Microsoft Corporation Staff, IT Professional Staff - Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Operations Guide

Stop messages generally fall into one of four categories:

• Messages that appear during general use of Windows 2000.
• Messages that appear during the installation of Windows 2000.
• Messages that appear only during the relatively short Phase 4 period of the Windows 2000 Executive initialization sequence.
• Messages that can be traced to a software condition, called a software trap, detected by the processor.

General Stop Messages

The most common Stop messages are generated during regular operations. Even in a complex and robust operating system such as Windows 2000, catastrophic problems sometimes cause the system to stop responding and display a Stop message. In Windows 2000, a driver or the file system can generate a Stop message by introducing an unhandled error (exception) in the code or by performing some illegal operation.

For information about troubleshooting Stop messages, including detailed information about the most common errors, see "Troubleshooting Stop Messages" later in this chapter.

For the most comprehensive list of Stop messages in Windows 2000, along with useful information about diagnosing and troubleshooting these messages, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q103059, titled "Descriptions of Bug Codes for Windows NT."

Stop Messages During Installation

An unsuccessful attempt to install Windows 2000 can result in a Stop message. When this happens, first check that the computer and all of its peripheral hardware are compatible with Windows 2000. To do this, refer to the latest Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). Microsoft compiles the HCL through rigorous component and compatibility testing of computers and peripheral hardware to determine if they work well with Windows 2000. For more information about the HCL, see "Additional Resources" at the end of this chapter.

If the hardware you use is not included on the Windows 2000 HCL, contact the hardware manufacturer as a first-line resource for available information, newly tested hardware, and Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) and firmware revisions. Reducing the number of hardware components by removing nonessential peripherals and devices can help you pinpoint installation conflicts as well.

Stop Messages That Occur Only at Executive Initialization

Some Stop messages occur only during the relatively short Phase 4 period of the Windows 2000 startup sequence. Initialization of the Windows 2000 Executive, a family of software components that provides basic operating system services, is one step during Phase 4. Executive initialization can be further broken down into two phases: Phase 0 and Phase 1. During Phase 0, interrupts are disabled and only a few Executive components, such as the hardware abstraction layer (HAL), are initialized. During Phase 1 of Executive initialization, the system is fully operational, and the Windows 2000 subcomponents go through a full initialization.

Phase 0 Initialization Stop Messages

If you receive one of the Phase 0 initialization Stop messages listed in Table 17.171, run the hardware diagnostics provided by your system manufacturer.

Note

In many situations, hardware failures manifest themselves as errors that generate Stop messages. This is why troubleshooting many of the Stop messages includes running hardware diagnostics on the system.

If no hardware problems are found, reinstall Windows 2000 and try to initialize it again. If you get the same message, contact a support technician.

Table 17.1 Phase 0 Initialization Stop Messages

Phase 1 Initialization Stop Messages

If you receive one of the Phase 1 initialization Stop messages listed in Table 17.17.2, reinstall Windows 2000 and try to initialize it again. If you get the same message, contact a support technician.

Table17.2 Phase 1 Initialization Stop Messages

Stop Messages Caused by Software Traps

Erroneous software conditions detected by the processor, called software traps, can also generate Stop messages. A software trap occurs when a processor detects a problem with executing an instruction, which causes it to stop. For example, a processor does not carry out an instruction that contains invalid operands.

When you receive one of these messages, first write down the information displayed in the bugcheck information section of the Stop message, and then restart the computer. If the message recurs, you have four options for diagnosing the Stop error, all of which should be handled by a trained support technician at your own site:

• Diagnose the problem by using the information and troubleshooting tips displayed in the Stop message. For more information see "Troubleshooting Stop Messages" later in this chapter and in the Windows 2000 Error and Event Messages Help, where message explanations and recommended user actions for the most common Stop messages are listed. This file is located on the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Resource Kit companion CD.
• Contact your own or another technical support group to discuss the information in the Stop message. They might recognize a familiar pattern in the information and be able to offer assistance.

Important

If you use either of the following options, be sure Windows 2000 is in debug mode before you restart your computer.

• Set up the Windows 2000 kernel debugger to gather more information about the problem.
• Contact your own or another technical support group for assistance in the remote use of the Windows 2000 kernel debugger.

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