The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction

Question

I have been trying to deal with this problem and I went to 'bleeping computer' and wasn't able to solve it.  On restart a black screen and a pop up message was on my screen. I've breifly looked up in google how to handle this, but I'd like a more personlized answer. Here is the info that was in the message:

16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem

C:\Windows\system32\runonce.exe

The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.

CS:11f5 IP:0100 OP:ff d8 ff e1 00 Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.'

Also, I went to the task manager to close out the message and there was something listed that seemed that it might have something to do with this.

csrstub.exe - allows lua to launch 16-bit applications

My computer also usually upon start up will go to a disk check, it goes through the process and restarts, but I never notice a difference in the performance of the computer. My computer will also freeze up and I have to manually restart, sometimes several times.

I've run malwarebytes and it's clean, MiniToolBox deleted three things, ran ESET scan and it was clean.

I also get occasional blue screens, sometimes they say 'bad pool header' but I don't know what that means.

I was having blue screens and I worked with someone online and ran lots of scans and couldn't find any problems, and suspected it was the hard drive. I was under warranty and replaced the hard drive but I'm still getting blue screens. My windows updates are current, all my programs are up to date.

I don't know what to do with this problem. I really need help.

Any help solving this problem would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi,

·         Do you get any error code with Blue screen 'bad pool header'?

Follow these methods and check if it helps.

Method 1:

Step 1:

Check if you face the similar issue in safe mode, if not you can try putting your computer in a clean boot state in normal mode and check if it works:

Start your computer in safe mode

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Start-your-computer-in-safe-mode

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Step 2:

Follow the KB article to perform clean boot on the computer:

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista and Windows 7

**http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135**

Disclaimer: After you used the clean boot to resolve your problem follow Step 7 to reset the computer to start as usual.

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Method 2:

I would suggest you to try performing SFC (System File Checker) scan  on your computer and check if the issue still persists. To view how to perform the SFC Scan click on the link provided below and follow the Kb article steps.

How to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files on Windows Vista or on Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

Method 3:

Follow the steps from the KB article and check if it helps.

How to fix BlueScreen (STOP) errors that cause Windows Vista to shut down or restart unexpectedly

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958233

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Method 4:

A pool header issue is a problem with Windows memory allocation. Device driver issues are probably the most common, but this can have diverse causes including bad sectors or other disk write issues, and problems with some routers. (By theory, RAM problems would be suspect for memory pool issues).

If you have Windows Vista DVD you can try running the Start up repair and Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool from Windows Recovery mode and check if it helps.

What are the system recovery options in Windows Vista?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/What-are-the-system-recovery-options-in-Windows-Vista

Alternatively, you can use the command prompt on windows recovery mode to perform a scan and fix error on a drive letter of your choice by running "chkdsk x:" where x is your drive letter. Type the below command on command prompt and press enter:

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X:>chkdsk /f

/F Fixes errors on the disk

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Important: While performing chkdsk on the hard drive if any bad sectors are found on the hard drive when chkdsk tries to repair that sector if any data available on that might be lost

Answer 2

I'm trying to post the sfc text but when I hit post it says ' sorry the request couldn't be completed pleast try again later'.

Edit: I had to post it in smaller sections. Sorry that the text isn't space, but that is how it pastes from a notepad file. I hope you can figure it out like that.

Could you show me what part of the text/how to type it into a command prompt to repair it?

Answer 3

Thanks for the reply. I see I did miss that step. I won't lose any information doing a clean boot will I? I haven't had a chance to get a external hard drive to back up my stuff yet and I don't want to lose anything.

I'm not a big computer wiz, so bear with me. Thank you so much for working with me!!

I went to this link: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?&docid=DSN_362645&isLegacy=true#Issue1 

I did the Dell PC Check Up and it passed with no problems.

I ran the full PSA diagnostics and wrote down the codes, then I did the more in depth diagnostics and came up with the same codes. In the 'symptom tree' I ran scans for things that could cause blue screens and all the errors were with the SATA Disk. (What kills me though, is that I have been having trouble for months now, I tried to fix it and couldn't find any solution but to get a new hard drive, which I did, and the blue screens never stopped. I am no longer under warranty and would hate to have to buy another hard drive, when I just had this one replaced awhile ago.) I also don't have any restore points, because I got the new hard drive and had reinstalled windows and even after that the problems were still there, so I don't have a point in which the computer was performing well.

I will continue to go down the list of provided instructions during the next several days.

Here are the codes for the PSA diagnostics: Errors were on SATA Disk S/N 310BC5QVT

On Confidence Test:

Error Code 0F00:1344 - Msg: DISK - Block 36955182 - Can't read, replace disk.

Error Code 0F00:1344 - Msg: DISK - Block 42440417 - Can't read, replace disk.

"                                                              "  Block 65331342   "                                          "

"                                                              "  Block 117522920  "                                         "

"                                                              "  Block 175167512

On Drive Self Test (long):

Error Code 0F00:075D - Msg: DISK Self Test Read Error

On Drive Self Test (short):

Error Code 0F00:065D  "                                                         "

On Read Test:

Error Code 0F00:0244 - Block 36955182

                                            Block 42440417

                                            Block 65331342

                                            Block 117522920

                                            Block 175167512

On Verify Test:

Error Code 0F00:1A44 - Block 36955182

                                            Block 42440417

                                            Block 65331342

                                            Block 117522929

                                            Block 175167512

I also had two errors on audio:

Error Code 1B63:1A1B - Msg: Audio

Error Code 1B63:181B - Msg: Audio

The part of the sfc that I don't understand is this:

If the System File Checker tool cannot repair a file, follow these steps:

1. At an elevated command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

takeown /f

For example, type takeown /f E:\windows\system32\jscript.dll. 2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER to grant administrators full access to the file:

icacls /GRANT ADMINISTRATORS:F

For example, type icacls E:\windows\system32\jscript.dll /grant administrators:F. 3. Type the following command to replace the file with a known good copy of the file:

Copy

For example, type copy E:\temp\jscript.dll E:\windows\system32\jscript.dll.

The path and file name and all that, I have to copy that information from this sfc report below right? But I don't know what part of the file name to type in.

Answer 4

Hey ChrystasRose,

It sounds like missed a great idea from JohnRubdy, its sandwiched in there so I will point it out. Follow this link that JohnRubdy posted to complete a Clean Boot.

You also said the check disc instructions were confusing you a little, so I will try to explain a little better. Go to start-> then to Computer. In computer screen your hard drive is named a letter (example like Disc Drive C:) Now in command prompt type in "chkdsk ?:" and where the "?" is, is where you put the letter that your drive is called.

And lastly, yes to the question about posting sfc detail, the more info you give the community, the better answer we can give you. Let me know if this helped!

Answer 5

Thank you so much for your reply.

When I get blue screens the computer restarts too quickly for me to see any errror codes.

I went into safe mode and the error was still there, so I moved to method 2.

I ran the System File Checker. I was reading the instructions, but I don't quite understand what to do with the files that it couldn't repair...

I'm not sure which part of the file name to type into the command prompt.

Can you give me slightly more detailed instructions? Should I paste the sfc details here?