STOP 0x000000F4 error occurs after 16 to 17 minutes of being idle

This page doesn't seem to be very helpful in this case, but perhaps the links on it will:

http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

click on the STOP error code (F4) in the righthand pane to see this:

0x000000F4: CRITICAL_OBJECT_TERMINATION
(Click to consult the online MSDN article.)
One of the many processes or threads crucial to system operation has unexpectedly exited or been terminated. As a result, the system can no longer function. Specific causes are many, and often best resolved by a careful history of the problem and the circumstances of the error message. One user, who experienced this on return from Standby mode on Win XP SP2, found the cause was that Windows was installed on a slave drive; compare KB 330100.

Hi Scott,

Maybe your hard drive is only set to slave?
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330100

You're always so fast, LeeTutor!  :)

REGARDING TURNING OFF MY STARTUP PROGRAMS:  I have turned off all of my startup options in MSCONFIG and I am still having the issue.  I did not try turning off all of my services yet.  Should I try doing that?  Or is that dangerous to do so in case I turn a service off that must be running for my PC to work?


REGARDING MY HARDDRIVE BEING IN SLAVE MODE:
Regarding to my harddrive being a "slave".  Does that apply to a standalone computer or does it only apply to me using an external harddrive?  It also says that this only applies to errors when coming out of standby.  I don't have that problem.  My issue just ocurs when my computer is idle for 16 to 17 minutes.  It never enters standby mode.  Where can I see if my computer is setup as a "slave"?


Still looking for help.

Check event log errors please.

"Slave" for harddrives usually depends on how it is plugged into the machine (on the inside, not an external drive), or the jumper settings on the drive itself.  A slave harddrive is usually on the middle cable position, or the jumpers are set to Slave.  Some CDR drives and DVD drives recommend to be placed in the master position, but it's not always necessary.

Have you made sure you don't have a screensaver that activates after 16-17 minutes?  Does your antivirus/antispyware software scan after an idle time of 16-17 minutes?  (I'm just thinking of things that have an idle countdown timer)

Regarding the "slave" thing.  Is there somewhere I can go in Windows to see how my drive is setup?  Or would I need to physically open my laptop to find out?

Regarding the other, I do not have a screen saver or anti-anything running at the 16-17 minute mark.  I have actually uninstalled my anit-virus, firewall, anti-spam and anti-spyware to see if they were the problem.

So far, I have disabled everything in the Startup tab on MSCONFIG.  That didn't work.  Then I starting going through the services based upon the website reference from LeeTutor.  I have already disabled the following and still have the problem.

Alerter
Application Layer Gateway Service
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Error Reporting Service
Fast User Switching Compatibility
IPSEC Services
Network Location Awareness (NLA)
Remote Registry
Secondary Logon
Server
SSDP Discovery Service
Windows Firewall (ICF) and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

I have another list of services that seem safe to turn off to see if I can nail the problem.  I'll keep you posted on the progress of that.  I am approaching core Windows services as the only leftover pieces.  So it may result in a re-format, but I am looking to avoid that if I can!

Thanks, everyone.

Just now you mentioned your computer is a laptop (I didn't know that before).  Chances are pretty slim that they'd put the harddrive as slave.

Have you checked your BIOS to see if it is using some sort of built-in power saving features?

Just in case you want to check, this might work to see if your harddrive is a slave or master...

right click on My Computer and select properties
click the hardware tab
click the Device Manager button
Expand the item that says something like IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers
double click the Primary IDE Channel (try this on both of them)
click the Advanced Settings tab

There should be 2 sections - device 0 and device 1.  If the current transfer mode is "not applicable" then chances are there's nothing plugged into that section.  device 0 should be master, and device 1 should be slave.

Attach some MiniDumps to this thread so I can take a look. They are usually located at %Systemroot%\MiniDump

I have resolved a similar case at the another forum and the culprit is bad ram.

CRITICAL_OBJECT_TERMINATION (f4)
A process or thread crucial to system operation has unexpectedly exited or been
terminated.
Several processes and threads are necessary for the operation of the
system; when they are terminated (for any reason), the system can no
longer function.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000003, Process
Arg2: ffb6fda0, Terminating object
Arg3: ffb6ff14, Process image file name
Arg4: 805fa7a8, Explanatory message (ascii)

Debugging Details:
------------------
PROCESS_OBJECT:  ffb6fda0
CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  DRIVER_FAULT
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xF4
LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from 00000000 to 805339ae

If you provide 5 to 6 minidumps, I can confirm whether your problem is related to faulty ram or not.

