Archive for December, 2009
Vista – Windows 7 error message
Dec 23rd
Windows Error Codes and How to Fix them
Below is a list of the most common error codes that you an face while using Windows and its basic components. Some solutions have been provided for you to try to solve them. You should also note that some require the assistance of a computer technician and you should NOT try to fix them yourself as they could seriously damage your computer system.
• Error #0
Error Message: Connection Successful!
Solution: Does not require any repairs.
• Error #2
Error Message: System cannot find specified file
Solution: You should reinstall NCP & DUN
• Error #5
Error Message: Access Denied
Solution:
1. Ensure that you have entered the right username and password in the field labeled “domain†for NT/2k.
2. Check that the option “accept any authentication including clear text†is activated.
• Error #5
Error Message: Invalid Procedure Call
Solution: Dialup and Network components must be installed again
• Error #6
Error Message: Stack Overflow
Solution:
1. Try cold booting your computer.
2. If this does not work, the problem might come from your RAM or the Swap file.
• Error #20
Error Message: The system cannot find the specified device
Solution:
1. Ensure that the right modem has been selected.
2. If it does not respond, try to reinstall it.
3. You can also try to reinstall NCP/DUN/RAS.
• Error #71
Error Message: No more connections is allowed
Solution:
1. Someone else might have connected under your account.
2. If you have been ghosted on the server, your Internet Service Provider can bump the ghost program off.
• Error #380
Error Message: Invalid Proper Value
Solution:
1. Autodial should be pointed to the correct dialer.
2. Else, set up the dialer again.
• Error #600
Error Message: An operation is pending
Solution:
1. You should first try to reboot your computer.
2. Ensure that no other program is using your modem.
3. Else press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem.
4. Make sure that your computer is Spyware free.
• Error #601
Error Message: The port handle is invalid
Solution:
1. Select the modem’s COM port and under the Diagnosis section, open “More Infoâ€. You should reboot your computer if you are able to get Ati# responses. Hence, remove the erroneous init string or enter ATZ as the init.
2. You can also reinstall your modem
3. Else press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem.
4. Your Dialup Networking should be installed again together with its components
5. Your modem might not be working properly. You should then consult your computer manufacturer.
• Error #602
Error Message: The port is already open
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your computer
2. Ensure that no other program is using the modem
3. Else press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem
4. Try uninstalling the AOL Adapters in the Network Control panel and reboot your computer. Install your Dialup Adapter again.
5. Remove the erroneous init string or enter ATZ as the init.
6. If you have Quicken 2000, deactivate the Quicken Download Manager.
7. You should maybe install your modem again.
8. Make sure that your computer is Spyware free.
• Error #603
Error Message: Caller’s buffer is too small
Solution:
1. Ensure that your port speed is not configured to a low speed
2. In your “Port Settingsâ€, ensure that FIFO is not set to low.
3. Your Dialup Networking should perhaps be installed again together with its components
4. If you are still having problems, contact your computer manufacturer.
• Error #604
Error Message: Wrong information specified.
Solution:
1. Ensure that the are no outages within your area
2. Try to enter the username and password again
3. Set up the dialer again
4. Your Dialup Networking should be installed again together with its components
5. You can also try to reinstall your modem
• Error #605
Error Message: Cannot set port information.
Solution:
1. Ensure that the are no outages within your area
2. Try to enter the username and password again
3. Set up the dialer again
4. Your Dialup Networking should be installed again together with its components
5. You can also try to reinstall your modem
• Error #606
Error Message: The port is not connected.
Solution:
1. Select the modem’s COM port and under the Diagnosis section, open “More Infoâ€. You should reboot your computer if you are able to get Ati# responses. Hence, remove the erroneous init string or enter ATZ as the init.
2. You can also reinstall your modem
3. Else press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem.
4. Your modem might not be working properly. You should then consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists.
• Error #607
Error Message: The event is invalid.
Solution:
1. If this problem arises while dialing up to the internet, verify that the settings of the event log have been correctly set.
2. Try rebooting your system and ensure that the dialer/network settings have been correctly configured
3. Else, install RAS/DUN again.
• Error #608
Error Message: The device does not exist.
Solution:
1. Check that the right modem is set in the dialer
2. Ensure that you are using the right modem drivers by checking the modem diagnostics. If it’s not the case, set up the correct drivers.
