Power cut killed my computer

Blue screen doom

[limbo]

A work PC I use to test sites has packed up - had a small powercut and now every time I boot I get the following bludescreen message after the XP 'windows is starting up' phase:

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

BAD_POOL_CALLER

...

*** STOP: 0x000000C2 (...)

Anyone know how to identify this error? The searches I've done are not turning up a decent fix or explanation

[kaled]

Best guess, a corrupted file. Try booting in safe mode.

The simplest fix will probably be a "repair install", but if safe mode works, you can probably perform a logged normal boot, view the boot file from safe mode, and repair the damaged file. However, I have never attempted this.

A serious hardware fault is also a possibility.

Kaled.

[limbo]

Thanks kaled

Tried booting in safe mode - no joy.

A serious hardware fault is also a possibility.

Hope not!

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

BAD_POOL_CALLER yields lots of results in Google. Is there nothing there that can help you?

[limbo]

I've worked through them. Nothing seems to work.

Safe Mode: No joy
Last Known Working Config: No joy
Chkdsk: No joy
Swapping RAM: No Joy

Last resort might be a reinstall... But if I do that all the files (some important ones), that I might be able to retrieve will be gone forever...

[rj87uk]

limbo,

Have you tried putting your HardDrive into a new computer and try and see if you can get to yoru files that way?

[limbo]

Might be worth a shot that.

Cheers.

[kaled]

Recovering files by removal of the hard disk is certainly a viable option (esp if a hardware error is suspected) however, a repair-install is unlikely to overwrite files that are located outside the Windows directory (and one or two in the root directory and maybe some in the Progam files\Internet Explorer directory, etc.)

If ChkDsk ran correctly and found no errors, then a repair-install is probably safe. Whether to try it without first creating a backup is a judgement call that only you can make based on the importance of the data.

Kaled.

[creeking]

download/burn a puppylinux live cd. use it to copy your valuable files onto a usb flash drive.

then try to repair the OS.

I use windows 99% of the time, but I have used puppylinux for file recovery.

[limbo]

Re-installed windows.

All the work was saved on a partition. So was able to retrieve all the important data. Phew!

Wasn't a hardware issue, thankfully.

Going to keep this computer really clean now just browsers.

Ta, Liam

[creeking]

time to make a data backup

[rj87uk]

time to make a data backup

Nope, that was before the error!

[rocknbil]

No, what it's time for is a UPS! :-)

We live in a rural area, and at any time someone decides to flip a switch, they just . . . do, and on a regular basis. We get the same momentary on/off flash, just for a millisecond. Previously it was enough to reboot the comps and whatnot . . .

I'm the kind of person if my HD crashed today, I'd rant and rave only about the time I'd lose reinstalling all that stuff, but a fatal hardware failure outside of a hard drive would just kill me.

We have a 7 amp UPS and it runs two computers and 4 monitors (2+2 CRT/LCD) with about 30 minutes of life should the power go out completely, which it has. Enough time to shut down and get out the candles.

Got ours for $129 4 years ago and have replaced the battery twice, they are the best investment you can make.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Fortunately here in the UK we have one of the best electrical grid systems in the world. We seldom get any power problems. I cannot remember when I last had one.

[Green_Grass]

This is a common problem in India. Saw the blue screen of death quite often with no recourse except to format and re install. Now I have switched to an APC UPS and thanksfully I have been o.k. since the last 2 years. The other UPS brands really did not help.. so this is a shameless plug for APC..

[rj87uk]

I guess an idea for compauter makers would be to include a backup battery incase of power cuts like a laptop for example.

Most likely wouldn't be cost effective for them.

[limbo]

I definitely recommend a partitioned drive at any rate. Have all the important data on a drive kept separate from the operating system/programme files ensures that if you need to reinstall the OS, you can ensure the data is maintained.

The UPS idea is a bit high maintenance for my set up. But a worthy consideration.

The Windows box in discussion is for browser testing + my GF's files (now backed up to timecapsule as well).

I use a Mac Book Pro (on board battery ensures I'm never get booted offline) + Time Capsule for wireless backups.

