Author Topic: Who has patience to offer computer help?  (Read 2599 times)

Ryan in Maine

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Who has patience to offer computer help?
« on: September 09, 2008, 05:32:41 PM »
Quote
BAD_POOL_CALLER

That's what I'm getting on the blue screen that pops up. After that I have to manually unplug my computer to restart it.

It has happened twice within the past hour. Both times it happened when I was attempting to run a full system scan with Ad-Aware.

My last Windows update was for SP3. My last updated program was Adobe Flash Player.

Other than that, my computer has been running quite slowly this past week. Usually it's pretty zippy, but lately it doesn't even want to buffer a YouTube video. Downloads/uploads that normally take 5-10 seconds can take up to a minute or longer. For the life of me, I can't find anything out of the ordinary.

I'm using Windows XP. Verizon DSL. Dell Dimension E310 computer that's probably 3-5 years old.

What is this BAD_POOL_CALLER on the blue screen crap? I used system restore and went back a couple days. Haven't tried running Ad-Aware again, but the computer is still running a lot slower than it ought to be.

Should I kick it?

RocketMan

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2008, 05:47:27 PM »
Ryan, your problem could be several things, unfortunately.  Among them, bad RAM or improperly installed / defective device drivers, or a failing hard drive.
Bad RAM is something you might want to check out.  When it first started running slowly, the system might have interpreted the bad RAM as less RAM, and started running a bunch of stuff into the swap file.  That slows things down considerably.

Did you recently update any system drivers or install any new hardware? 

If I am not mistaken, the Dell E310 has a set of four diagnostic lights either on the front panel or on the back someplace.  They are labeled 1-2-3-4 or A-B-C-D; I don't remember for sure.
What sequence remains lit after your computer locks up?
If there really was intelligent life on other planets, we'd be sending them foreign aid.

Conservatives see George Orwell's "1984" as a cautionary tale.  Progressives view it as a "how to" manual.

My wife often says to me, "You are evil and must be destroyed." She may be right.

Liberals believe one should never let reason, logic and facts get in the way of a good emotional argument.

Ryan in Maine

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2008, 06:02:01 PM »
I haven't updated any drivers recently. Haven't installed any new hardware either. Although, maybe worth mentioning, my grandma gave me her webcam awhile ago when she realized she wasn't using it. I attempted to install it onto this computer but it would not install. Afterwards, the program shows up on Add/Remove Programs menu (and still does to this day) but I can't uninstall it. I get a prompt that says I don't have the necessary components to uninstall it. However, that happened long before the computer started slowing down. Best I can come up with though. *Shrug*

It has 1/2/3/4 to the left of the USB ports. Unfortunately, I didn't look when the blue screen popped up. If it happens again I'll pay closer attention.

I did take a picture of the computer screen to capture the full message though. Would it help any if I posted the entire blue screen prompt?

RocketMan

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2008, 06:05:50 PM »
Don't post the entire prompt.  Just tell us what the four long sequences of numbers/letters says.
Type it carefully into your post.  Sometimes that will reveal a little information to those of us that dream in ones and zeros. (And know how to google it.   laugh)
If there really was intelligent life on other planets, we'd be sending them foreign aid.

Conservatives see George Orwell's "1984" as a cautionary tale.  Progressives view it as a "how to" manual.

My wife often says to me, "You are evil and must be destroyed." She may be right.

Liberals believe one should never let reason, logic and facts get in the way of a good emotional argument.

Physics

  • ∇xE=-1/c·∂B/∂t, ∇·E=4πρ, ∇·B=0, ∇xB=1/c·∂E/∂t, F=q(E+v/cxB)
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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2008, 06:36:44 PM »
You could try http://www.techsupportforum.com.  Free tech support, and they're nice too. 
In the world of science, there is physics.  Everything else is stamp collecting.  -Ernest Rutherford

Ryan in Maine

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2008, 06:49:39 PM »
Thanks for the link to the Tech Support Forum. Hopefully I don't need to use it.  undecided

Quote
*** STOP: 0x000000C2 (0x00000007, 0x00000CD4, 0x02060000, 0xFC398008)

That's what I've got for number sequences.

