A stop error occurs when Windows XP Professional stops responding. Stop error messages can be caused by hardware or software malfunctions. The error messages appear on a blue or black background.

General Stop Errors

The following steps, which also appear on the stop error screen, help you determine the cause of a stop error and how to correct the problem.

To troubleshoot General Stop Errors

1. Restart your computer.
    
2. Make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. Unplug each new hardware device, one at a time, to see if this resolves the error. If it does, go to step 3.
   
   Replace any hardware that proves faulty by this test. Also, try running any hardware diagnostic software supplied by your computer manufacturer.
   
   If this is a new installation of hardware or software, contact the manufacturer for any Windows XP Professional updates or drivers you might need.
    
3. Click Start and then click Help and Support. Click Get support, or find information in Windows XP newsgroups (under “Ask for assistance”) and then click Get help from Microsoft in the left-hand column.
    
4. Click Start, click Help and Support, and then click Fixing a problem (under “Pick a Help topic”) for a list of Troubleshooters.
    
5. Check the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) to verify that all your hardware and drivers are compatible with Windows XP Professional.
   
   
    
6. Disable or remove any newly installed hardware (RAM, adapters, hard disks, modems, and so on), drivers, or software.
    

If you can start Windows XP Professional, check the System Log in Event Viewer for additional error messages that might help identify the device or driver causing the problem. To view the System Log, click Start and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Administrative Tools. Double–click Event Viewer to open it and then System Log to view.

If you can’t start Windows XP Professional, try to start your computer in safe mode, and then remove or disable any newly added programs or drivers. To start your computer in safe mode, restart your computer; then, when you see the list of available operating systems, press F8. On the “Advanced Options” screen, select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER. For more information, go to Help and Support Center and type “Safe Mode Options” in the Search box.

7. If you have access to the Internet, visit the Microsoft Support site.
   
   Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base for “Windows XP Professional” and the number associated with the stop error you received. For example, if the message “Stop: 0x0000000A” appears, search for “0x0000000A.”
    
8. Using a current version of your antivirus software, check for viruses on your computer. If you find a virus, perform the steps required to eliminate it from your computer. See your antivirus software instructions for these steps.
    
9. Verify that your hardware device drivers and your system BIOS are the latest available versions. Your hardware manufacturers can help you determine the latest versions or help you obtain them.
    
10. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need assistance, contact your hardware manufacturer.
     
11. Run any system diagnostic software supplied by your computer manufacturer, especially the memory check.
     
12. Verify that your computer has the latest Service Pack installed. For a list of service packs and instructions for downloading them, go to the Windows Update Web site.
     
13. If you are unable to log on, restart your computer. When the list of available operating systems appears, press F8. On the Advanced Options screen, select Last Known Good Configuration, and then press ENTER.

Specific Stop Errors

Some stop errors display descriptive messages such as “DATA_BUS_ERROR” that can help you determine the exact solution for the error. This section discusses how to troubleshoot specific stop errors, based on the type of error you receive.

Note:  Stop errors 0x0000001E, 0x0000000A, and 0x0000007B can also be caused by general hardware errors. If the steps provided here do not resolve these errors, see the steps under Hardware Failure Errors.

Follow the procedure under General Stop Errors. If the stop error persists, try the following steps.

To troubleshoot software and device driver stop errors

1. Check that the driver identified in the stop message is signed and certified by Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL). Run Sigverif.exe to check for unsigned drivers.
    
2. Try to replace the driver identified in the stop message, either with a good copy from your installation media, or with an updated version from the manufacturer.
    
3. Disable the driver identified in the stop message or any newly installed drivers.
    
4. If you have a video driver not supplied with Windows XP Professional, try switching to the standard VGA driver or to a compatible driver supplied with Windows XP.
    
5. Uninstall any software that uses filter drivers (for example, antivirus, disk defragmentation, remote control, firewall, or backup programs).
    
6. Run Recovery Console, and allow the system to repair any errors that it detects.
   
   For more information about Recovery Console, see Back Up and Recover Your Information, or go to Help and Support Center.
    
7. If the error occurred immediately after RAM was added to the computer, the paging file might be corrupted or the new RAM might be either faulty or incompatible. In this case, delete the Pagefile.sys file, and return the system to the original RAM configuration.

Follow the procedure under General Stop Errors. If the stop error persists, try the following steps.

To troubleshoot file system stop errors

1. If you’re using a small computer system interface (SCSI) adapter, obtain the latest Windows XP Professional driver from the hardware vendor, disable the sync negotiation for the SCSI device, verify that the SCSI chain is correctly terminated, and check the SCSI IDs of the devices. If you’re unsure how to do any of these steps, refer to the instructions for the device.
    
2. If you’re using integrated device electronics (IDE) devices, define the on-board IDE port as Primary only. Check the Master/Slave/Only settings for the IDE devices. Remove all IDE devices except the hard disk. If you’re unsure how to do any of these steps, refer to the instructions for your hardware.
    
3. Disable or uninstall any software that uses filter drivers (for example, antivirus, disk defragmentation, remote control, firewall, or backup programs).
    
4. Run Chkdsk /f to determine if the file system is corrupt. If Windows XP Professional can’t run Chkdsk, move the drive to another computer running Windows XP Professional, and run the Chkdsk command on the drive from that computer.

Note:  Stop errors 0x0000001E, 0x0000000A, and 0x0000007B can also be caused by software and device driver errors. If the steps provided here do not resolve these errors, see the steps under Software and Device Driver Errors.

Follow the procedure under General Stop Errors, earlier in this book. If the stop error persists, try the following steps.

To troubleshoot hardware failure stop errors

1. Check that the devices on your computer have drivers that are signed and certified by Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL). Run Sigverif.exe to check for unsigned drivers.
    
2. Check the manufacturer for driver updates that may be available for your hardware.
    
3. Update any software that uses filter drivers (for example, antivirus, disk defragmentation, remote control, firewall, or backup programs).
    
4. Uninstall any non–critical hardware and software to help isolate the item that may be causing the problem.
    
5. Install Windows XP in a new folder. Add drivers and restart as you proceed, to isolate the driver that is causing the problem.
    
6. Run Recovery Console, and allow the system to repair any errors that it detects.
   
   For more information about Recovery Console, see Back Up and Recover Your Information, or go to Help and Support Center.

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