Windows 2000 Stop Messages

This message, also known as Stop 0x2E, typically indicates that a parity error in system memory has been detected. This error is almost always caused by a hardware problem—a configuration issue, defective hardware, or incompatible hardware. The exception is when a device driver has accessed an address in the 0x8xxxxxxx range that does not exist (that is, does not have a physical address mapping).

Interpreting the Message

The four parameters listed in the message are defined in order of appearance as follows:

  1. Virtual address that caused the fault

  2. Physical address that caused the fault

  3. Processor status register (PSR)

  4. Faulting instruction register (FIR)

Resolving the Problem

Hardware problem. The most common cause of this error is a hardware problem, usually related to defective RAM, Level 2 (L2) RAM cache, or video RAM.

Stop 0x2E usually occurs after the installation of faulty hardware or when existing hardware fails. If hardware has recently been added to the system, remove it to see if the error recurs. If existing hardware has failed, remove or replace the faulty component. You need to run hardware diagnostics supplied by the system manufacturer to determine which hardware component has failed. For details on these procedures, see the owners manual for your computer. Check that all the adapter cards in the computer, including memory modules, are properly seated. Use an ink eraser or an electrical contact treatment, available at electronics supply stores, to ensure adapter card contacts are clean. Be sure to wipe the cleaned contacts off, removing all cleaning debris, before reinstalling the adapter card into the computer. If compressed air is available, use it to clear out the adapter card slot.

If the problem occurs on a newly installed system, check the availability of updates for BIOS revisions on the motherboard, SCSI controllers, or network cards. Updates of this kind are typically available on the Web site or BBS of the hardware manufacturer.

If the error occurs after installing a new or updated device driver, the driver needs to be removed or replaced. If, under this circumstance, the error occurs during startup, restart the computer using Safe Mode to rename or delete the file. If the driver is used as part of the system startup process in Safe Mode, you need to start the computer using the Recovery Console in order to access the file. For more information about Safe Mode and the Recovery Console, see Troubleshooting Tools and Strategies in this book.

For additional error messages that might help pinpoint the device or driver that is causing the error, check the System Log in Event Viewer. Disabling memory caching of the BIOS might also resolve this error. In addition, check the system for viruses, using any up-to-date, commercial virus scanning software that examines the Master Boot Record of the hard disk. All Windows 2000 file systems can be infected by viruses.

Disk corruption. This error can also be a result of hard disk corruption. Run Chkdsk /f /r on the system partition. You must restart the system before the disk scan begins. If you cannot start the system due to the error, use the Recovery Console and run Chkdsk /r . For more information about the Recovery Console, see Troubleshooting Tools and Strategies in this book.

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Warning

If your system partition is formatted with the FAT16 file system, the long file names used by Windows 2000 can be damaged if Scandisk or another MS-DOS-based hard disk tool is used to verify the integrity of your hard disk from an MS-DOS prompt. (An MS-DOS prompt is typically derived from an MS-DOS startup disk or from starting MS-DOS on a multiboot system.) Always use the Windows 2000 version of Chkdsk on Windows 2000 disks.

Microsoft periodically releases a package of product improvements and problem resolutions for Windows 2000 called a Service Pack. Because many problems are resolved by installing the latest Service Pack, it is recommended that all users install them as they become available. To check which Service Pack, if any, is installed on your system, click Start , click Run , type winver, and then press ENTER. The About Windows 2000 dialog box displays the Windows version number and the version number of the Service Pack, if one has been installed.

Occasionally, remedies to specific problems are developed after the release of a Service Pack. These remedies are called hotfixes. Microsoft does not recommend that you install a post–Service Pack hotfix unless the specific problem it addresses has been encountered. Service Packs include all of the hotfixes released since the release of the previous Service Pack. The status of hotfix installations is not indicated in the About Windows 2000 dialog box. For more information about Service Packs and hotfixes, see Additional Resources at the end of this chapter.

Finally, if all the above suggestions fail to resolve the error, take the system motherboard to a repair facility for diagnostic testing. A crack, a scratched trace, or a defective component on the motherboard can also cause this error.

For more troubleshooting information about the 0x2E Stop message, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base link, using the keywords winnt and 0x0000002E . For information about this resource, see Additional Resources at the end of this chapter.