Repair Windows 2000 STOP: 0x0000002E Error Message

The following stop error may generate on your Windows 2000 computer due to a hardware problem:

STOP: 0x0000002E (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4)


Parameter 1 displays the virtual address due to which the fault occurred.
Parameter 2 displays the physical address due to which the fault occurred.
Parameter 3 depicts Processor Status Register (PSR).
Parameter 4 depicts Faulting Instruction Register (FIR).

Cause of the Error

The error message usually indicates a parity error in the system memory or RAM. The following are some of the items that are known to generate the stop error:

  • Failure or defects in hardware components, especially in defective RAM chips, video RAM and L2 RAM cache.
  • Incompatible or mismatched hardware components. For instance, you may have RAM chips with different speeds on the same system.
  • A buggy driver trying to access the 0x8xxxxxxx address range that does not map to a real physical address.
  • Virus infection in the Master Boot Record (MBR).
  • Physical problems with the hard disk.

Â Resolution Methods

  1. If the error starts appearing soon after you add a new hardware, remove it, to check if the error is resolved. If it is, then there is some problem with the new hardware-it is either defective or is not compatible with your system.
  2. Use the hardware diagnostics utility to check if the error has occurred due to an existing hardware on your computer. On Windows Vista, you may use the memory diagnostics utility to run tests and ensure that all your RAM chips are working fine. If an error is reported, you may have to get the faulty hardware repaired or replaced to resolve the stop error.
  3. If the error still remains, open up your PC and check that all hardware adaptors and cable connectors are properly seated in their slots. You may also clean the hardware components to remove any dust deposits from them.
  4. If you encounter an error on a new system, then ensure that BIOS and driver updates have been installed. A new PC is usually under warranty. Therefore, you may even contact your PC vendor for a solution.
  5. If the stop error follows are recent new driver installation or driver update, then this new driver might be buggy and causing the error. In this case, it is recommended that you uninstall this buggy driver and replace it with an error-free driver. You may refer to the System log in the Event Viewer utility to determine the driver that is generating the error. In case the error occurs during the startup process, then you can uninstall it by starting your PC in Safe mode. Finally, if the driver generating the error is part of the PC boot process and you have an NTFS partition on the hard disk, then you may remove the driver by using the Command Console.
  6. If a damaged file is causing the error, then you may run the ‘chkdsk /f/r’ command to check your hard disk for errors and fix them. You will have to restart your computer to enable the chkdsk command to perform the task.
  7. To check if a virus in the MBR is generating the error, you may use a good antivirus software, such as STOPzilla Antivirus to scan the MBR and remove any virus from it. You may also choose to use a good registry cleaner tool, such as RegServe to ensure that your registry is healthy and no incorrect or malicious entry within it is behind the errors.
  8. If the above methods do not work, try disabling caching-including BIOS cache, internal/external cache, L2 cache, and write-back cache, Shadowing, and BIOS-enabled virus protection feature in CMOS.
  9. Lastly, if everything fails, get your motherboard examined for any physical problems. If there are any problems, it is best to replace the motherboard.