3. Remove and install the dialer again
4. Your modem might not be working properly; try to install it again.
5. You should then consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists.
• Error #609
Error Message: The device type does not exist.
Solution:
1. Check that the right modem is selected in the dialer
2. Ensure that you are using the right modem drivers by checking the modem diagnostics. If it’s not the case, set up the correct drivers.
3. Your modem might not be working properly; try to install it again.
4. You should then consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists.
• Error #610
Error Message: The buffer is invalid.
Solution:
1. Ensure that your port speed is set to low in the modem properties.
2. In your “Port Settingsâ€, check that FIFO is not set to low.
3. Remove and install the dialer again.
4. Else, install RAS/DUN again.
5. You should then consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists.
• Error #611
Error Message: The route is not available.
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your computer
2. Ensure that you set the right configurations for the dialer and network settings.
3. Else, install the network components again.
4. If you are using a LAN connection, consult your system administrator.
• Error #612
Error Message: The route is not allocated.
Solution:
1. Reboot your computer
2. Ensure that you set the right configurations for the dialer and network settings.
• Error #613
Error Message: Invalid compression specified.
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your computer
2. Else, add &K3 to the extra settings.
3. If this still does not solve the problem, add &K0.
4. You can also try to reinstall the modem.
• Error #614
Error Message: Out of buffers.
Solution:
1. Ensure that our port speed is not too low.
2. Try to install your modem again.
• Error #615
Error Message: The port was not found.
Solution: Try to install your modem drivers.
• Error #616
Error Message: An asynchronous request is pending.
Solution:
1. Reboot your computer.
2. Try to install your modem drivers again.
• Error #617
Error Message: The port or device is already disconnecting
Solution:
1. Wait until your modem disconnects properly.
2. If this operation is taking too long, reboot your computer.
• Error #618
Error Message: The port is not open.
Solution:
1. Reboot your computer
2. Ensure that no other program is making use of the modem.
• Error #619
Error Message: The port is disconnected.
Solution:
1. Reboot your computer
2. Ensure that no other program is making use of the modem.
• Error #621
Error Message: Cannot open the phone book file.
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again.
• Error #622
Error Message: Cannot load the phone book file.
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again
• Error #623
Error Message: Cannot find the book entry.
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again
• Error #626
Error Message: Cannot load a string
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your system.
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again
• Error #627
Error Message: Cannot find key
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again
• Error #628
Error Message: The port was disconnected
Solution:
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again
2. Try to install your modem drivers again.
• Error #629
Error Message: The port was disconnected by the remote machine.
Solution:
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again
2. Try to enter an alternate Access Number
3. Try to install your modem drivers again.
• Error #630
Error Message: The port was disconnected due to hardware failure.
Solution:
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again
2. Try to reinstall your modem drivers.
3. Try to use an alternate modem.
4. Else, replace your current modem with a new one.
• Error #631
Error Message: The port was disconnected by the user.
Solution:
1. Ensure that the right Access Number is being dialed.
2. Try to reboot your computer.
• Error #632
Error Message: The structure size is incorrect.
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your computer
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again
• Error #633
Error Message: The port is already in use or is not configured for Remote Access dialout.
Solution:
Try to reboot your computer
Else try to reinstall your modem drivers.
• Error #634
Error Message: Cannot register your computer on the remote network
Solution:
Try to check your network settings and modify your computer name.
Install the network control panel again.
• Error #635
Error Message: Unknown Error
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your computer
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again
3. Else try to reinstall your modem drivers.
• Error #636
Error Message: The wrong device is attached to the port
Solution: Check in your settings if you have chosen the right modem.
• Error #637
Error Message: The string could not be converted
Solution:
Try to reboot your computer
Install Blue Frog connection software again
• Error #638
Error Message: The request has timed out.
Solution:
Try to reboot your computer
Install Blue Frog connection software again
• Error #645
Error Message: Internal authentication error.
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your computer
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again
3. Else try to reinstall your modem drivers.
• Error #650
Error Message: The Remote Access server is not responding.
Solution:
Check that your connection and network settings have correctly been configured.
Ensure that the modem has been correctly set up and look for updated drivers.
