Re-boot problem with ntoskrnl.exe (Dump included)

I have just re-installed Win2K for the 2nd time in as many weeks but I am still getting reboots with an error on NTOSKRNL.EXE. My system had ben fine since i got it about 6 months ago but now regularly has this problem, even after reinstalling Windows.

I would greatly appreciate any help. My dump is below.

 

The problem lies with vsdatant.sys, which is a ZoneAlarm driver file.

You may be able to fix the problem with an upgrade of zonealarm, or remove zonealarm and use a different firewall app..

 

Thanks. I think I'll have to re-install windows yet again as i can't even boot up now, getting an ntoskrnl.exe error when i try. I'll then see if not using zonealarm helps.

Thanks again.

 

I have just reinstalled Win2k using Kerio firewall instead of ZoneAlarm! and had the same crash. It happened as I opened a video file using VLC. When Windows tried to reboot it failed after detecting IDE devices giving an ntoskrnl.exe error. I tried to boot again with the Win2K CD in the drive and it booted fine. I had a look at the dump and it mentions memory and driver errors but this is a new stick of Ram which has been working fine. (in fact i bought it as I thought all the errors I was getting were from my original stick, a 512 MB PC3200 Corsair ValueSelect stick)
Here is the dump:

Hope you can shed further light on this as it beginning to get frustrating.

Thanks

gavd

 

OK, this has happened another 6 times since last night. The first few times it would boot back into windows fine, then it would stop and say ntoskrnl.exe was corrupt but would boot if the win2k disk was in the drive.
Finally, it wouldn't boot at all. I went in to recovery console and typed fixmbr and it worked well for a few hours before repeating the same pattern.
I'm in work now so can't post any dumps but any help here would be brilliant as the computer is rapidly becoming unusable.

Thanks in advance


gavd

 

Download memtest86 and test your memory also run chkdsk /r to make sure your disk is in ok condition. Sounds like corruption somewhere to me because its failing at different points. If possible boot the system up with all your hardware unplugged, and also make sure all your drivers are up to date. Those are good places to start when you encounter any type of recurring errors.

 

nt!MiRemovePageByColor

This is indicitive of memory corruption. Sometimes caused by software, but in my experience is usually the result of bad components in the RAM subsystem.

 

Thanks for the help. I can only intermittently boot into windows now. I have run the Microsoft ram checker and it gave no problems. I will try chkdsk /r when i get home. If it is RAM then it will be two bad sticks i have had, or perhaps they just aren't compatible. I'll get some proper branded ram and see.

All the drivers are up to date as It happens on clean installs where I have downloaded all the latest drivers. I have tried disconnecting all unnecessary hardware but all I can do is unplug my DVD-ROM drive and floppy as I don't have on board video. So there is just the HDD, Video card and CPU. It still fails.
I'll take on board your advice and see what happens

Thanks again

gavd

 

Also a quick thing to try would be underclock your memory. In some instances when you leave memory settings to auto, especially with cheaper/generic RAM, it just doesnt handle it that well.

 

Brilliant!

I underclocked my memory to DDR333 and now it works flawlessly (so far at least). Its gone from not booting at all to booting all the time.

Thank you very much.

gavd