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Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows Vista and 7 => Topic started by: CheeseSlicer on April 10, 2012, 01:32:15 AM

Title: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: CheeseSlicer on April 10, 2012, 01:32:15 AM
Hey guys ,

I started to receive Blue Screen errors for 3 days already , at a rate of at least 1 per day. At the first two I didn't pay much attention , but after the third one I started to freak out .

The last error I received is the following (slightly different numbers than the first two):

Stop: c000021a {fatal system error}
The initial session process or system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0×00000000 (0xC0000001x001007D0) The system has been shut down.


After the error occurs I'm able to use the PC even for a whole day with absolutely no problems .

How can I check if it's a hardware or a software program ?

Help please ?


P.S.
OS - Windows Vista x64
PC - HP Pavilion
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: Geek-9pm on April 10, 2012, 06:02:50 AM
Welcome!
Computer Hope is the number one location for free computer help.
The forum will help everyone with all computer questions.

Your PC is :
Quote
PC : HP Pavilion Elite m9370.it
OS : Windows Vista x64
Graphics driver : ATI RADEON HD 4600
CPU : Intel Quad Core 9300
RAM : 4 GB
HDD : 500GB
So you had this for about five years with no major issues?
Please confirm or clarify this.

And the error has just started? But you have used it all day and the error did not return.
Well, I  really can't even guess.  I get errors about once a week on my old clunker and I just ignore them. But that is not a recommendation.

Wait, there are others here who can help. Really.
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: Allan on April 10, 2012, 06:12:45 AM
Download BlueScreenView:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html
unzip downloaded file and double click on BlueScreenView.exe to run the program.
when scanning is done, go to EDIT - Select All
Go to FILE - SAVE Selected Items, and save the report as BSOD.txt
Open BSOD.txt in Notepad, copy all of the content, and paste it into your next reply
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: CheeseSlicer on April 10, 2012, 10:06:16 AM
@Geek-9PM
Yes , that is my PC . The only thing I changed in 5 years is the videocard , and that was about 1.5 years ago. And had no problems in 5 years of heavy use :P
And, yes , the error has started 3 days ago , and immediately after the BSoD I can restart the PC and seems to be working fine . I was also thinking of ignoring them or hoping it will disappear if I uninstall programs installed recently , but after the 3rd BSoD ,I decided to try and see what's going on :)


@ Allan ,
thanks for answering . I downloaded the program , but my system wasn't configured to create minidump files on a BSoD , so I had none available for scanning . I'm sure that soon I'll get a new BSoD and as soon as that happens , I'll write the report in here .
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: CheeseSlicer on April 12, 2012, 01:30:06 AM
Guys , look what happened today ...

This morning I turn on my PC ... everything was fine , browsed the internet for about 20 minutes , then out of the blue the screen slowly goes black and the PC turned itself down ... just like before. I turn it back again , waiting for the usual BSoD , but after about 10 seconds , it turned itself off again . Same thing at the 3rd try. At that point , tried to press F8 , and maybe start it in Safe Mode. I managed to start it in Safe Mode , and went immediately to the program BlueScrenViewer and see if the crash was scanned . It was not .... and then immediately after ... my screen gets filled with these wierd-looking blue & yelllow vertical stripes. I turn it off , unplug the vga cable from the videocard and re-plug it back in. And after doing that , when I started my PC , everything was working fine . Forgot to mention some minor smell of burned , a smell not too strong , and which I used to have before too and ignored it thinking it was just dust getting burned, considering that everything was working fine .

Now , I have no dump file to be scanned by BlueScreenViewer , even if I configured Windows to save them. Could that be because the blue screen itself didn't manage to show up due to all the crashes ?

Is it safe to say it's a videocard problem ? I have doubts about that , because if it's only the videocard , in Safe Mode the colored stripes should not be present , am I right? And if a videocard is burnt , how is it possible for the Windows to work with no problems and even play games ?

It's all pretty confusing to me ... :(
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: Geek-9pm on April 12, 2012, 01:14:25 PM
Open the computer and look for dust bunnies. Remove them.
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: CheeseSlicer on April 13, 2012, 01:26:37 AM
I already did clean the pc and the fan on the videocard about a week ago. I'll do another one today just to be sure no bunnies run around :)
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: Geek-9pm on April 13, 2012, 02:08:42 AM
Forgot to mention. Check the RAM sticks. With power off, of course. Exercise the contacts by insertion and removal a number of times. This breaks the thin film of oxide that builds up. Do not use abrasives. Do not  use cotton swaps.

