Problems with Event ID 41 - what causes these?

[WhiteLotus]

UPDATE: With a UPS I am still getting these problems. And with some googling I find that many people have this issue.

You're using your computer and for some reason it locks up, if playing sound that crashes and all you get is a horrible noise DURRRRRRRRR, your mouse and keyboard lose power, and then after 2-3 seconds it restarts. Sometimes it will restart right on up, sometimes it will just go in to a reboot loop, restart (beep) pause... restart (beep) ...pause restart... etc etc. To get out of the latter I have to turn the computer off at the plug and then try again.
The kicker is that it can just be sitting there doing f*ck all, at the desktop screen doing nothing and it will happen. Happens completely randomly sometimes not for an entire gaming session on Supreme Commander, and then will do when I finish and return to desktop.

Things I am trying:
RAM?

Things I have tried:
Removed sound drivers, and visual drivers, using on board display
Update BIOS to F11 from F4 (20/10)
Replace PSU
Replace CPU and motherboard (AMD to Intel)
Reformat
Replace C:/ drive
Add a UPS
Update Xonar and ATI drivers, all others are Microsoft ones
Ran Memtest 86 and Microsoft Memtest on 2 of the 4 sticks at a time, comes back clean on both (trying to test all 4 sticks causes both memtests to crash)






____________________________________
OK so i'm getting fed up of having my computer crash, due to loss of power, then go through reboot cycles where it can't figure out what the hell happened, and then mid rebooting the power cutting out yet again and me getting annoyed.

Here is what I mean:

As you can see the power supply in this building is not very stable, fine if you have a laptop because it just resorts back to battery but for my computer, it's just not good.

Running the same computer exactley at home with no problems whatsoever, come back and it's just constant.

So yea thinking of buying a UPS to cure my problem... thoughts anyone?

 

[digibucc]

a ups can definitely help with a bad supply - just don't expect it to run the computer for an extended amount of time.

the battery is more important than an led screen or the display on it. you want it to have a battery that can handle such an uneven source. other than that, i think this can definitely make your experience... less frustrating.

 

[WhiteLotus]

a ups can definitely help with a bad supply - just don't expect it to run the computer for an extended amount of time.

the battery is more important than an led screen or the display on it. you want it to have a battery that can handle such an uneven source. other than that, i think this can definitely make your experience... less frustrating.

Do you know if wattage would make a difference, I can get one for just under £60 but it's only a 360 watts. The power cut-outs are literally micro, you wouldn't realise there were happening if you had a hair-dryer on and it happened, but because it's a computer it does become rather noticeable.

 

[Kreij]

A 360w (~650VA) should be sufficient for simple drop-outs, brown-outs and the occasiona 1 or 2 minute power outage. If you need it to hold for a longer period, get something like a 1500VA.

Only plug in your computer and monitor, not any peripherals, for longer run-time when on the battery. If you are not using the comuter during the power outage, it will most likely be off or hibernating so the battery should hold for quite awhile.

I use both APC and Tripplite here at work and have no problems with either (other than having to replace batteries). I have a 1500VA APC on my rig at home and it is rock solid and has never failed me in a power outage situation.

 

[digibucc]

well the wattage is only part of it - there should also be a VA (volts * Amps) rating that will let you know HOW LONG it can draw the wattage it's rated at.

you also have to make sure the wattage can run your pc, even if only for a few seconds. a serious drop in watts could cause as much damage as a straight loss.

so how big is your power supply, and how much power does your monitor draw. mouse and keyboard should be minimal - but any other usb devices should be counted or plugged into a surge protector outside of the UPS.

 

[Tatty_Two]

It is always recommended to have a UPS that is more powerful than your PSU but as has been pointed out it's not really necessary for short term outtages, what you do need is a unit that will power your equipment for long enough for you to save any work and shut down the PC.

because of that I would perhaps recommend this unit, whilst it has a VA of 1000, in reality it handles 480W which should be more than capable of giving you that 20 seconds shutdown, it is also a tad cheaper than the weaker one you had identified.........

http://www.amazon.co_uk/dp/B00274V510/?tag=tec053-21

Im am not an expert on this, just have researched a bit.

 

[WhiteLotus]

It is always recommended to have a UPS that is more powerful than your PSU but as has been pointed out it's not really necessary for short term outtages, what you do need is a unit that will power your equipment for long enough for you to save any work and shut down the PC.

because of that I would perhaps recommend this unit, whilst it has a VA of 1000, in reality it handles 480W which should be more than capable of giving you that 20 seconds shutdown, it is also a tad cheaper than the weaker one you had identified.........

http://www.amazon.co_uk/dp/B00274V510/?tag=tec053-21

Im am not an expert on this, just have researched a bit.

dang that one looks good! and for cheap as well! Thanks tatty, will heavily consider that one.