I am not getting any Minidumps into that folder.  My %SystemRoot% is C:\Windows as far as I can tell.  Nothing is appearing in the C:\Windows\MiniDump folder.  Any suggestions?

My settings for MiniDump are at http://www.arrowpointe.com/img/StartupandRecovery.png.

I added a Minidump folder to C:|WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 also just in case.  I'll see if that helps.

Thanks.

Those files are hidden there. What you need to do is go to Tools >> Folder Options >> Show Hidden Files. Refresh the folder view. You should be able to see them.

I already had done that and I still cannot see those files.  I am not certain they are being created.  Suggestion?

Those files are only created upon BSOD. If you didnt experience any, that directory is simply empty.

I am getting the BSOD.  http://www.arrowpointe.com/img/IMG_4005.jpg

But no minidump files.

Maybe your paging space is bad. When your windows is idle, some inactive process are paged out. When it is active, windows paged the inactive process. If paging space is bad, windows may crash with Bugcheck code F4. Windows writes the dump to the paging space as the staging area, but the paging space is bad. Hence no minidump is taken. I find a similar case at any forum and it is bad paging space.
http://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?p=185863#post185863

That seems like it could be a good possibility.  How do I go about fixing a bad paging space?

I have been testing and testing some more and came up with something.  This makes is seem like it has something to do with my power settings, but I cannot figure out what it could be.

When my computer is on battery power, I do not get the problem.  When it is plugged in, I get the problem.

I had not noticed this before until one day I was on battery power and left my computer idle.  I came back after about 45 minutes and all was fine!  Since then, I have done 2 different tests:

1) Boot up on battery power, login and let the computer sit.  I have let it sit for up to 1 hour and do not get the issue.  I then plug it in and let it sit.  After 16-17 minutes, I get the error.

2)  I tried the reverse.  I booted up on AC power, login and let the computer sit.  I get the error after 16-17 minutes.  After rebooting and logging back in, I unplug the AC power and let it sit.  I don't get the error.

My power settings are at http://www.arrowpointe.com/img/poweroptions.png.  I cannot think of anything running on my PC that would care whether I was plugged in or on battery other than power settings, but that does not appear to be it.  I cannot see anything in my BIOS settings that have anything to do with power saving features.

In case it helps, I am running an HP Pavilion dv1000 laptop with Windows XP Pro SP2.

I upgraded my BIOS and still have the problem.

I turn off paging and still have the problem.

However, something came up that makes me think it is a hardware issue with my harddrive.  When I set the paging file back, I received the error message when it was creating the file.

Also, there is something important I may have forgot to mention.  Prior to getting the BSOD, my harddrive is more audible than normal.  Typically, my harddrive will make "the noise" and then go to BSOD.

I have also tried running CHKDSK on startup.  I did it with the /F and /R parameters.  I also tried it again adding the /I parameter in there.  All goes swimmingly until it gets to step 5 of 5, which is where it is validating free space.  At the 90% or 91% mark, I begin to hear "the noise" again.  I let CHKDSK run and it will start and stop making "the noise".  I have let it sit for over 1 hour and it never increases the % complete past when the noise started.

I probably should have mentioned the noise earlier, but I was sure it was a software problem since all was okay in Safe Mode.  However, the only times I was trying safe mode was when I happended to be on battery power.  And I don't seem to get the problem on battery power for some reason.

Does anyone have anymore suggestions?  Is there other software than CHKDSK that can help validate hardware issues?  Am I right that it is probably the harddrive?  Or could it still be a RAM thing?  In the meantime, I am going to start talking to HP and see if I can get them to send me a new harddrive.

Thanks!

I spoke with HP and it sounds like my harddrive is going bad.  I will be getting a new one.  In the meantime, I think I will take it easy on the testing of my current harddrive so as to get the most out of it while my new one is en route.  I need it for work!

Since no one response solved this issue, I'll split up the points to a few of you (LeeTutor, wompey and cpc2004).  I hadn't used experts exchange since my coding days back in 1997 and it is still working great!  Glad to see if made it this long.

Thanks for all of the help, everyone.