Solvents are not needed, but if you want you can gently wipe the gold flash with a soft cloth dipped in alcohol. Make sure it is dry before you turn power back on if you use alcohol. You could use Trichloroethylene, but it is very toxic, so I think it best to avoid it .

Just putting in in and out of the connector should be enough. Worth a try. Better that getting a new card and finding it was not the problem. I am saying this because of the age of your computer. Most electronic devices with lots of gold flash need to be cleaned after a few years of service. But a PC less than a year old should not have this issue. In the industry volatile solvents are used, but are too dangerous for home and office use.

If that does not help, start looking at the video card. But I don't think it is the card, judging by your descriptions of what happened.
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: CheeseSlicer on April 14, 2012, 04:26:27 AM
@ Geek-9PM ,
i checked all my four RAM sticks , and they seemed fine , actually were looking so clean it gave the impression I just bought them . Didn't notice any film of oxide either.


@Allan,
I finally have the BSoD scan available . Before posting it , I'll tell you how did this specific BSoD showed up . This afternoon after turning on my PC , saw a notification from AMD Catalyst that it has a new update available . Considering that the program is important for my PC including Display Drivers and everything , decided to accept the update . While it was installing , when it arrived at installing the Display Drivers , the PC turned itself off immediately after those usual Display flickering , common when installing a Display Driver. Then I restarted it , got the Blue Screen. Restarted it again , Windows booted fine ... decided to try to install again those drivers since it stopped half way through the previous time . And , guess what ... the same self turning off when it arrived to install the Display Drivers and the flickerings started to appear.

Here is the BlueScreenView scan :

==================================================
Dump File         : Mini041412-01.dmp
Crash Time        : 14/04/2012 11.21.10
Bug Check String  :
Bug Check Code    : 0x0000010d
Parameter 1       : 00000000`00000005
Parameter 2       : 00000000`00000000
Parameter 3       : 00000000`00001028
Parameter 4       : fffffa80`08e4bca0
Caused By Driver  : Wdf01000.sys
Caused By Address : Wdf01000.sys+4eb75
File Description  :
Product Name      :
Company           :
File Version      :
Processor         : x64
Crash Address     : ntoskrnl.exe+5a490
Stack Address 1   :
Stack Address 2   :
Stack Address 3   :
Computer Name     :
Full Path         : C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini041412-01.dmp
Processors Count  : 4
Major Version     : 15
Minor Version     : 6002
Dump File Size    : 283.017
==================================================



Btw , every BSoD I have is always coming after a pretty strong smell of burning coming from the PC . Is it a videocard issue ? If it is , it surely is a wierd one , considering that right now , after all those BSoDs I'm playing games at the PC ....
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: CheeseSlicer on April 21, 2012, 02:42:17 AM
Ok , guys , I think I figured out what is the problem . Decided to take a look at the GPU temperature using a program called Everest . Most of the time the temperature was showing 55°C to 65°C . But whenever the smell of burning starts to appear , the GPU temperature goes as high as 110°C , followed by a BSoD. Now if I'm not wrong 110°C for a GPU is very high , the maximum temp. allowed is around 85°C , am I right ? Is there a way to fix this , or it's time for a new videocard ? And , one more question ... should I avoid using the PC until I buy a new videocard ? Can these BSoDs cause permanent damages to my software/hardware ?

Thanks.

Hopefully this can help others having the same problem as I do.
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: Geek-9pm on April 21, 2012, 11:16:30 AM
Yes, over 100 C is bad news. Either the GPU is bad or the fan is not doing enough RPM. You may have to replace the video card. Fans do wanner out. When they do you either get a new fan or get a new card. At 100 C the fan should be going like a jet engine. Either  FAN, GPU or thermal stuff is gone.
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: CheeseSlicer on April 23, 2012, 02:28:38 AM
I think I found out a solution without having to buy a new videocard :)

It seems that the fan on the videocard is faulty . Sometimes, when the I turn on my PC , it fails to start , and the GPU obviously is running on around 90°C , and when it hits 100°C , the BSoD pops up.

All I have to do is keep restarting the PC until the fan starts normally and the GPU temperature is around 60°C or less. And if I don't turn off the PC , the fan will keep working just fine even for days non-stop on full load.

That said , of course , it will probably stop working sooner or later , so I already started looking for a new one . But , at least no more scary BSoDs hehe
Title: Re: Fatal System Error C000021a
Post by: patio on April 23, 2012, 06:28:34 AM
Just pull the vid card and take it to a big box retailer in your area and match up a replacement...
Things to match are plug design and directional flow...

Needle bearing fans although a bit more will last longer.