I've also got a new "UiPopupHidden" thing showing up now. I think that's either Verizon Internet Security Suite or Spybot Search & Destroy though. Probably a much easier fix.  cheesy

*Sigh*

Physics

  • ∇xE=-1/c·∂B/∂t, ∇·E=4πρ, ∇·B=0, ∇xB=1/c·∂E/∂t, F=q(E+v/cxB)
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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2008, 07:24:44 PM »
You could try memtest. 
http://www.memtest86.com/ 

You want the free download, and make a boot disk (you should just have to burn the .iso to a cd).  Then, take out all but one stick of your RAM, and boot to that CD.  That program will test your memory, let it run for a few hours on each stick of RAM, and if you have any errors at all, from what I understand, that stick of RAM is bad.  This is a potential problem with this specific blue screen.  I am by no means an expert, I have just been having blue screen problems on my home build, and traced it back to my RAM.

In the world of science, there is physics.  Everything else is stamp collecting.  -Ernest Rutherford

Ryan in Maine

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2008, 07:40:16 PM »
That sounds like a weekend project to me.  laugh

I just successfully ran a full scan with Ad-Aware. Just found one MRU file. The whole time it ran, none of the numbers themselves were lit up, but there is a cylinder just northeast of number 3 that continuously flashed.

Things are still going slow, but no blue screen of death. This weekend I'll check the RAM.

Leatherneck

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2008, 12:12:36 AM »
I'm no expert, but it certainly sounds like a virus/malware to me.

TC
TC
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Nick1911

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2008, 03:12:52 AM »
If you don't have a heck of a lot of crap to backup, I'd just reload it.

Ryan in Maine

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2008, 04:46:22 AM »
Well, things are going even slower this morning. I can't even update my spyware programs. The download just freezes (not the computer, just the download).

Things are actually going so slow that pages which usually load near-instantly are taking up to 5 minutes to load. The names of pictures/icons actually show up before the pictures/icons load (and in some cases the coding even shows up first).

I've run Spybot Search & Destroy, Ad-Aware, and Verizon Internet Security Suite. They've found a total of two spyware items. Removing them didn't speed anything up.

Is there any way this could be an ISP problem? I've had problems with Verizon DSL in the past, but usually more pronounced (loss of internet connection for example).

This is sucking. Thanks for listening.  undecided

Edit:
Could this be a symptom of my processor going?

TF_FH

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2008, 06:10:47 AM »
Personally, I would click Start, then Run, and in the box that pops up, type "chkdsk c: /r" without quotes and hit OK.
After that it will say,

Quote
Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another
process.  Would you like to schedule this volume to be
checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)

Press Y and then the Enter key.
After you restart, this will scan your hard drive for errors and recover bad sectors if any.
If it runs better after this, it could be that your hard drive is beginning to go bad.
It takes a while to run though, so it might be one of those things you do before bed/before leaving for work.

qdemn7

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2008, 06:54:20 AM »
BAD_POOL_CALLER  is related to memory problems. Most of the time when I have encountered Blue Screens, even though it is supposed to be a software issue, it is due to problem with memory modules. Due what you said you're trying to do, which is put a load on the system, I think one or more of your memory modules is on the verge of complete failure. I recommend you run Memtest 86 as Physics suggested. If you don't want to do that, then do this:

(1.) Power off the system and unplug from the wall, you don't have to disconnect anything else.
(2.) Hold the main power button in for 10 seconds to discharge the system's capacitors.
(3.) Open up your case and locate your memory modules, you have a maximum of 2.
(4.) If you have only 1 module, stop right here, unless you have a spare DDR2 module you can use you are stuck. You will have to remove the 1 module and replace it with the spare.
(5.) If you have 2, then remove the 1 furthest from the processor.
(6.) Close the system back up, plug it back in, power it up and do whatever you were doing before. If you have problems then that module is bad.
(7.) If nothing goes wrong, then repeat #1, through #3 and swap modules, and repeat #6.
(8.) If nothing goes wrong then it's most likely a software problem.
(9.) Repeat #1, through #3  and reinstall both modules.
(10.) At this point post back, and we'll work the problem further.

