Stop Messages

Windows 2000 generates Stop messages when it detects an error condition from which it cannot recover. These messages must be interpreted and appropriate action taken to resolve the problems.

Stop messages are used to identify and debug hardware and software problems that occur while loading or running Windows 2000. When a mission-critical operating system fails, it is preferable to generate an obvious error message, such as a Stop message, rather than to fail in an invisible manner and possibly corrupt data. The Stop error consists of a blue screen, the actual Stop message, the text translation, the addresses of the violating call, and the drivers loaded at the time of the Stop error. The Stop message provides information to help in locating and identifying problem areas. Stop messages indicate where the error has occurred at both the address and driver levels.

The Stop message identifies the type of exception, and the exception indicates where the problem occurred; that is, whether it involved user-mode operating system software or kernel-mode (involving operating system, third-party drivers, or hardware) operations. The third and fourth lines describe which components were immediately involved and at what addresses.

The Stop messages that appear when the system fails are documented in the Error and Event Messages Help. For information about accessing information about Stop messages, see "Troubleshooting Stop Messages" later in this chapter. For more information about troubleshooting Stop messages see "Windows 2000 Stop Messages" in this book.