Unexpected Reboots

Howdy Sorry i've not been on in ages, i'd stopped using my home PC for a while because of the issues i'm going to discuss. I'm gonna try n stick around and help out some more. Anyway, here's the issue. I bought a PC which was on Vista. I formatted it and installed XP which worked fine for a while, then one day when i was booting up, just before you get to the logon screen, it restarts. I have recently started dual-booting and Vista gives me more of an explanation what is going on - sadly, i still don't quite understand it. I've tried a few fixes i found on the net, can anyone make out what this error report from Vista means? Problem signature Problem Event Name: BlueScreen OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1 Locale ID: 2057 Files that help describe the problem Mini011409-01.dmp sysdata.xml Version.txt View a temporary copy of these files Warning: If a virus or other security threat caused the problem, opening a copy of the files could harm your computer. Extra information about the problem BCCode: c000021a BCP1: 88311978 BCP2: 00000000 BCP3: C0000001 BCP4: 0010037C OS Version: 6_0_6000 Service Pack: 0_0 Product: 256_1

Hello bizarrebob!

The error report shows that there's a blue screen coming up, If you didn't see any it's probably because windows is set by default to automatically restart when a Blue Screen appears.
You need to turn off Automatic Restart so when you do get a BSOD, you will be able to read what it says, record the information and post it here if you have problems in the future.

Right click on My Computer.
Click Properties / Advanced / Startup and Recovery Settings.
Uncheck box for Automatically restart.

Regards,
Olrik

Hi Artellos, thanks for the advice, i have switched that option off. Hopefully i can get to the bottom of it. My guess is that it may be a hardware fault but hopefully i'll get a more detailed error report. Thanks :-)

Am I correct that your post implies that this BSoD reboot problem occurs in both Windows XP and Windows Vista? If this is the case, you are certainly dealing with a hardware problem.

Am I correct that your post implies that this BSoD reboot problem occurs in both Windows XP and Windows Vista?

If this is the case, you are certainly dealing with a hardware problem.

Yes, you are right in thinking i get the error before XP or Vista load. I don't have the error code handy, but if it happens again i will post it.

It happens fairly regularly. I'm thinking it may be down to some cheap RAM i bought.

'Bob

Can you be more specific as to which point this problem occurs? Do you see the "Windows XP" or the "Windows Vista" loading screens, and then the BSoD occurs right before the "Login" window appears? Has a wireless adapter been added to this system?

Can you be more specific as to which point this problem occurs? Do you see the "Windows XP" or the "Windows Vista" loading screens, and then the BSoD occurs right before the "Login" window appears?

Has a wireless adapter been added to this system?

Depending on which OS im booting into, i do see the loading screens, it happens shortly after that, just before you get to the log on screen, yes.

Nope, no wireless adaptor has been added. I am hardwired to my router.

'Bob

Your BSoD is related to a failure during the logon process. The most likely cause of this would be a third party gina installed which has taken over the login process. An example of such a product would be third party wireless adapter software, thumbprint readers, security software, remote control software, etc. Does anything ring a bell that is common between both the XP and Vista installation? Can you open 'regedit' and navigate to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon and look for an entry called GinaDLL. Let me know what the value of that is? If the value isn't present than the default is being used and that is good.

Your BSoD is related to a failure during the logon process. The most likely cause of this would be a third party gina installed which has taken over the login process. An example of such a product would be third party wireless adapter software, thumbprint readers, security software, remote control software, etc. Does anything ring a bell that is common between both the XP and Vista installation?

Can you open 'regedit' and navigate to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon and look for an entry called GinaDLL. Let me know what the value of that is? If the value isn't present than the default is being used and that is good.

It was happening before i installed Vista to be honest. I don't think i have much third party software installed whatsoever. I recently formatted the machine and still get this error which makes me think it's hardware related.

Just had a look and there is no entry called GinaDLL

Thanks again

'Bob

It does sound hardware related as you stated. My biggest suspicion would be a bad sector or two on the hard drive.

Have you tried running a chkdsk /r from the command prompt to perform a full surface scan on the hard drive?

Memory could also be an issue. The Windows Memory Diagnostic is a great tool for testing it. While the diagnostic is running, tap the RAM modules with the plastic end of a screwdriver. Make sure you don't get any memory errors, lock ups, screen anomalies, or reboots. If you do, reseat the RAM until you can tap on it without errors. It could simply be a bad connection.

It does sound hardware related as you stated. My biggest suspicion would be a bad sector or two on the hard drive.

Have you tried running a chkdsk /r from the command prompt to perform a full surface scan on the hard drive?

Memory could also be an issue. The Windows Memory Diagnostic is a great tool for testing it. While the diagnostic is running, tap the RAM modules with the plastic end of a screwdriver. Make sure you don't get any memory errors, lock ups, screen anomalies, or reboots. If you do, reseat the RAM until you can tap on it without errors. It could simply be a bad connection.

Hi again appleoddity,

I have tried a chkdsk /r and it finds no errors. I'll try the Windows Memory Diagnostic too. Do you need to burn the ISO to a disk?

Thanks

'Bob

Yes.. The ISO will need to be burned to disc. You can use something like DeepBurner if you don't know of another product you already have.

Thanks i'll give it a shot. I'll have to hop over onto XP because i have Nero on there. 'Bob EDIT: I ran the Diagnostic and even the extended test. I passed both of them. I'm putting it down to the RAM i installed a while back. If i get the blue screen i will post the message on here, it hasn't shown up for a little while now.

Hello! I am new here, and i have the same problem as bizarrebob. Thing is that i have reinstalled Windows a couple of times and i do get the Bluescreen almost everyday anyway. Not always when i start windows, but even when i am inside working with Windows it comes blue screen and it restarts for no reason at all. Sometimes when it restarts windows uninstalls my video drivers for my Graphics card. I replaced the HD with a new one so i cant be that. I have just now looked thru this thread and i i have looked in regedit and i cant find any Value GinaDLL.. Also i just now turned of Automatic Restart, so i hope i can see what the Bluescreen message says. Does anyone of you have any idea what it could be? Could it be the Motherboard, RAM, Graphics Card.. Thankfull for reply!

SmilesGB, Your topic can be found here

Regards,
Olrik