 

[westom]

dang that one looks good! and for cheap as well! Thanks tatty, will heavily consider that one.

All computers must work fine even when incandescent bulbs dim to less than 40% intensity. Are your lights dimming that much? If not, then you do not have a building power problem. You may have a defective power supply system.

That is one of so many tasks performed by a computer's power system. Make major AC variations irrelevant. Output rock solid stable DC voltages when AC mains vary that much.

Other problems that can adversely affect the computer include excessive harmonics or bad power factor. A loose receptacle wire. A defective safety ground.

What does a UPS do? Connect the computer directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode. That is when power is cleanest. Provide temporary and dirtiest power when AC main voltage drops too low. Are your bulbs dimming to less than 40% intensity? If not, then you do not have a blackout or low voltage problem.

 

[AsRock]

I use this one CyberPower Intelligent LCD Series GreenPower UPS C...

Keeps my comp running about 17 minutes @ 305w usage.

 

[dr emulator (madmax)]

sounds like the place is in serious need of rewiring

 

[Mussels]

my advice is to get one with a USB port that connects to the PC, and set your PC to enter sleep mode if power is lost for more than 2 minutes.

 

[WhiteLotus]

Problem still persists even with UPS

 

[Tatty_Two]

Problem still persists even with UPS

really? Do you have the power save options enabled in Windows?

 

[Arrakis9]

did you get a ups with a line conditioner ?

Try one of these they offer line conditioning and are relatively inexpensive

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006B81D/?tag=tec06d-20

 

[WhiteLotus]

really? Do you have the power save options enabled in Windows?

tried with power saving features all on, all off, different hardware (change of motherboard, CPU and PSU back in Feb '10), and also a reformat.

Thought it was just the building, why should I get it here and not at home? Ironically doing some more searching I found that a host of others started to have problems with Event ID 41 around the same time I did (end of '09), all have different systems to me. Very odd.
This makes me sad.

 

[westom]

tried with power saving features all on, all off, different hardware (change of motherboard, CPU and PSU back in Feb '10), and also a reformat.

A majority will say want advertising taught them. Did you learn from Saddam's WMDs? The only useful reply provides facts with an engineer's attitude. That means numbers. You were told:

What does a UPS do? Connect the computer directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode.

How does a UPS do anything useful? It doesn't. That would be obvious to anyone with technical knowledge.

All computers must work fine even when incandescent bulbs dim to less than 40% intensity. Are your lights dimming that much? If not, then the UPS does nothing. Time to ask a minority for help. That means ignoring UPS or line conditioner myths that exist only due to retail advertising - and without manufacturer spec numbers. Get numbers. Go to a store selling things so complex that only geniuses are permitted to buy them - ie K-mart. Yes, I am being facetious. If you do not have a multimeter, then you will not have numbers necessary for a useful reply.

A 3.5 digit multimeter is sold in K-mart, Radio Shack, Tru-Value Hardware or most any store that sells hammers. Best price is typically Wal-Mart - which again says how complex that tool is. Pay less than the cost of a hammer for the only tool that can result in a useful reply. Or borrow same from a friend.

Described below is must be done, as posted, in part, because you do not know (yet) why.

Disconnect nothing. Leave everything as it always was and connected to AC mains. Set the multimeter to 20 VDC. Connect the black probe to the chassis. Using the red probe, measure voltage of each wire from power supply to motherboard (when computer is off): purple, green, and gray. Purple wire should measure about 5.0 volts. But report all three digits because every digit is significant. Learn why later.

Now, measure each wire as the power switch is pressed. What does it do and what does it eventually measure? Again, report all three digits.

And finally measure any one red, orange, and yellow wire as the power switch is pressed. What do those numbers do and then end up at?

Now you have facts that only the most informed will understand. A next reply will not have 'it could be this' or 'try that'. Next reply will say what is good, what is bad, what is a suspect, and what to do next. Everything definitive. After so many replies, where is even one that was definitive?

Your choice. Waste time swapping parts - also called shotgunning. Or learn what is said in CSI by, "Follow the evidence." Your choice. Think like a business school graduate (speculation) or learn from reality - which means numbers to three digits. Again, your choice.

 

[Arrakis9]

A majority will say want advertising taught them. Did you learn from Saddam's WMDs? The only useful reply provides facts with an engineer's attitude. That means numbers. You were told: How does a UPS do anything useful? It doesn't. That would be obvious to anyone with technical knowledge.

