Has anyone run across error: bad_pool_cooler?

[computers]

I have been working on a machine recently (a 2 year old emachine) Major problems, rewrote the hard disk, reinstalled Windows, etc, everything was working fine, customer took machine home, 3 days later, they called with yet another problem, bad-pool_cooler, but, no beep codes, no error codes, just that. I'm suspecting a memory stick problem. Anyone run across this?
Side note: told customer to do themselves a favor; don't but another emachine! Mainboard is a sub-generic, which explains the price being soooo cheap.

[minstrel]

I have been working on a machine recently (a 2 year old emachine) Major problems, rewrote the hard disk, reinstalled Windows, etc, everything was working fine, customer took machine home, 3 days later, they called with yet another problem, bad-pool_cooler, but, no beep codes, no error codes, just that. I'm suspecting a memory stick problem. Anyone run across this? Side note: told customer to do themselves a favor; don't but another emachine! Mainboard is a sub-generic, which explains the price being soooo cheap.

That was true of e-machines - basically, cram in any old cheap part you can find to get the selling price down as low as possible - however, a recent article in PCWorld indicates that they have cleaned up their act a lot and that the systems are now worth having a serious look at.

As for the error message, not one I've ever heard before although I would suspect it's related to the "DMI Pool Verification" family: "Your computer displays, "Verifying DMI Pool Data...." and then hangs or gives you an error message about the DMI pool.

DMI
The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is a method of managing system information. The main component of DMI is the Management Information Format Database, or MIFD which is the actual DMI Pool Data. This database contains information about the hardware, settings, and software. This information is particularly useful in an enterprise setting where knowing the particulars of each computer is a must. The "hang" at the "Verifying" message means that an event happened that was deemed serious enough to stop the boot process. This event can range in severity from "Monitor" (not too serious) to "Non-Recoverable" (possibly fatal)... if you are so inclined, there is more information than I wanted to even think about at DMTF.org in their information documents. Source.

I've seen this several times on my brother's Windows ME machine and I'm about to decide it's some hard-to-detect error on the hard drive or controller. A Google search for "DMI Pool" will give you more information than you ever wanted - this is a sample from the first page:

287553 - Error Message "Verifying DMI Pool Data" Occurs and the ... When the computer is running the power-on self test (POST), it may stop responding (hang), and a "Verifying DMI pool data" error message may be displayed. ...
support.microsoft.com/?kbid=287553

Computing.Net - Verifying DMI Pool data error
... Subject: Verifying DMI Pool data error. Original Message. ... It ALWAYS hung on verifying dmi pool data. For me, it was the Hard Drive. ...
www.computing.net/os2/wwwboard/forum/1280.html

Re: DMI pool data To: debian-en <debian-user@lists.debian.org>; Subject: Re: DMI pool data; From: messmate <messmate@tiscali.fr>; ...
lists.debian.org/debian-user/2002/ debian-user-200212/msg00103.html

[computers]

Thanks for the info! Unfortunately, it seems that it does not have anything to do with DMI pool data, I've gone thu all my manuals and text books, have done research and what little I've found indicated an overheating issue or bad memory. This also seems to be a problem with emachines, dell, Compaq and old HP machines. I appriciate your time in trying to lend a hand! This is also a new problem for me, very, very frustrating! I'm solving the problem by replacing the mainboard and the CPU, heat sink and fan and memory.
It was quite a shock when I opened up the little emachine to discover that the components were sub-generic and generic, but it had a Maxtor HDD! They must have gotten quite a deal! I only use Maxtor when building new systems, or replacing HDD's, they are known to last practically forever, but normally they are a little more costly.
Thanks so much again!

[mikmik]

What model eMachine? I could only find the below:

1. WinInizio Forum - Urgente Problema Pc Appena Assemblato [preview ] [ ixquick.com ]
Inoltre spesso si blocca e compare una schermata blu ***stop : 0x00000007 ecc ecc, oppure mi da bad_pool_cooler o, ancora,age_fault_in_none_area :whip: poi ... www.wininizio.it
2. Microsoft: Windows 95/98 - Serious System Problem [preview ] [ ixquick.com ]
constant bleeping inside my machine another screen came up this time blue saying I have a Bad_pool_cooler. Please help! ... gviewthread.cfm/ lev2/ 67/ lev3/ 70/ pid/ ... www.tek-tips.com

One in spasnish, no less (I think)

I used http://turbo10.com/ , but just the 'generic' search. Deadly meta-search tool, I will select a subset of computer tech search engines and directories for an advanced search.

