Windows won't boot - ACPI error message

[proteusx]

Not totally sure whether this should go here or in Hardware...I have a machine running Windows 2000, and it's been in use for over a month. Nothing has been installed or changed recently, and it worked fine this morning, but now every time it boots, it shows the initial monochrome windows splashscreen, then dies with this error and a blue screen:

***STOP: 0x000000A5 (0X00010003,0X827C3280,0X00000005,0X827F0C70)

The ACPI BIOS in this system is not fully compliant with the ACPI
specification. Please read the README.TXT for possible workarounds. You
can also contact your system's manufacturer for an updated BIOS, or visit
[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.hardware-update.com[/URL] to see if a new BIOS is available.

The BIOS in this system is not fully ACPI compliant.  Please contact your
system vendor or visit [URL unfurl="true"]http://www.hardware-update.com[/URL] for an updated BIOS.
If you are unable to obtain an updated BIOS or the latest BIOS supplied by
your vendor is not ACPI compliant, you can turn off ACPI mode during text
mode setup. To do this, simply press the F7 key when you are prompted to
install storage drivers. The system will not notify you that the F7 key
was pressed - it will silently disable ACPI and allow you to continue
your installation.

I've even tried loading the Windows 2000 install CD to try and repair the installation. It loads all the drivers, and when it says its loading windows (this is in the setup program, mind you), it dies with the same error.

now, my motherboard, an ASUS P4S533-X, has the latest bios (version 1004), so that CAN'T be the problem. it was just working this morning, so I don't understand what could have happened.

i'd appreciate ANY help anyone can provide.

 

[tuco7]

Check your memory make sure it is compliant with your motherboard and your not using mixed memory, if you have more then one stick try one then the other

 

[Frank4d]

According to Microsoft the first parameter "0x00010003" means a device is present in the system for which there is no entry in the IRQ routing table.

But you said nothing has been changed recently. I am thinking maybe some hardware device has failed or your CMOS is corrupt. Have you tried resetting it?

 

[proteusx]

well, I reset the CMOS, but the problem is persisting. I've run a couple of bootable linux diagnostic CDs, and they start up fine, the problem only occurs with windows. i'm thinking mabye the problem is the hard disk, or the IDE cable for the disk.

 

[tuco7]

The code basicly says the IRQ system dosent have the info for a device installed.
I have found several occasions all it was a memory issue, giving corrupt data, as it is the easiest to rule out i do that first, if yours checks ok try removing and reseating what cards you have installed in the motherboard, that could take care of the problem

 

[proteusx]

the memory seems ok, it boots into a linux livecd fine, and ive ran several diagnostics (MEMTEST86+, etc). ive switched out the hard drive, and nothing. i think ive found the problem though.

during POST, it prints out the devices and their respective addresses (i guess on the IRQ or the bus), and it prints this one several times, like its trying to identify it and cant:

134D    7881    Simple COMM Controller

I googled 134D and came to the conclusion that was the onboard LAN, so i disable it in the BIOS, and POST prints out normally now. But, I'm still getting the blue screen every time windows attempts to boot up.

 

[tuco7]

Have you tried using the onboard LAN to see if it works, and if it dosent contact the ASUS

 

[bcastner]

From the Aumha forum site for direct links:

http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

The cause of this message is always errors in the ACPI BIOS. Usually, nothing can be done at an operating system level to fix the problem. See the articles linked here for more details.
0x000000A5 {KB 256841} Win 2000, Win XP (when installing Win 2000 or later)
“Stop error 0xA5” error message when you dock a Win 2000-based portable computer to a docking station while the computer is running {KB 840172} Win 2000 (hotfix available)