Stop errors occur only when a problem cannot be
handled by using the higher-level error-handling mechanisms in Windows
Vista. Normally, when an error occurs in an application, the
application interprets the error message and provides detailed
information to the system administrator. However, Stop errors are
handled by the kernel, and Windows Vista is only able to display basic
information about the error, write the contents of memory to the disk
(if memory dumps are enabled), and halt the system.
As
a result of the minimal information provided in a Stop message, and the
fact that the operating system stops all processing, Stop errors can be
difficult to troubleshoot. Fortunately, they tend to occur very rarely.
When they do occur, they are almost always caused by driver problems,
hardware problems, or file inconsistencies.
Identifying the Stop Error
Many
different types of Stop error occur. Each has its own possible causes
and requires a unique troubleshooting process. Therefore, the first
step in troubleshooting a Stop error is to identify the Stop error. You
need the following information about the Stop error to begin
troubleshooting:
- Stop error number This number uniquely identifies the Stop error.
- Stop error parameters These parameters provide additional information about the Stop error. Their meaning is specific to the Stop error number.
- Driver information
When available, the driver information identifies the most likely
source of the problem. Not all Stop errors are caused by drivers,
however.
This
information is often displayed as part of the Stop message. If
possible, write it down to use as a reference during the
troubleshooting process. If the operating system restarts before you
can write down the information, you can often retrieve the information
from the System log in Event Viewer. For more information, see “Stop
Errors Recorded in the System Log” later in this chapter.
If
you are unable to gather the Stop error number from the Stop message
and the System log, you can retrieve it from a memory dump file. By
default, Windows Vista is configured to create a memory dump whenever a
Stop error occurs. If no memory dump file was created, configure the
system to create a memory dump file. Then, if the Stop error reoccurs,
you will be able to extract the necessary information from the memory
dump file..
Finding Troubleshooting Information
Each
Stop error requires a different troubleshooting technique. Therefore,
after you identify the Stop error and gather the associated
information, search the following sources for troubleshooting
information specific to that Stop error:
“Common Stop Messages”
is intended as a reference for troubleshooting Stop errors; however, it
does not include every possible Stop error. If the Stop error number
you are troubleshooting is not listed in “Common Stop Messages,” refer
to the Debugging Tools For Windows Help. Finally, the Microsoft
Knowledge Base includes timely articles about a limited subset of Stop
errors. Stop error information in the Microsoft Knowledge Base is often
specific to a particular driver or hardware component, and generally
includes step-by-step instructions for resolving the problem. Although
it is rarely necessary, you can also consult Microsoft Product Support
Services for troubleshooting services to resolve Stop errors.
Microsoft Help and Support For related information, see Microsoft Help and Support at http://support.microsoft.com.
Microsoft Debugging Tools For Windows Help
Install the Microsoft Debugging Tools For Windows, and consult Help for
that tool. This Help contains the definitive list of Stop messages,
including many not covered in this chapter, and explains how to
troubleshoot a wide variety of Stop errors. To install Debugging Tools
For Windows, visit http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/.
Microsoft Product Support Services
If you cannot isolate the cause of the Stop error, obtain assistance
from trained Microsoft Product Support Services personnel. You might
need to furnish specific information and perform certain procedures to
help technical support investigate your problem. For more information
about Microsoft product support, visit http://www.microsoft.com/services/microsoftservices/srv_support.mspx.
Stop Messages
Stop
messages report information about Stop errors. The intention of the
Stop message is to assist the system administrator in isolating and
eventually resolving the problem that caused the Stop error. Stop
messages provide a great deal of useful information to administrators
who understand how to interpret the information in the Stop message. In
addition to other information, the Stop message includes the Stop error
number, or bugcheck code.
When
examining a Stop message, you need to have a basic understanding of the
problem so that you can plan a course of action. Always review the Stop
message and record as much information about the problem as possible
before searching through technical sources. Stop messages use a
full-screen character mode format, as shown in Figure 1.
As shown in Figure 1, a Stop message screen has four major sections, which display the following information:
Note
If
the video display drivers have stopped functioning, the kernel might
not be able to fully display the entire Stop message. In such a case,
only the first line may be visible, or the screen may be black. Wait
several minutes to allow the memory dump file to be created, and then
use standard troubleshooting techniques described in this chapter. |
Bugcheck Information
The
Bugcheck information section lists the Stop error descriptive name.
Descriptive names are directly related to the Stop error number listed
in the Technical information section.
Recommended User Action
The
Recommended user action section informs the user that a problem has
occurred and that Windows was shut down. It also provides the symbolic
name of the Stop error. In Figure 1,
the symbolic name is BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER. It also attempts to describe
the problem and lists suggestions for recovery. In some cases,
restarting the computer might be sufficient because the problem is not
likely to recur. But if the Stop error persists after you restart the
operating system, you must determine the root cause to return the
operating system to an operable state. This process might involve
undoing recent changes, replacing hardware, or updating drivers to
eliminate the source of the problem.
Technical Information
The
Technical information section lists the Stop error number, also known
as the bugcheck code, followed by up to four Stop error–specific codes
(displayed as hexadecimal numbers enclosed in parentheses), which
identify related parameters. Stop error codes contain a “0x” prefix,
which indicates that the number is in hexadecimal format. For example,
in Figure 1, the Stop error hexadecimal code is 0x000000FE (often written as 0xFE).
Driver Information
The
Driver information section identifies the driver associated with the
Stop error. If a file is specified by name, you can use Safe Mode to
verify that the driver is signed or has a date stamp that coincides
with other drivers. If necessary, you can replace the file manually (in
Startup Repair or in Safe Mode), or use Roll Back Driver to revert to a
previous version.
Debug Port and Dump Status Information
The
Debug port and dump status information section lists COM port
parameters that a kernel debugger uses, if enabled. If you have enabled
memory dump file saves, this section also indicates whether one was
successfully written. As a dump file is being written to the disk, the
percentage shown after Dumping physical memory to disk is incremented to 100. A value of 100 indicates that the memory dump was successfully saved.
Types of Stop Errors
A
hardware or software problem can cause a Stop error, which causes a
Stop message to appear. Stop messages typically fit into one of the
following categories:
Stop errors caused by faulty software
A Stop error can occur when a driver, service, or system component
running in Kernel mode introduces an exception. For example, a driver
attempts to perform an operation above its assigned interrupt request
level (IRQL) or tries to write to an invalid memory address. A Stop
message might seem to appear randomly, but through careful observation,
you might be able to associate the problem with a specific activity.
Verify that all installed software (especially drivers) in question is
fully Windows Vista–compatible and that you are running the latest
versions. Windows Vista compatibility is especially important for
applications that might install drivers.
Stop errors caused by hardware issues
This problem occurs as an unplanned event resulting from defective,
malfunctioning, or incorrectly configured hardware. If you suspect a
Stop error is caused by hardware, first install the latest drivers for
that hardware. Failing hardware can cause Stop errors regardless of the
stability of the driver, however.
Executive initialization Stop errors
Executive initialization Stop errors occur only during the relatively
short Windows executive initialization sequence. Typically, these Stop
errors are caused by corrupted system files or faulty hardware.
Installation Stop errors that occur during setup
For new installations, installation Stop errors typically occur because
of incompatible hardware, defective hardware, or outdated firmware.
During an operating system upgrade, Stop errors can occur when
incompatible applications and drivers exist on the system. Update the
computer’s firmware to the version recommended by the computer
manufacturer before installing Windows Vista. Consult your system
documentation for information about checking and upgrading your
computer’s firmware.