I was unable to get the post from the 'tek-tips' forum above, even though I am a member.

So, you are obviousely getting thruogh POST enough for the BIOS video to initialize.

Can you provide any more specific details?

If you are relying on 'customer recall', I understand and sympathize. eMachines? "The tech's most feared nemesis except for 'Compaq'!

I was able to ID a motherboard from a compaq P-I system by going to Intel one time, and visually comparing legacy motherboard layouts. I then retrieved a BIOS update and was able to flash, and return the boot up procedure to a more recognizable process. Anyhooo... I'll keep looking :o)

And even I almost forgot, the model? OS version?

[computers]

I don't have the unit right now, won't have it back for repairs till next week. The model is emachine T1090. It has a sub-generic mainboard, with onboard audio and video, Intel Celeron 900Mhz CPU, generic 48X CD-Rom, and generic floppy, Maxtor 10Gb HDD. It originally had XP Home, they had the unit for two years, started having major problems, couldn't get into Windows, a system restore didn't solve the problem, I worked on it for several hours, but to no avail. As I stated before, did a HDD rewrite, format, installed XP Pro, everything was fine for 3 days, then they got the bad_pool_cooler error, this happens after the welcome screen, right before the desktop would open. No system beep codes either.
The mainboard is a sub-generic CN810, I have looked it up and have found no information except many complaints, there seems to be no availibility on specs for it anywhere in the net. The owner does have a manual, but it has very limited info. Does not even give the recommended memory (ie: PC100, PC133) but does give maximum amount of memory. Although the mainboard and CPU are going to be replaced, I'd like to find some more info for futuer reference. Thanks, I appriciate your help!

[mikmik]

OK It is definitely a memory address prob, as far as I can tell, and is specific to NT kernal OS's

Or I think the pool repairman has hacked into the system! lol

All right! Registry talk! If that isn't bad enough :

Pool damage may be the root cause of many of the most evasive issues with Windows NT. Pool damage is caused when a kernel-mode component writes to memory outside of its allocated pool area. By writing to memory beyond the boundary of its allocated area, it is likely that another area of allocated memory, possibly owned by another component, is overwritten. This damage can cause problems such as blue screens in completely unrelated areas of code. A kernel-mode component reading beyond its allocated area can also cause problems.

Whether it is caused by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) drivers or problems in Windows NT, pool damage problems are some of the most difficult to identify. Usually, all that can be seen in a crash dump analysis is the symptom of the real problem, such as a data area becoming damaged and causing problems in a completely unrelated piece of code. Up until now it has been almost impossible to identify the piece of code damaging the memory.

The source of pool damage can now be identified at the instruction causing the pool damage. A new memory management utility called Special Pool is included with Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 (SP4) and Windows 2000. The Special Pool utility identifies the kernel-mode component that is damaging pool data by writing to memory outside its allocated area.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=188831

[ldyguique]

I took a page from mikmik's translation via google for that Italian site (and other than an extremely funny read,) it didn't come back with a whole lot of info; although one of the BIOS websites for beeps was listed: http://www.comptechdoc.org/hardware/beepcodes/index.htm

I dunno if you know the BIOS version for that sub-generic MB

[computers]

Thanks so much! I have bookmarked the page for future reference and will be printing it! It's too bad that the registry has not been able to be gotten into thus far, but will be giving it a go again, when the unit comes back in for repairs. Again I do appriciate the help, it's rare that I'm not able to find the needed info, good to have such a resourse as this forum and all the helpful persons on it!

[computers]

ldyguique,

That was part of the problem, no beep codes what-so-ever! But thanks! It's appriciated!

[mikmik]

Yes, 40,000 heads are better than 1! lol
Idyguique has some excellent links up her sleeve, as I have already discovered.

I have about 4 or 5 'stashes' of troubleshooting sites that I've accumulated between my periodic re-installs, and one in particular struck me as exceedingly deep in information - in a class by itself - so to speak. I can't believe I've misplaced that one, but I'm sure I'll get it any moment, and of course I'll post it here.

Computers, I don't know if you've got the links from bootdisk I sent via email and PM from here - just a 'heads up' if you haven't been aware fo it yet.