In case you don't have the manual handy, here's a link: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim3100/en/sm/index.htm

Ryan in Maine

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2008, 02:25:23 PM »
Now my computer's working well. I haven't taken any of the steps discussed here yet (waiting until the weekend).

Does this sound like an ISP problem? Can memory/hard drive issues seemingly "resolve" themselves?

Computers are weird, man.  sad

Physics

  • ∇xE=-1/c·∂B/∂t, ∇·E=4πρ, ∇·B=0, ∇xB=1/c·∂E/∂t, F=q(E+v/cxB)
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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2008, 02:48:22 PM »
Now my computer's working well. I haven't taken any of the steps discussed here yet (waiting until the weekend).

Does this sound like an ISP problem? Can memory/hard drive issues seemingly "resolve" themselves?

Computers are weird, man.  sad

Yeah, computers are weird.  I spent a lot of money building this rig, and I've had a lot of trouble with blue screens.  Mine would come and go, it would run just fine for a month or so, and then I'd have a few days of blue screens to fix.  Finally traced it back to my RAM, and am now in the process of replacing it.  I ended up so frustrated that I formatted my hard drives and started all over. 

I hate computers sometimes. 
In the world of science, there is physics.  Everything else is stamp collecting.  -Ernest Rutherford

RocketMan

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2008, 04:19:14 PM »
More information for you, Ryan.  Some geek stuff for you to peruse.

Stop 0xC2 or BAD_POOL_CALLER
The Stop 0xC2 message indicates that a kernel-mode process or driver incorrectly attempted to perform memory operations in the following ways:

By allocating a memory pool size of zero bytes.
By allocating a memory pool that does not exist.
By attempting to free a memory pool that is already free.
By allocating or freeing a memory pool at an IRQL that was too high.
This Stop message is typically due to a faulty driver or software.

Possible Resolutions:

A Stop 0xC2 messages might occur after installing a faulty device driver, system service, or firmware. If a Stop message lists a driver by name, disable, remove, or roll back the driver to correct the problem. If disabling or removing drivers resolves the issues, contact the manufacturer about a possible update. Using updated software is especially important for multimedia applications, antivirus scanners, DVD playback, and CD mastering tools.
A Stop 0xC2 messages might also be due to failing or defective hardware. If a Stop message points to a category of devices (such as disk controllers, for example), try removing or replacing the hardware to determine if it is causing the problem.
If you encounter a Stop 0xC2 message while upgrading to Windows XP, the problem might be due to an incompatible driver, system service, virus scanner, or backup. To avoid problems while upgrading, simplify your hardware configuration and remove all third-party device drivers and system services (including virus scanners) prior to running setup. After you have successfully installed Windows XP, contact the hardware manufacturer to obtain compatible updates.

After all of the above, it still could be a memory problem rather than drivers, Ryan.  A driver may be trying to utilize a failing memory segment.  On the occaisions where your system seems to work okay, the driver may just be occupying a different location for some reason.
If there really was intelligent life on other planets, we'd be sending them foreign aid.

Conservatives see George Orwell's "1984" as a cautionary tale.  Progressives view it as a "how to" manual.

My wife often says to me, "You are evil and must be destroyed." She may be right.

Liberals believe one should never let reason, logic and facts get in the way of a good emotional argument.

qdemn7

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Re: Who has patience to offer computer help?
« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2008, 04:21:57 PM »
Does this sound like an ISP problem? Can memory/hard drive issues seemingly "resolve" themselves?

Computers are weird, man.  sad
No, I do not think it's your ISP. I have never heard of, or seen a Blue Screen caused by an ISP. Hard drive issues CAN resolve themselves, but RAM issues do not. Trust me on this one. I have RMA'd enough memory modules to know. Yes computers are weird.