BIT.exe still in task manager list after stopping tests

[speck]

We are running continuous mode with all media testing. After some time 20 minutes to hours , On exit we sometimes hang ( power cycle required) or more often see bit.exe tasks still in the queue through Task Manager after stopping tests. ( and can't exit tasks)

using built in test v 4.0

dual Xeon 3.2 - 800 fsb
8gb
dual scsi + ext scsi
5 USB 2.0 ports - all using passmark loopbacks
2 serial ports - all using passmark loopbacks
1 ECP port - using passmark loopback
cd-rw/dvd
floppy

no errors reported! during testing

appreciate any help or advise.

-Steve

[David (PassMark)]

This is not a known problem with the BurnInTest software. So you can't rule out a hardware / device driver problem on this machine.

I would try to run 1 or 2 tests at a time to try and isolate the particular test causing the problem.

Our #1 problem is with video card device drviers. But if you are using the CD-RW test, then this is also a possibility. Lots of CD burners effectively lock the machine while they are busy doing something or waiting for something to complete.

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David

[speck]

Update - we verified bios and driver versions; we had suspected the "on-board" AC'97 sound and had found no problems when disabled for BIT.
So we downloaded the latest AC'97 driver from Realtek and retested with audio enabled with the following result.
Again the tests run fine , however when trying to enter task manager we get an access violation . address 0x0042FC87.

We disable test on audio, re -run BIT and then enter task manager we get Acces violation at a different address.

This is a repeatable scenario.

Please advise

Thanks,

[David (PassMark)]

I am a bit confused by your E-mail.

suspected the "on-board" AC'97 sound and had found no problems when disabled for BIT.

Here you imply everything was fine when you disabled the audio.

We disable test on audio, re -run BIT and then enter task manager we get Acces violation

But here you say that everything isn't fine when you disabled the audio? Or maybe I am missing something?

Are you saying that after you have exited from BurnInTest, then you attempt to start the Windows task manager, then task manger crashes? If this is what is happening then it doesn't sound like a problem with BurnInTest.

The sequence of your tests and what tests you are running is also not clear. After having task manger crash, do you reboot the machine or just keep on testing?

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David

[speck]

David,
Sorry for the confusion. The original issue was when exitting BIT the BIT app. would "hang" or more often there were lingering BIT.exe in process list of task manager after closing BIT. When we deselect the audio test the BIT app. would exit properly.

As suggested we verified bios and device drivers and found the audio driver , Realtek AC'97, had an update.

So with the latest audio driver we start BIT continuous and when we attempt to enter task manager to view , CPU load for example, we get the access violation .

we then reboot and repeat the scenario and the access violation re-occurs.

Just wondering if you have any advice on the Access violation,
or known threading issues running BIT with multple CPU's and hyperthreading.

Thanks,
Steve

[David (PassMark)]

Thanks for the clarification.

An access violation is a very very general error that any Windows application can have. But we have never seen the task manager application crash with an access violation however.

I did some searching on the net and some other people have reported task manager crashing, in various different scenarios (not using BurnInTest), but there didn't seem to be a single cause nor solution.

There is no way that BurnInTest can have a direct impact on Task Manager. It is more likely that it is some indirect effect. For example, the use of BurnInTest provokes a bug in a device driver which then returns unexpected data to Task Manager.

To track down faults like this you need to be very methodical. It can take some time and perseverance to elminate each possibility. You should also consider upgrading to BurnInTest V5.1.

The only multi-CPU / threading issue we are aware of is the one described here,
http://www.passmark.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=383
Which is a bug in Windows.

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David