Set FIFO buffers to a lower speed and ensure that you have unchecked the option “Only connect at this speed’.
• Error #676
Error Message: The line is busy
Solution: Ensure that your Access Number is still active and is correctly dialed.
• Error #678
Error Message: There is no answer.
Solution:
1. First of all check that your phone lines are correctly plugged in.
2. Ensure that the Access Number is correct
3. Else, try another Access number
4. If you are trying to make use of your connection in a bad weather, this might be the source of the problem. Wait until it calms down and try again.
5. Else, install your modem drivers again.
6. If the problem persists, you might need to contact your ISP.
• Error #680
Error Message: There is no dial tone.
Solution:
First of all check that your phone lines are correctly plugged in.
The phone lines might be damaged. Replace them and try again.
Else, install your modem drivers again.
If the problem persists, you might need to contact your ISP or a technician.
• Error #691
Error Message: Access denied because username and/or password is invalid on the domain.
Solution:
1. Ensure that you have entered the right username and password.
2. Make sure that your account is active and turned on.
3. You might also try to enter another Access Number.
4. If the problem persists, you might need to contact your ISP.
• Error #692
Error Message: Hardware failure in port or attached device.
Solution:
Browse for and remove any Blue Frog init strings.
Install Blue Frog connection software again
Else, install your modem drivers again.
• Error #718
Error Message: PPP Timeout
Solution:
1. Try to reboot your computer
2. Ensure that you have entered the right username and password
3. You might try another Access Number
4. Install Blue Frog connection software again
5. Else, install your modem drivers again.
• Error #721
Error Message: Remote PPP peer is not responding.
Solution: For Windows 2000/XP/Vista operating systems, ensure that the security setting for the dialer reads “Allow unsecured Passwordâ€
• Error #734
Error Message: The PPP link control protocol terminated.
Solution: For Windows 2000/XP/Vista operating systems, ensure that the security setting for the dialer reads “Allow unsecured Passwordâ€
• Error #777
Error Message: The connection attempt failed because the modem on the remote computer is out of order.
Solution:
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again
2. Try an alternate modem
3. Install your modem drivers again
4. Else, install a new modem
• Error #778
Error Message: It was not possible to verify the identity of the server.
Solution:
1. Ensure that you are dialing the correct phone number
2. Verify the connection and Network settings
3. ensure that you do not have any outrage on the phone number
4. Ensure that you have correctly installed your modem and check for updated drivers.
5. Set FIFO buffers to a lower speed and ensure that you have unchecked the option “Only connect at this speed’.
• Error #779
Error Message: To dial out using this connection, you must use a smart card.
Solution:
1. Ensure that all auth is allowed in your connection settings in the Security section.
2. Verify that you have correctly set the other dialer settings.
3. Else, create the dialer again.
4. You might need to use the Smart Card Reader as initially setup by the Network Administrator.
• Error #780
Error Message: An attempted function is not valid for this connection.
Solution: Ensure that the dialer, not the one set up for LAN use though, has been properly installed and has the right settings.
• Error #781
Error Message: The encryption attempt failed because no valid certificate was found.
Solution: You have to get a valid certificate by registering to the website http://windows.microsoft.com/…
NOTE: The solution for the following problems is already provided in the error messages. If you are still facing problems with them, either contact your ISP or a technician to fix the problem.
• Error #782
Error Message: Network Address Translation (NAT) is currently installed as a routing protocol, and must be removed before enabling Internet Connection Sharing
• Error #783
Error Message: Internet Connection Sharing cannot be enabled. The LAN connection selected as the private network is either not present, or is disconnected from the network. Please ensure that the LAN adapter is connected before enabling Internet Connection Sharing.
• Error #784
Error Message: You cannot dial using this connection at logon time, because it is configured to use a user name different than the one on the smart card. If you want to use it at logon time, you must configure it to use the user name on the smart card.
• Error #785
Error Message: You cannot dial using this connection at logon time, because it is not configured to use a smart card. If you want to use it at logon time, you must edit the properties of this connection so that it uses a smart card.
• Error #786
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because there is no valid machine certificate on your computer for security authentication.
• Error #787
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security layer could not authenticate the remote computer.
• Error #788
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security layer could not negotiate compatible parameters with the remote computer.
• Error #789
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security layer encountered a processing error during initial negotiations with the remote computer.