All computers must work fine even when incandescent bulbs dim to less than 40% intensity. Are your lights dimming that much? If not, then the UPS does nothing. Time to ask a minority for help. That means ignoring UPS or line conditioner myths that exist only due to retail advertising - and without manufacturer spec numbers. Get numbers. Go to a store selling things so complex that only geniuses are permitted to buy them - ie K-mart. Yes, I am being facetious. If you do not have a multimeter, then you will not have numbers necessary for a useful reply.

A 3.5 digit multimeter is sold in K-mart, Radio Shack, Tru-Value Hardware or most any store that sells hammers. Best price is typically Wal-Mart - which again says how complex that tool is. Pay less than the cost of a hammer for the only tool that can result in a useful reply. Or borrow same from a friend.

Described below is must be done, as posted, in part, because you do not know (yet) why.

Disconnect nothing. Leave everything as it always was and connected to AC mains. Set the multimeter to 20 VDC. Connect the black probe to the chassis. Using the red probe, measure voltage of each wire from power supply to motherboard (when computer is off): purple, green, and gray. Purple wire should measure about 5.0 volts. But report all three digits because every digit is significant. Learn why later.

Now, measure each wire as the power switch is pressed. What does it do and what does it eventually measure? Again, report all three digits.

And finally measure any one red, orange, and yellow wire as the power switch is pressed. What do those numbers do and then end up at?

Now you have facts that only the most informed will understand. A next reply will not have 'it could be this' or 'try that'. Next reply will say what is good, what is bad, what is a suspect, and what to do next. Everything definitive. After so many replies, where is even one that was definitive?

Your choice. Waste time swapping parts - also called shotgunning. Or learn what is said in CSI by, "Follow the evidence." Your choice. Think like a business school graduate (speculation) or learn from reality - which means numbers to three digits. Again, your choice.

so your telling him his power supply could be an issue ?

could of said that with a lot less sarcasm to everyone else's "intelligence"

either way im subbing this thread and hope to see a solution

 

[Easy Rhino]

does any other system in your home do this?

 

[95Viper]

Well, the event code 41 and task code 63 seems to indicate a hardware or driver related problem.
You really need to double click on the event and get the bug and check codes, like a mini-dump or something.


UMMM... Drrrrrrrr...
Just my opinion, but, you seem to have ati, xonar and ms, so, it is possible that the conflict may be there. Go to control panel and click on sound and find the devices, try disabling one at a time (right click on device to get disable option), and try to repeat the event. Or, go to device manager and you can do the same thing.
Also, you may wish to check for other possible conflicts with hardware or drivers.
Such as, disconnecting your devices and reconnecting them one by one, possibly the culprit will reveal them-self.

Sound driver or hardware is my guess.

 

[WhiteLotus]

does any other system in your home do this?

Just me... but I was thinking that as my system pulled more it was getting faults... somehow

Well, the event code 41 and task code 63 seems to indicate a hardware or driver related problem.
You really need to double click on the event and get the bug and check codes, like a mini-dump or something.


UMMM... Drrrrrrrr...
Just my opinion, but, you seem to have ati, xonar and ms, so, it is possible that the conflict may be there. Go to control panel and click on sound and find the devices, try disabling one at a time (right click on device to get disable option), and try to repeat the event. Or, go to device manager and you can do the same thing.
Also, you may wish to check for other possible conflicts with hardware or drivers.
Such as, disconnecting your devices and reconnecting them one by one, possibly the culprit will reveal them-self.

Sound driver or hardware is my guess.

Tried that just now, problem still persists.


Thinking it could be the RAM

 

[westom]

Just me... but I was thinking that as my system pulled more it was getting faults... somehow

So do what the engineer recommended. Only those numbers will answer your question. Only then will you have a useful answer. Do you want an answer or continue to receive wild speculation. How much more obvious and blunt need I be?

Either you will post "tried this and tried that" based in speculation. Or get numbers so that the answer is "this is definitely good" or "that is definitively and without a doubt bad".

Look. Another finally did this. After weeks, he finally used a meter. Complete and definitive answers resulted. Learn why meter numbers will eliminate your confusion:
http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/941654-custom-built-computer-problems-3.html#post7640024

You have replaced or swapped everything. And remain confused; accomplished nothing. How many items can you list as 'good without doubt' or 'defective'? Accomplishment is measured by the length of that list. Shotgunning put how many items on either list? None. You remain confused, are repeatedly asking for help, and have nothing on those lists. All due to shotgunning and speculation. Use the meter. Or continue to have wild speculation and confusion.

The hardest part is not solving the problem. The hardest part is to get you to learn how these problems are so quickly identified and eliminated.