[Rubicon Scarlet]

Graphics Card: 64MB DDR NVidia GeForce4

When I play everything is fine. Occasionally (has happend 5 or 6 itmes since Oct.29th) the screen will go completely blue and will say in all caps: PHYSICAL DUMP COMPLETE and some other things.

Some have told me its a temperatur issue but it has happened 10 min. after starting the PC and 12 hrs. after playing nonstop so I don't think it's the deal.

Anyone else have this BSOD and overcome it?

[AKosygin]

Bad video driver can be a cause. Also, faulty hardware is another. Also, a common one is that there is a program interfering with Windows' Hardware Abstraction Layer.... presuming you are running Windows NT, Windows 2000, or Windows XP.

On the otherhand, if you are running Windows 95, 98, or ME, then it is the Operating System, please upgrade to Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional.

XP Home Edition is a piece of ****! I can't even do simple diagnostics to find out a problem to fix it. I have to get a Pro machine to intervene.

[Rubicon Scarlet]

Hmm. I really don't understand much of that other stuff you said but I'm running XP Home. I DO have a Pro CD here I "found" and can use. Should I upgrade? Don't wanna fool with too much on here and I haven't gotten the error in a few days but you never know. Thanks for the info.

[AKosygin]

Ah. The Blue Screen of Death is the result of a failure causing the Hardware Abstraction Layer from protecting the system processes.

Basically, the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), is the interface between your software to your OS, to the HAL, then to the hardware. If an application tries to directly access the hardware without going through the HAL, the HAL will try to stop it. If it fails, then it gives you a BSOD. Usually, applications gets killed if it tries to violate the rules to go through HAL, but drivers tend to cause that too.

Also, sometimes the Windows Remote Desktop and Windows Remote Assistant interferes with the video card driver. Do not know why, but I had something similar on my machine and my BSOD went away for good after I got rid of it. Apparently it is a bad interface with the video driver or something. The point is that you might want to turn that Remote Desktop/Remote Assistant OFF.

Upgrading to Professional is never a bad thing, it is a step up, you can't get worst than Home Edition... well, maybe Windows ME.

[chuchan]

there could be a number of issues, its kinda of a trial and error. I would first do a Memory Test. You can download the this free tester at http://www.memtest86.com/. Its works well, I've used this on hundreds of servers here in the datacenter I work at.

You also test your hardware with prime95. you can get that at http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm. this will torture test your hardware...mostly just the ram and cpu. this will also cause your system to run at max..so it gonna get hot. so if your system overheats, you can use this to double test.

Also you run a "chkdsk". Do this with a recovery console, which is available when you boot w/ a winxp Cd. just choose the repair option instead of install.

If all your hardware tests out ok, then check for software. drivers and stuff.

I do not believe the remote desktop will interfere with your video drivers. whether or not the video drivers are there, the remote desktop will display the same. Since you are running home edition, you won't even have this option. Only pro edition has the remote desktop (also known as Terminal Services)

if you do not need it home edition is sufficient for now, but if you ever need to reload the OS then pro edition won't hurt. home and pro are based on the same platform.

good luck, hope this helps.

[sparxx]

I have the same problem... Somebody told me it can also be because of too little RAM? Im running XP pro and I have 512mb RAM and it still does this damn thing sometimes.. altough I have discovered that different drivers for the video card seem to help.
So what is the exact fix for this?