• Error #790
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because certificate validation on the remote computer failed.
• Error #791
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because security policy for the connection was not found.
• Error #792
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because security negotiation timed out.
• Error #793
Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because an error occurred while negotiating security.
• Error #794
Error Message: The Framed Protocol RADIUS attribute for this user is not PPP.
• Error #795
Error Message: The Tunnel Type RADIUS attribute for this user is not correct.
• Error #796
Error Message: The Service Type RADIUS attribute for this user is neither Framed nor Callback Framed.
• Error #797
Error Message: A connection to the remote computer could not be established because the modem was not found or was busy.
• Error #798
Error Message: A certificate could not be found that can be used with this Extensible Authentication Protocol.
• Error #799
Error Message: Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) cannot be enabled due to an IP address conflict on the network. ICS requires the host be configured to use 192.168.0.1. Please ensure that no other client on the network is configured to use 192.168.0.1
• Error #800
Error Message: Unable to establish the VPN connection. The VPN server may be un-reachable, or security parameters may not be configured properly for this connection
Solution:
1. Check your ADSL line as it is probably not synched.
2. Verify that your Security Options are correctly set in your connection options.
3. Either your Network Card or your modem might not work properly. Contact a technician if the problem persists.
• Error #995
Error Message: Operation aborted.
• Error #1382
Error Message: Maximum length exceeded.
• Error #1793
Error Message: Account expired.
• Error #2250
Error Message: Network connection does not exist.
Windows XP Error Codes
Dec 23rd
First check out this full list of error messages for Windows XP Professional from SearchEnterpriseDesktop.com:
| Windows XP Events and Errors Database The Windows XP Events and Errors search page provides an easy-to-search, online reference for the error and event messages generated by Windows XP Professional. Find detailed explanations, recommended user actions, and links to additional support and resources. Source: Microsoft.comWebCast: Basic “Blue Screen” Error Troubleshooting Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 325011 – In this session, we will cover the basics of “blue screen” errors, what they mean, and some common methods to troubleshoot the problems. We will provide some background information about blue screen errors, and we will talk about how to interpret the information, as well as how to recover from these errors. How to Troubleshoot a Stop 0xC0000218 Error Troubleshooting a Stop 0×0000000A Error in Windows XP |
Windows XP Generates a “Stop 0xA0″ Error Message During Hibernation
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 320899 – When you try to hibernate a Windows XP-based computer, you may receive a “Stop 0xA0″ error message on a blue screen.
How to Debug a Stop 0xC2 or Stop 0×000000C2 Error
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 314492 – This article explains how to debug Stop C2 errors.
“Stop 0×000000EA” Error Message When You Run Video-Intensive Programs
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 314215 – When you run a video-intensive program, such as a movie or a video game, you may receive one of the following stop error messages and bugcheck information:
“STOP 0×000000ED UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME” Error Message During Windows XP Upgrade
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 297185 – When you first restart your computer during the upgrade to Windows XP or when you start Windows XP, you may receive the following error message:
Stop 0×000000ED Error Message When Volume on IDE Drive with Caching Enabled Is Mounted
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 315403 – When you use volumes that use the NTFS file system on integrated device electronics (IDE) drives with caching enabled, you may receive the following error message during startup:
Stop 0×000000D1 Error Message When You Turn Your Computer Off
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 317326 – When you shut down your computer that has one or more universal serial bus (USB) devices attached to it, you may receive the following error message on a blue screen:
“STOP 0×0000001E” Error Message During Windows Setup
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 314451 – When you run Windows XP Setup, you may receive an error message similar to the following:
HOW TO: Troubleshoot “Stop 0×0000007B” Errors in Windows XP
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 324103 – This step-by-step article describes how to troubleshoot “Stop 0×0000007B” error messages in Windows XP. A “Stop 0×0000007B” error message may appear on a blue screen when you start your computer. The error message includes the following information
General Causes of STOP 0×0000007F Errors
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 314102 – This article discusses the possible causes and the meaning of the following Stop message, which you may receive while you are running Windows XP.
