The CRASH victim is still suffering!!!

[fallyhag]

The latest that I have done to try and sort my problem out:

Well I have taken the case off and had a good look inside. I have taken out the Graphics card and then re-seated it. I have removed the RAM, swapped them over and reinserted them. I have also disconnected the CD ROM drives apart from the one I need.

After a deep pause I switched it all back on. I went through the normal stages of promise leading me right up to the Start copying files bit but with a big whack in the face I received another message. This one read:

APPLICATION ERROR

SUWIN caused a general protection fault in module SETUPX.DLL at 0004:5A54


Occasionally I am also getting the following message:

INVALID TRUE TYPE FONT DETECTED

An application used a true type font that caused an error in windows. Quit all apps and restart Blah…Blah…. Blah..

Now before I have to take this horrible computer to the people that will rip me off, can anyone please help me to try and diagnose this darn thing? Any help will be really grateful.

Help Help Help Help!!!!

…………………………

Old Message:
Please help, it wont start!!!

I came accross my PC the other night and found it black screen not responding.

No matter what I did I had no response. I tried to restart the machine but then it just wouldn’t.

After doing everything I finally went for the big one and did the FDISK, format and reinstall of W98.

The FDISK went well and when I went for the Re-install it led me straight to the Format, which also went well.

The setup disk then scanned my system and came up with no faults.

It was only when I went into the W98 setup screen that everything went wrong.

Straight away I get a pop up message saying:

APPLICATION ERROR

W98SETUP caused a general protection fault in module GDI.exe at 0001:5048

I then clicked the close button which led to the following message:

APPLICATION ERROR

W98SETUP caused a general protection fault in module USER.exe at 0001:40B6

Once again I click close which causes a black screen and a message saying:

Standard mode: Bad fault in MS-DOS extender. Fault: 000D stack dump: 0000 0000 0070 Raw fault frame : EC=0000 IP=5EF7 CS=03AF FL=3087 SP=FFEE SS=030F, Please remove any floppies and restart your machine.

But when I do I end up back at square one, all over again!?

I can’t reinstall my software And I think I have tried everything. Is there anyone out there who can help? Please!!!! What is wrong with my machine?

Many Thanks

Fallyhag@bigfoot.com

 

[edfair]

Understand the frustration. I fought somewhat the same problems with 6 different OS versions, 3 different CPUs, on and off for 5 weeks to get DSL running. Was a memory problem. So, I would try replacing memory.
In my case , the failure would happen at different places with each version, consistent within versions, but seemed to be particularly fond of upchucking on IE. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[rtshort]

Try this link on the Microsoft web site, maybe it will help you a little bit. I have also run across bad CPU's that would cause it, but most of the time as edfair says, it's the memory 9 times out of 10. If you have more that one stick of SDRAM try leaving one out. If you have 4 sticks of EDORAM leave 2 out. Anyway here's the link. There are more links from this page too.

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q224/8/36.asp

 

[fallyhag]

Here is the latest on the CRASH repairs as at: 02 Apr 01

After talking to the computer service hotline, he advised the following over the phone. This advice came with a personal guarantee to fix the fault:

1. Boot PC from the CD
2. Start PC with CD ROM support
3. On the “A” prompt type “D:”
4. Then enter “CD WIN98”
5. Then enter “FORMAT C: /U /Q”
6. The following is then displayed – All data will be lost. I enter Yes.
7. The following is then displayed:

a. Checking existing disk format
b. Quick formatting 14,59,78 m
c. Recording current bad clusters
d. Complete
e. Format complete
f. Writing out file allocation table
g. Complete
h. Calculating free space (this may take several minutes)
i. Complete
j. Enter volume label or press return – I pressed return
k. 14,581.52 mb total disk space
l. 14,581.52 mb available on disk
m. 8,192 bytes in each allocation unit
n. 1,866.434 allocation units available on disk

8. On the D prompt I then entered “setup” .
9. The D Drive then started the setup from the Win98 CD
10. Setup ran the scandisk program
11. Then the screen showed the Win98 intro screen and highlighted the “preparing to run Windows 98 setup” in the left hand margin
12. Then it highlights the “collecting information about your computer”
13. When I select Next the screen then brings up the old error messages starting with the “SUWIN” error message.

So the personal guarantee was not appreciated at all. Naturally when I rang back I got the message that I was calling out of hours, typical!!!

I am concerned about the “Recording current bad clusters” message, does anyone know what this might mean? The expert on the phone seemed to think that the problem was due to an error remaining on the PC and his advice would ensure that it would be properly formatted. Well that was the idea anyway.

I have run Microsoft Scandisk and Nortons Diskdoctor but neither of them have detected any problems.

I have removed the new RAM that I bought but no change.

Advice on what might solve this ongoing drama is always appreciated. To all those that have already gave their advice, I am sincerely grateful and thankful to this forum for helping me.

Fingers crossed

Fallyhag

 

[rtshort]

If the memory didn't do the trick, it's most likely the CPU or mainboard. I'd say CPU. Is the CPU you have new?? What all have you done in the way of upgrading before the problem(s) started.
The recording bad clusters message is normal. It looks for bad clusters every time it's formatted. Most of the time none are found. If one were found it would be marked bad so nothing would be written to that cluster. (recording bad clusters)

 

[fallyhag]

The PC is just under one year old.
Since getting it I have only upgraded the RAM from 128 to 256.
I have added some CD-ROM drives but apart from that nothing else.
The problem occurred overnight when I left the PC on. The next day I came to the PC I moved the mouse as normal expecting the screen to burst into life but this time nothing, the screen stayed black. and so the problems started....
So far I have had every bit of the PC diagnosed as faulty so I am a little bit confused about it all. To be honest I have no clue, I have tried everything.

Yours depressingly
Fallyhag

 

[rtshort]

OK Didn't know what all had been done to it. I hardly ever turn my computer off, rest assured that had nothing to do with it. Stuff happens. I looked at my computer one morning and the screen saver had frozen. When I move the mouse, it didn't change a thing. I hit the reset button and it would not boot period. Went through the POST and froze. I worked on it for a day or so, and it turned out to be the mainboard.
Not at all trying to be a smart A## with this remark, but computer parts I've gotten bad in the box. Some just work for a month or two. So age really don't mean anything. Some little diode, resistor, or etc. can burn out in a heartbeat and do ya in. As far as figuring out the problem, I used to build computers so I took mine to the store I used to work for and fixed it there. It's a whole lot easier to just change things till you hit it.
Sure wish I could point you straight to the problem, but like I said, when mine went down I had the luxury of having all of the parts I needed to check at my finger tips.

Make sure your BIOS virus software is off. As discussing in another message here, that will cause problems.

 

[fallyhag]

I am actually surprised with the Fujitzu-Siemens Support hotline. After explaining all the boring bits the bloke on the other end is sure he knows what is up and is sending me a brand new pre loaded HardDrive for me to install myself. If this is the fault then I am well impressed with their service, but I am keen not to start counting those eggs too soon. I will update here to let you know if it sorts the dreaded proble, and if it does I am definately installing a second HDD in future just in case.

Fallyhag

 

[bdux]

I have seen a bad cluster message before on a p.c and was told by my Tech specialist that some computer bios are not compatible with windows . The work around was to get a patch from the computer manuafacturer to create a different win start up disk that worked with the computer's bios . then you boot from the patch startup disk and then access the win 98 cd and run setup .

 

[Ed100]

I had the same problem with installing Windows. Turned out to be a problem with my hd controller.