want to know why my windows xp crashed

[rookie1010]

My windows XP just crashed
is there any way (reading some dump or log file), i could figure out why my pc crashed last time?

 

[subdivizion]

there is probably a minidump saved but opening it in notepad won't do it. you need the windows debugger but then you have to load symbols and vene after reading all you'll probably find out is which file caused it at what address in memory. otherwise, you can have a screen show up after a crash instead of rebooting. go to Start->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Computer Management. right click on Computer Management(Local) and choose Properties. go to the Advanced tab and click Startup and Recovery Settings. uncheck the Automatically Restart choice. OK out of all the windows. when you get the BSoD, go to Microsoft's Knowledge Base sie and searched ffor the error message.

 

[rookie1010]

Hey subdiviszion, what is BSoD?
I did what you said, what should i do now?

microbell, I am not sure what you meant by "You can also check the event/system log....in Admin options"

I have managed to get event viewer open in front of me
and it's got a table with the following columns
type:date:time:source:category:event:user:computer

i have got another question
there is this cross mark which apeear every now and then and the information associated with this event is listed as below

The description for Event ID ( 0 ) in Source ( fooserver ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: fooserver error: 0, Engine wait timeout 180 reached for instance 0.

 

[Vladd44]

Windows 2000/XP are set to automatically restart the computer on a fatal error, In order to prevent the operating system from restarting automatically change Windows Startup and Recovery option...

1. Right-click My Computer icon on desktop, and choose Properties.
2. Click Advanced tab, then Startup and Recovery..
3. Uncheck the Automatically Reboot.
4. Click O.K. to accept change.

This may allow an enviroment that is easier to work from to find a solution

 

[subdivizion]

Vladd, i already told him that. the BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) will happen when Windows crashes, instead of restarting, it will go to a blue screen and display an error message and then a dump notification. copy down the error message to a piece of paper (all of it) and go to support.microsoft.com and search for that error and most likely there's a solution there.
what Microbell suggested was, when you get to the Event Viewer, expand it, and click on System and look for recent ERRORS. they would have a red mark by them. double click that and read the message and copy it here so we can look at it also.

 

[rookie1010]

i have copied an event in my last post on this tread, can you guys tell me what it means.
can you also tell me what this one means
The time service has not been able to synchronize the system time for 49152 seconds because none of the time providers has been able to provide a usable time stamp. The system clock is unsynchronized.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.