“STOP: C0000221 Unknown Hard Error” or “STOP: C0000221 STATUS_IMAGE_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH” Error Message Occurs
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 314474 – You may receive any of the following STOP error messages:
A Stop: 0xc000026C or Stop: 0xc0000221 “Unable to Load Device Driver” Error Occurs When You Start Windows XP
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 315241 – When you start Windows XP, you may receive one of the following errors:
Troubleshooting a Stop 0×9F Error in Windows XP
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 315249 – You may receive the following error:
Windows XP Generates a “Stop 0xA0″ Error Message During Hibernation
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 320899 – When you try to hibernate a Windows XP-based computer, you may receive a “Stop 0xA0″ error message on a blue screen.
You Receive a Stop 0×0000007B Error After You Move the Windows XP System Disk to Another Computer
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 314082 – After you move the system (boot) disk to a backup computer, you may receive the following Stop error when you try to start the Windows-based backup computer:
You Receive a Stop 0×0000007B Error After You Move the Windows System Disk to Another Computer
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: 314082 – After you move the system (boot) disk to a backup computer, you may receive the following Stop error when you try to start the Windows-based backup computer:
Computer Error Codes – What Is Your PC Trying To Tell You?
Dec 23rd
PC error codes can be some of the most confusing pieces of information you regularly encounter in your daily life. The computer gibberish seems nonsensical and even hieroglyphics appear easier to understand. Most error codes are not dangerous, but they can be warning you of an eminent failure of either your PCs hardware or software. Most operating systems are not very forthcoming when it comes to divulging information about the internal workings of their operating system. Most PC error codes fall into one of three main categories, which include:
- Hardware related Error Warnings and Codes – This is probably the most serious category of errors that your computer can have. It does not matter how virus free or cleaned of malware your PC is, you can lose everything if it has a fatal hardware failure. If you believe that your computer is having an eminent hardware failure, your should back up all your important data immediately. You may see evidence of these types of errors when your PC gets the dreaded Blue Screen of Death.
- Operating System related Error Warnings and Codes – These types of error codes may indicate serious problems with your computers operating system. This could include problems with the registry, which holds vital information about your computer’s hardware, installed programs and settings. Sometimes an System File can be deleted or corrupted. A good registry scanner can usually solve most of these problems.
- Specific Program related Error Warnings and Codes – These types of messages usually only occur when you try to use a specific program, and can indicate an incompatibility or corrupt file. Many times reinstalling the program, or downloading updates, will stop these error messages from preventing use of the offending program.
You should never just ignore any error codes your PC displays for you, even if they seem difficult to diagnose and understand. It is always a good idea to keep ahead of any PC error codes, so you do not end up with the heartache of losing your precious personal data.
The best way to make sure your PC won’t self destruct and erase all of your precious photos, emails and financial documents, is to regularly scan it for potential problems. Here is a highly recommended and absolutely Free Registry Cleaner Download [http://www.reprobed.com] (new 2008 version), to help you make sure your PC won’t go down in flames.
Computer POST / beep codes
Dec 23rd
| POST ABCs
The computer POST (Power On Self Test) tests the computer, insuring that it meets the necessary system requirements and that all hardware is working properly before starting the remainder of the boot process. If the computer passes the POST the computer will have a single beep (with some computer BIOS manufacturers it may beep twice) as the computer starts and the computer will continue to start normally. However, if the computer fails the POST, the computer will either not beep at all or will generate a beep code, which tells the user the source of the problem. Each time the computer boots up the computer must past the POST. Below is the common steps a POST performs each time your computer starts.
If the computer does not pass any of the above tests, your computer will receive an irregular POST. An irregular POST is a beep code that is different from the standard one or two beeps. This could be either no beeps at all or a combination of different beeps indicating what is causing the computer not to past the POST. If you’re receiving an irregular POST document CH000607 contains all the steps a user can do to resolve the issue or help determine what hardware has failed in the computer so it can be replaced. If you’re getting a beep code the remainder of this page contains a listing of each of the major manufacturers beep codes and what they each mean. |
|
Below are the AMI BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.
