Tracking down Stop errors

	If a Stop error is preventing you from starting Windows XP, see Cannot Start Windows XP on this site before you try anything else.
	Use Troubleshooting Tools Use device manager to remove device drivers. Use msconfig to disable services associated with any hardware and startup services that are not essential. You may also find these articles helpful: Windows XP Resource Kit: Troubleshooting the Startup Process
	Use Diagnostics Techniques SiSoftware Sandra (the System ANalyser, Diagnostic and Reporting Assistant) - Sandra Lite is free for personal use. x64 is supported. Perform RAM Error Checking Quite often, stop errors are associated with dud RAM. That includes main memory, video and CPU cache memory. If you have more than one stick of RAM, start ripping the sticks out one at a time. If you only have one stick, you will need to find someone who can help you out with a spare stick that fits your machine. Corrupt disks and viruses can cause all kinds of stop errors. Perform Virus Checking, even if you don't believe you have a virus or other malware, eliminate it as a cause early. Also perform disk error checking. 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. If you believe that you have a memory problem, try How to Troubleshoot RAM Installations.
	Think About Getting Desperate Remove any new hardware such as RAM, hard disks and modems, etc. Disable any new drivers and remove any recently installed software.
	Get Desperate Disable all BIOS caching and speed-up options. Disable power management. If you are over-clocking, don't. Try a standard Microsoft VGA driver. Ensure drivers and BIOS are the latest versions. Visit the manufacturer’s website and try to locate up-to-date drivers.
	Tear Your Hair Out Disable any disk intensive applications such as antivirus software, disk or file defragmenters and backup programs. Check the Event Viewer to see if there are any additional errors or warnings that might provide a clue.
	Tear Someone Else's Hair Out Take the machine to a dealer.