AMLI: ACPI BIOS erroe

[bwarner]

This error message appears on my Windows XP Pro machine ocassionally and causes the PC to go blank, requiring a cold boot:

AMLI: ACPI BIOS is attempting to write to an illegal IO port address which lies in xxxx protected address range. This could lead to system instability. Please contact your system vendor for technical assistance.

Sometimes it goes several hours without receiving this error and then sometimes it occurs every few minutes. It doesn't seem to matter what I am doing on the PC - it even happens when no one is at the computer. Any help on resolving this error would be appreciated.

Barry

 

[linney]

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q283/6/49.ASP

http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/tech/onnow/BIOSAML.asp

Most of these errors require a bios update to fix it.

 

[bwarner]

This is a PIII 800 MHZ MB and the BIOS has been updated to the latest version. I have been using this BIOS for three years without any problems - this problem started a few weeks ago.

Barry

 

[linney]

Can you recall any incident that occurred just prior to these errors appearing?




If there is no bios update available try changing to standard pc. During WinXP setup, when it says to press F-6 to install third party......, press F-5 instead and then select standard pc when asked.



ACPI Error
thread779-187471

 

[bwarner]

I haven't noticed any pattern before the error occurs - it doesn't seem to have a pattern. I wonder if reinstalling the current BIOS would help?

Barry

 

[linney]

Re-Flashing a bios (with the current installed update) is not something you see mentioned very often as a repair tool.

A safer thing to try first would be setting your bios back to default settings.

Even checking your RAM with these free programs might be an idea.

http://www.memtest86.com/

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

In enquiring about incidents that happened before the errors began, I was asking about anything that may have happened before the whole episode of errors began. Something like a power failure etc. etc.

 

[bwarner]

This error shows up in the event viewer everytime I restart the computer after a crash. This all started pretty much after I wiped my hard drive and reinstalled the OS a few weeks ago. I have already set BIOS settings back to the default and replaced the PCs memory with known good memory. I'm starting to think I need a new MB.

Barry

 

[linney]

And if you just reboot without any crash, does the error still show up in Event Viewer?

 

[bwarner]

The error is in the event viewer only after the PC crashes.

 

[linney]

All I can think of is that you must have lost some drivers for your motherboard setup when you wiped the hard drive.

What caused you to want to, or have to, wipe your hard drive?

Perhaps a visit to the manufacturers site to obtain the latest drivers for motherboard or chipset.

Or like you say your motherboard is due for replacement.

 

[bwarner]

I wiped my hard drive just because I wanted to - not as a result of a crash or anything else. I let memtest86 run all night last night just to make a through check of the memeory in the PC. It has run for over ten hours without finding anything, but whatever makes it crash in XP is not making it crash in MemTEST86 (DOS). Does this tell me my MB is fine and that the problem is within XP?

 

[linney]

If you suspect XP and not hardware you have these options available to you.

To check your drivers.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/5/14.asp

To check conflicting software.

310353 - How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310353&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

316434 - HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Some general things to try.



Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

If they don't work you could try repairing windows itself by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

 

[bwarner]

Your suggestions will keep me busy for a while - I'll start working on them tonight and keep you posted.

Barry

 

[bwarner]

I get the same error message no matter what - Safe Mode, Clean Boot, reinstalling XP. I also noticed that I get the error message only after Windows loads (or restarts). And I noticed that even though I get error every time XP loads, the PC does not crash every time I get the error. If fact, I have restarted XP numerous times (and the error has been in the event log each time)the past couple of days and the PC has not crashed - it has run completely normal. So maybe the error message and the crashing are from two different causes? However, to get rid of the error message I am ready to reinstall XP - would you think I still need to press F5 and select Standard PC? Thanks.

Barry

 

[linney]

In many cases this error is not critical and many machines function despite this error in the Event Viewer. That was the reason I wanted to know earlier on if you had this error after every reboot. On of our machines is an old HP and it too shows this error at every boot but still seems to function happily. You may have to live with this error until you replace the machine (how old is the machine?).


This all tends to imply some other fault in your machine. How long have you gone without a crash now? I'd wait until the next crash and immediately get back into the Event Viewer and see if you can find anything else. Don't just look at the red errors, look also at any yellow warnings and the information entries. Check both the Application and the System folder too.

My advice (for what it's worth) is hold off the format and reinstall and see how it goes. Using the Standard PC option may remove the ACPI error but I am not sure this is your underlying fault.

Mind you, a format and reinstall, has been known to fix many a strange problem in the past. I guess it's your decision.

 

[bwarner]

It has been several days since the PC crashed and I don't know why it stopped, but I have two ideas: I have been experimenting with removing all uneccesary background programs and maybe I removed something that has been causing the problem. The other thing is that I have moved the PC to a different location to work on it and it has not crashed since - that means different cables, power,surge protector, etc that I suppose could be bad. I guess I'll just watch it a while before doing anything else.

Barry