| Beep Code | Descriptions | Document |
| 1 short | DRAM refresh failure | CH000996 |
| 2 short | Parity circuit failure | CH000607 |
| 3 short | Base 64K RAM failure | CH000996 |
| 4 short | System timer failure | CH000607 |
| 5 short | Process failure | CH000607 |
| 6 short | Keyboard controller Gate A20 error | CH000383 |
| 7 short | Virtual mode exception error | CH000607 |
| 8 short | Display memory Read/Write test failure | CH000607 |
| 9 short | ROM BIOS checksum failure | CH000607 |
| 10 short | CMOS shutdown Read/Write error | CH000239 |
| 11 short | Cache Memory error | CH000607 |
| 1 long, 3 short | Conventional/Extended memory failure | CH000996 |
| 1 long, 8 short | Display/Retrace test failed | CH000607 |
Below are Award BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.
| Beep Code | Description | Document |
| 1 long, 2 short | Indicates a video error has occurred and the BIOS cannot initialize the video screen to display any additional information | CH000607 |
| Any other beep(s) | RAM problem. | CH000996 |
If any other correctable hardware issues, the BIOS will display a message.
Below are IBM BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of models shipping with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.
| Beep Code | Description | Document |
| No Beeps | No Power, Loose Card, or Short. | CH000312 |
| 1 Short Beep | Normal POST, computer is ok. | No problem |
| 2 Short Beep | POST error, review screen for error code. | See screen |
| Continuous Beep | No Power, Loose Card, or Short. | CH000607 |
| Repeating Short Beep | No Power, Loose Card, or Short. | CH000607 |
| One Long and one Short Beep | Motherboard issue. | CH000607 |
| One Long and Two Short Beeps | Video (Mono/CGA Display Circuitry) issue. | CH000607 |
| One Long and Three Short Beeps. | Video (EGA) Display Circuitry. | CH000607 |
| Three Long Beeps | Keyboard / Keyboard card error. | CH000304 |
| One Beep, Blank or Incorrect Display | Video Display Circuitry. | CH000607 |
| Tones | Error |
| Error Tone. (two sets of different tones) | Problem with logic board or SCSI bus. |
| Startup tone, drive spins, no video | Problem with video controller. |
| Powers on, no tone. | Logic board problem. |
| High Tone, four higher tones. | Problem with SIMM. |
Below are the beep codes for PHOENIX BIOS Q3.07 OR 4.X
| Beep Code | Description / What to Check |
| 1-1-1-3 | Verify Real Mode. |
| 1-1-2-1 | Get CPU type. |
| 1-1-2-3 | Initialize system hardware. |
| 1-1-3-1 | Initialize chipset registers with initial POST values. |
| 1-1-3-2 | Set in POST flag. |
| 1-1-3-3 | Initialize CPU registers. |
| 1-1-4-1 | Initialize cache to initial POST values. |
| 1-1-4-3 | Initialize I/O. |
| 1-2-1-1 | Initialize Power Management. |
| 1-2-1-2 | Load alternate registers with initial POST values. |
| 1-2-1-3 | Jump to UserPatch0. |
| 1-2-2-1 | Initialize keyboard controller. |
| 1-2-2-3 | BIOS ROM checksum. |
| 1-2-3-1 | 8254 timer initialization. |
| 1-2-3-3 | 8237 DMA controller initialization. |
| 1-2-4-1 | Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller. |
| 1-3-1-1 | Test DRAM refresh. |
| 1-3-1-3 | Test 8742 Keyboard Controller. |
| 1-3-2-1 | Set ES segment to register to 4 GB. |
| 1-3-3-1 | 28 Autosize DRAM. |
| 1-3-3-3 | Clear 512K base RAM. |
| 1-3-4-1 | Test 512 base address lines. |
| 1-3-4-3 | Test 512K base memory. |
| 1-4-1-3 | Test CPU bus-clock frequency. |
| 1-4-2-4 | Reinitialize the chipset. |
| 1-4-3-1 | Shadow system BIOS ROM. |
| 1-4-3-2 | Reinitialize the cache. |
| 1-4-3-3 | Autosize cache. |
| 1-4-4-1 | Configure advanced chipset registers. |
| 1-4-4-2 | Load alternate registers with CMOS values. |
| 2-1-1-1 | Set Initial CPU speed. |
