BSOD error messages

manveruppd · 8 Feb 2008 at 17:45

I keep getting a BSOD when I run a certain application. I want to identify the error, but unfortunately the error message is longer than 1 screeful so the top of it, with the specific error message, scrolls off the top of the screen before I can read it.

Does Windows have a log file or something where the BSOD error message is stored so I can view it after the computer reboots? Sorry if this is a noobish question, I looked in Event Viewer and it shows an error with the time it BSODed but not the actual blue screen message.

bikes · 8 Feb 2008 at 20:29

There should be a dump log of it in C:\Windows\Minidump

You can then debug to see whats causing the fault.

manveruppd · 8 Feb 2008 at 23:44

OK, I see them... so what do I open them with? Does Windows have a built-in debugger?

bikes · 8 Feb 2008 at 23:54

Download debugger from here matey http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/installx86.mspx

manveruppd · 9 Feb 2008 at 01:41

Tanks!

Hmm... not out of the woods yet though! Opening the file with the debugger (using file/open crash dump) gives me a screenful of the following messages repeated over and over:

Symbol search path is: *** Invalid ***
****************************************************************************
* Symbol loading may be unreliable without a symbol search path. *
* Use .symfix to have the debugger choose a symbol path. *
* After setting your symbol path, use .reload to refresh symbol locations. *
****************************************************************************

*********************************************************************
* Symbols can not be loaded because symbol path is not initialized. *
* *
* The Symbol Path can be set by: *
* using the _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable. *
* using the -y <symbol_path> argument when starting the debugger. *
* using .sympath and .sympath+ *
*********************************************************************
Unable to load image ntoskrnl.exe, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for ntoskrnl.exe
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for ntoskrnl.exe
Windows XP Kernel Version 2600 (Service Pack 2) MP (2 procs) Free x86 compatible
Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS
Kernel base = 0x804d7000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0x8055c700
Debug session time: Tue Jan 29 00:43:42.203 2008 (GMT+0)
System Uptime: 0 days 7:27:30.892

BugCheck 1000000A, {dca311ec, 2, 0, 804e7581}

***** Kernel symbols are WRONG. Please fix symbols to do analysis.

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for Ntfs.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for Ntfs.sys
*************************************************************************
*** ***
*** ***
*** Your debugger is not using the correct symbols ***
*** ***
*** In order for this command to work properly, your symbol path ***
*** must point to .pdb files that have full type information. ***
*** ***
*** Certain .pdb files (such as the public OS symbols) do not ***
*** contain the required information. Contact the group that ***
*** provided you with these symbols if you need this command to ***
*** work. ***
*** ***
*** Type referenced: nt!_KPRCB ***
*** ***
*************************************************************************

bikes · 9 Feb 2008 at 07:38

Can you upload the dump files somewhere? Or my email is in trust.

manveruppd · 9 Feb 2008 at 09:59

Emailed, thanks for the offer!

Any idea why I'm missing those symbols the debugger was talking about and where I can get them from?

bikes · 9 Feb 2008 at 10:32

It says the same on mine, but it does go on to say at the very bottom, proberbly caused by(the crash) blah blah.exe, from this you should be able to work out the cause of the crash.

Just checked my mail, and so far, no mail :confused:

nothing in junk folder either.

manveruppd · 9 Feb 2008 at 11:09

This just gets more and more puzzling the more things I find out! I checked out the bottom of the memory dump like you said, and the first few I opened each had a different file there! I did not expect this, as the crashes all occur when i run Guild Wars and enter an outpost. The BSOD is 100% reproducible and I've been trying to fix it for a week now. The next few I opened all named the file cmudax3.sys - then I opened a few more and, again there were a few different files named there, but since the file that cropped up the most was cmudax3.sys I assumed that this is what's causing the problem.

So I google the driver name, and it turns out it's a C-Media driver, which puzzled me even more as I've got the on-board sound disabled in the BIOS and I'm using a Turtle Beach card I bought from someone off these forums. I go into device manager,and, sure enough, there's an entry with a yellow question mark called "Audio Device on High Definition Bus"! :confused:

I delete the entry, reboot, enter BIOS, confirm that the on-board sound is indeed turned off (IT IS!!!), boot into Windows, and what do I see but the New Hardware Wizard popping up and telling me it's found a new audio device!!

I cancel it before I let it install any drivers, then I just check that sound is working fine, just in case that "high definition blah blah" was in fact my Turtle Beach card, but no, everything's working fine and sounding great!

So it looks like I've got an on-board device that refuses to be turned off through the BIOS! I'll have to post in the DS3 forums to see if anyone else has had this problem!

bikes · 9 Feb 2008 at 11:21

Yeh mate, thats what I found

Like you said, it may be best to post in MB section, sorry I cant be of more help.