem is resolved. You need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, since safe mode loads only the minimum required drivers and system services during the startup of Windows. To enter safe mode, restart your computer, and press F8 at the character-mode menu that displays the operating system choices. At the resulting Windows 2000 Advanced Options menu, choose safe mode. For more information about safe mode, see "Troubleshooting Strategies" in this book.
• Check the computer with an up-to-date virus scanner program that is compatible with Windows 2000. Viruses can infect all types of Windows-formatted hard disks, and resulting disk corruption can generate system stop messages. Make sure the virus scanner checks the master boot record for infections.
• Verify that any recently added software is listed as compatible with Windows 2000. If it is not, check with the manufacturer to see if an update or a patch is available. Otherwise, remove the program to see if this resolves the error.
• Verify that the system has the latest Service Pack installed. To check which Service Pack, if any, is installed on your system, click Start, click Run, type winver, and then press ENTER. The About Windows 2000 dialog box displays the Windows version number and the version number of the Service Pack, if one has been installed. For information about downloading the latest Service Packs, see "Additional Resources" at the end of this chapter.
• Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.
• Check the System Log and Application Log in Event Viewer to see if any additional error messages have been logged recently. These might pinpoint the cause of the error.
• Check the Microsoft Support Web site using the keywords winnt and the full Stop error code, such as the example in Figure 17.1, 0x0000001E. For information about the Microsoft Support Web site, see "Additional Resources" at the end of this chapter.

Kernel debugging is especially helpful when other troubleshooting techniques have failed, or when a problem repeats often. In these cases, it is possible to pinpoint the failing code in a driver or an application by using a kernel debugger. For kernel debugging, it is important to capture the exact text in the bugcheck information section of the error message. Also, in order to isolate a complex problem and develop a viable workaround or a program replacement, it is essential to record the exact steps leading to the failure.

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