| 2-1-1-3 | Initialize interrupt vectors. |
| 2-1-2-1 | Initialize BIOS interrupts. |
| 2-1-2-3 | Check ROM copyright notice. |
| 2-1-2-4 | Initialize manager for PCI Options ROMs. |
| 2-1-3-1 | Check video configuration against CMOS. |
| 2-1-3-2 | Initialize PCI bus and devices. |
| 2-1-3-3 | Initialize all video adapters in system. |
| 2-1-4-1 | Shadow video BIOS ROM. |
| 2-1-4-3 | Display copyright notice. |
| 2-2-1-1 | Display CPU type and speed. |
| 2-2-1-3 | Test keyboard. |
| 2-2-2-1 | Set key click if enabled. |
| 2-2-2-3 | 56 Enable keyboard. |
| 2-2-3-1 | Test for unexpected interrupts. |
| 2-2-3-3 | Display prompt Press F2 to enter SETUP. |
| 2-2-4-1 | Test RAM between 512 and 640k. |
| 2-3-1-1 | Test expanded memory. |
| 2-3-1-3 | Test extended memory address lines. |
| 2-3-2-1 | Jump to UserPatch1. |
| 2-3-2-3 | Configure advanced cache registers. |
| 2-3-3-1 | Enable external and CPU caches. |
| 2-3-3-3 | Display external cache size. |
| 2-3-4-1 | Display shadow message. |
| 2-3-4-3 | Display non-disposable segments. |
| 2-4-1-1 | Display error messages. |
| 2-4-1-3 | Check for configuration errors. |
| 2-4-2-1 | Test real-time clock. |
| 2-4-2-3 | Check for keyboard errors |
| 2-4-4-1 | Set up hardware interrupts vectors. |
| 2-4-4-3 | Test coprocessor if present. |
| 3-1-1-1 | Disable onboard I/O ports. |
| 3-1-1-3 | Detect and install external RS232 ports. |
| 3-1-2-1 | Detect and install external parallel ports. |
| 3-1-2-3 | Re-initialize onboard I/O ports. |
| 3-1-3-1 | Initialize BIOS Data Area. |
| 3-1-3-3 | Initialize Extended BIOS Data Area. |
| 3-1-4-1 | Initialize floppy controller. |
| 3-2-1-1 | Initialize hard-disk controller. |
| 3-2-1-2 | Initialize local-bus hard-disk controller. |
| 3-2-1-3 | Jump to UserPatch2. |
| 3-2-2-1 | Disable A20 address line. |
| 3-2-2-3 | Clear huge ES segment register. |
| 3-2-3-1 | Search for option ROMs. |
| 3-2-3-3 | Shadow option ROMs. |
| 3-2-4-1 | Set up Power Management. |
| 3-2-4-3 | Enable hardware interrupts. |
| 3-3-1-1 | Set time of day. |
| 3-3-1-3 | Check key lock. |
| 3-3-3-1 | Erase F2 prompt. |
| 3-3-3-3 | Scan for F2 key stroke. |
| 3-3-4-1 | Enter SETUP. |
| 3-3-4-3 | Clear in-POST flag. |
| 3-4-1-1 | Check for errors |
| 3-4-1-3 | POST done–prepare to boot operating system. |
| 3-4-2-1 | One beep. |
| 3-4-2-3 | Check password (optional). |
| 3-4-3-1 | Clear global descriptor table. |
| 3-4-4-1 | Clear parity checkers. |
| 3-4-4-3 | Clear screen (optional). |
| 3-4-4-4 | Check virus and backup reminders. |
| 4-1-1-1 | Try to boot with INT 19. |
| 4-2-1-1 | Interrupt handler error. |
| 4-2-1-3 | Unknown interrupt error. |
| 4-2-2-1 | Pending interrupt error. |
| 4-2-2-3 | Initialize option ROM error. |
| 4-2-3-1 | Shutdown error. |
| 4-2-3-3 | Extended Block Move. |
| 4-2-4-1 | Shutdown 10 error. |
| 4-3-1-3 | Initialize the chipset. |
| 4-3-1-4 | Initialize refresh counter. |
| 4-3-2-1 | Check for Forced Flash. |
| 4-3-2-2 | Check HW status of ROM. |
| 4-3-2-3 | BIOS ROM is OK. |
| 4-3-2-4 | Do a complete RAM test. |
| 4-3-3-1 | Do OEM initialization. |
| 4-3-3-2 | Initialize interrupt controller. |
| 4-3-3-3 | Read in bootstrap code. |
| 4-3-3-4 | Initialize all vectors. |
| 4-3-4-1 | Boot the Flash program. |
| 4-3-4-2 | Initialize the boot device. |
| 4-3-4-3 | Boot code was read OK. |
The Thirteen Greatest Error Messages of All Time
Dec 15th
“To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer.” So goes an old quip attributed to Paul Ehrlich. He was right. One of the defining things about computers is that they–or, more specifically, the people who program them–get so many things so very wrong. Hence the need for error messages, which have been around nearly as long as computers themselves..