Fortunately here in the UK we have one of the best electrical grid systems in the world

Can depend on your location. My Dads place is at the end of the line - small village in deepest Yorkshire. They have considerably more cuts than we do in Leeds. Still have them from time to time. Usually human error - they are constantly digging up the streets round here.

[rocknbil]

There's zero maintenance, really. Many people spend more on a pair of shoes than you'd spend on a basic UPS. Surge protectors are worthless. An economy grade UPS is the computer equivalent of full comprehensive insurance, most of the time it just sits there . . . but that one time you get a blip, you always grin. :-)

[edited by: rocknbil at 4:22 pm (utc) on Mar. 25, 2009]

[Shaddows]

Pah, what can you expect with your Northern Monkey workmen, eh? I'm Down South, and can't remember a cut in about 15 years.

And since you're in Yorkshire, I'll just mention that Lancaster Uni managed to avoid cuts in the 3 years I was there. So its just your Rose thats wilting :p

[Philosopher]

Add another vote here for a UPS. I've two of them and they are lifesavers. There is literally no maintenance with them. Once you've plugged them in and plugged your computers/monitors into them, you're pretty much done.

About 4 months ago I moved into an older house and I get quite a few "brown outs"...those momentary drops from a light in another room going on, etc. The computers keep right on going without a hitch.

Get one, it's the best investment you can make in the life of your computer and the life of your data!

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I guess an idea for computer makers would be to include a backup battery incase of power cuts like a laptop for example.

Actually I like that idea. It could be a good selling point in business PCs. All it would take would be a small built-in battery, big enough to maintain power for two or three minutes, i.e. enough time to shut down safely.

[kaled]

I live in Berkshire and suffered a twenty minute power cut last week. In towns, it comes down to luck. My sister (in Birmingham) had a power cut for about 48 hours when an underground cable, quite literally, exploded. Of course, the break was directly under a main road.

Incidentally, her computer was switched off and plugged into a surge protector but never worked again. Even the memory was fried (I tested it). However, no other devices were damaged and nothing else was plugged into a surge protector. Cheap surge protectors are absolutely useless - you probably need to spend about £100 for something that will actually do some good.

Kaled.

[limbo]

Why don't we (UK) put cables/pipes under a specially constructed, and easily accessible kerb unit? Never could understand why we bury them under roads.

[rj87uk]

>> surge protector

Is that not just a fuse type device? Too much electricity tried to pass melting the wire?

BDW - Joint business start up, little bit of software that would pop up and let you know you need to save your work & shut down asap due to loss of power!

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

RJ I think you will find that someone got there before us. Some of the battery back up systems have this software, which offers the option of a manual shut down before doing it on its own after a period of time. ;)

[edited by: BeeDeeDubbleU at 5:01 pm (utc) on Mar. 26, 2009]

[rj87uk]

What about a ladder for moths to get out the bath tub when they land in the bath?

[Philosopher]

Now there's a winner!

[graeme_p]

An adequate UPS is not that expensive and provides the surge protection as well.

Here, in the third world, a UPS is necessity. Power cuts in Britain are quite rare (though they seem to have become commoner since I left) so I am not sure the risk is worth bothering about.

Why don't we (UK) put cables/pipes under a specially constructed, and easily accessible kerb unit? Never could understand why we bury them under roads.

For one thing, they are safer there. We had a water cut for most of a day in Salford once because the mains was vandalised and the repairmen were too frightened of the vandals to fix it till the next day.

Of course, I should have known better than to live around there, but Manchester was very short of decent residential areas in the city itself.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Fortunately here in the UK we have one of the best electrical grid systems in the world. We seldom get any power problems. I cannot remember when I last had one.

AAAAARRRRRGGHHHHH!

Have you ever heard of tempting providence and sod's law? I am sitting at my desk this afternoon when pop! The screen goes blank. I frantically check to see if I had inadvertently hit the monitor off button but no - we have a power cut folks! Not a five minute thing either - we were down for more than two hours. Fortunately no harm was done other than me losing the unsaved work. And it was not just a local thing. Large swathes of the west of Scotland were kaput!

Would you believe that this could happen five days after me extolling the virtues of the UK grid?

[Shaddows]

Weird. There was a power cut on my employer's industrial park. Broke our alarm and took out a server (which was on a surge strip, not a UPS, idiots). How unlikely is that?