In theory, error messages should be painful at worst and boring at best. They tend to be cryptic; they rarely offer an apology even when one is due; they like to provide useless information like hexadecimal numbers and to withhold facts that would be useful, like plain-English explanations of how to right want went wrong. In multiple ways, most of them represent technology at its most irritating.
In fact, people have an emotional attachment to many of them–like Proust’s Madeleine, an error message from a machine out of your past can transport you back in time. That’s a big part of why people form clubs to celebrate them, have them tattooed on their person, chronicle them for Wikipedia, and name albums after them. An entire company, the wonderfully-named Errorwear, exists to emblazon the images of such classic errors as the Blue Screen of Death (in four variations!), Guru Meditation, Red Ring of Death, and Sad Mac on T-shirts.
And then there’s this article–my stab at rounding up the major error messages of the past thirty years or so. I ranked them on a variety of factors, including how many people they bedeviled over the years, their aesthetic appeal or lack thereof, and the likelihood that they were notifying you of a genuine computing disaster. Your rankings probably differ from mine, which is why this story ends with a poll on the last page.
Ready? Let’s work through the list, starting with number thirteen and working our way up to the greatest error message of ‘em all.
13. Abort, Retry, Fail? (MS-DOS)
In many ways, it remains an error message to judge other error messages by. It’s terse. (Three words.) It’s confusing. (What’s the difference between Abort and Fail?) It could indicate either a minor glitch (you forgot to put a floppy disk in the drive) or catastrophe (your hard drive had died). And by forcing you to choose between three options, none of which is likely to help, it throws the problem back in your face.
It’s Abort, Retry, Fail?–known in earlier incarnations of MS-DOS by the equally uninformative name Abort, Retry, Ignore?. ARF was probably the first error message to become part of the cultural zeitgeist, as witness its use as the title of a long-running PC Magazine column and a 1996 album by UK technopop act White Town. In this post-floppy era, few of us encounter it. But just thinking about the phrase is enough to send me back to the days when I frequently sat at a computer displaying that message, randomly hitting the A, R, and F keys in hopes that something helpful would happen.
12. Guru Meditation (Commodore Amiga)
The Amiga was a famously advanced multimedia computer, considering that it was designed back in the primitive mid-1980s. But its most alarming error message was decidedly minimalist: red text on a black background, dressed up only by a flashing red border. Like many errors, it included some hexadecimal numbers that were meaningless to 99.9999999999999% of folks who encountered them. But it preceded them with the phrase “Guru Meditation.” When I owned an Amiga, I was never sure what that meant; the reference to a state of zen never did a thing to lower my blood pressure. Turns out that it was a self-indulgent reference to a game the Amiga designers used to play with their first product, the Joyboard–an Atari VCS joystick that you stood on. Har, har.
Like Windows’ later Blue Screen of Death, the Guru Meditation had a habit of showing up in the darndest places, thanks to the wide use of Amigas in the broadcasting industry and for other audio/visual tasks. Once I turned on my TV and saw a Guru Meditation onscreen, and reached to reboot my Amiga–until I realized that it wasn’t even the same room. My cable company’s channel guide, it turned out, had crashed.
11. The Red Screen of Death (Windows)
Microsoft’s infamous Screens of Death come in multiple colors? Who knew? According to Wikipedia, some beta versions of Longhorn–the operating system that became Windows Vista–crashed with a full-screen error message that was red rather than the more familiar blue. Wikipedia seems to say that the final version of Vista can die with a red color scheme when the boot loader has problems, too. I’m relieved to say I’ve never encountered that, as far as I can remember.
I do like the idea of an exclusive SoD in a designer color, though. Maybe Microsoft should team with the (Product) Red folks and revive the RSoD as a charitable effort? If I knew that fifty cents went to a worthy cause every time my PC croaked, I’d be at least slightly less apoplectic.
