# Solved: Freezes/Restarts at Verifying DMI Pool Data



## FeMerican (Apr 2, 2005)

For the past several weeks, my computer has been either freezing at "Verifying DMI Pool Data" or constantly restarting at that point. It happens most of the time now, but not always. I'm running Windows 98SE with a DSL Actiontec modem, which includes a built-in router/firewall. Here are some of the things I've tried (I'm not sure I can remember them all)-- they all worked at first, then problem returned. 

-- Ran a Thorough (3-hour!) Avast av scan. Came up clean. Ad-Aware, CW Shredder and A-squared anti-trojan were also clean. (Spybot S&D crashes my system now, so it's long gone.)

-- Started in Safe Mode, then ran HijackThis; found four definite bad items and had HJT fix them. Seemed to help for a while. 

-- Started in Safe Mode, then ran msconfig and disabled all non-essential startup programs. Seemed to help at first, then problem returned. Now sometimes I can't even get that far.

-- Started in Command Prompt Only, ran scanreg, and was prompted to restore previous version of the Registry, which I did. It was a version from just a few days earlier. Seemed to help at first, then problem returned (back to restart loop). 

-- Checked/tightened all my connections (none noticably loose); same as above.

-- Booted from Startup Disk, then typed "sys c:" at the A:\> prompt; same as above. 

-- Booted from Startup Disk, then typed "fdisk/mbr" at the A:\> prompt; same as above.

-- Tried just leaving my pc on overnight so I wouldn't have to reboot, but next day it was frozen so had to restart anyway. 

It's not an overheating problem because, if anything, the problem is WORSE first thing in the morning when it's cold. Which makes me think maybe a short somewhere? Or am I thinking in the wrong realm? It's obviously working right now, but only after retrying everything above without success, then in desperation just tried regular power-off/power-on ONE MORE TIME, and this time it worked.

I'm starting to wonder if all the above were actually just placebos and coincidences, and really didn't help at all, but since it's an intermittent problem they SEEMED to help temporarily. 

Could it need a new computer battery? If so, what cost/procedures are involved? 

Thanks a bunch in advance!


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm


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## FeMerican (Apr 2, 2005)

Thank you, AcaCandy. As it happens, I have been working from that very link for the past several days and have tried everything my level of expertise would allow. I know nothing about partitions, and cannot reinstall my os because I got my computer used, and there were no cd's included. I have also tried entering Setup, but that was all Greek to me. Any other suggestions? Thanks again.


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

It might be a problem with the CMOS battery (3 bucks to replace and test).

It's just a quarter sized silver lithium battery held down by a clip. You've seen them around.

One common fix that works about half the time for freezing at the verifying dmi pool stage is to go into the BIOS and look for the option to "reset configuration data" (ESCD). This should be found in the "Peripherals" page of the CMOS setup.


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## FeMerican (Apr 2, 2005)

Thank you, Rollin' Rog. Since rebooting is now such an iffy thing for my poor computer, I haven't tried your BIOS suggestion yet, but definitely will the next time I'm forced to reboot. 

The more I think about the CMOS battery issue, the more I think that may very well be the problem. I got the computer second-hand and the battery hasn't been changed in the two years I've owned it, so I'm also planning to take the cover off before I reboot to see what kind of battery it uses. Then I'll replace it. 

According to the info I've found on doing that, I need to first go into Setup and write down all the settings from the BIOS menus. Then after changing the battery, I have to go back into Setup again and put all the settings back the way they were. 

Does that mean going into EACH of the sections in Setup and writing down EVERYTHING on each of those screens? Will it all be gone afterward? I'll do it if necessary, of course, but would hate to spend all that time on it if it ISN'T necessary. 

Also, I've had my computer open several times in the past, before I read about using an anti-static wristband. Is that a necessity too? 

Thank you so much for all your help.


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Actually, given the problems you've had, I wouldn't worry too much about preserving the current settings. It would probably be better to allow the CMOS to reset to its defaults and sort things out on its own according to the current hardware configuration. That is one of the things that "reset configuration data" does when the current configuration data is causing problems.

The setup screens will all still be there, but some settings may change depending on whether the orginal owner modified them from the defaults or whether new hardware has been installed.

The antistatic wrist band is recommended when removing memory. One can also just momentarily ground a hand against the case (which is what most folks actually do). For the CMOS battery itself, you won't need a wrist band.


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## FeMerican (Apr 2, 2005)

Thanks again, Rollin' Rog, for the info and for always responding so quickly! This time around you've saved me a lot of time and aggravation. Sure glad to know I don't have to write down all the BIOS info, then try to go back and reset it! I like your idea a whole lot better. And you've saved me the price of the wristband, too! If I had the computer open on a regular basis I'd probably buy one, but since hopefully that will never be the case, I'll forego it for now. I probably won't have time to open the computer til tomorrow, but hopefully I'll just find a regular watch-type battery-- not the barrel kind-- so I can change it myself. Thank you!


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Unless the system was built prior to Win98 it's likely to be the common lithium battery.Most drugstores will even carry them, but Radio Shack, for sure.

Good luck on this; I can't guarantee you any outcomes, it's just what I would do under the same circumstances.

Changing the battery or resetting the configuration data is not in itself a system hazardous procedure unless there is an underlying motherboard or hardware problem (power supply, ram, video card, etc) -- in which case almost anything you do is a crapshoot.

It's possible you may need to do some ram testing as well.

For that eventualilty you may want to create a bootable floppy for a software test.

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I'd take the old one with you, just to be sure


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## FeMerican (Apr 2, 2005)

Thank you both. My computer completely died last night, so I opened it up and found a good ol' garden-variety lithium battery, which I easily found the replacement for at the drugstore. The problem came when I replaced it. I don't think the battery had ever been changed, because the way it seats it sure wasn't designed to EVER have to be changed. By that I mean that not only is it held in place vertically (which I realize is common, but to me, counterintuitive)-- mine is held in place ONLY by somebody's idea of a spring-loaded clip... only without any "spring" or adjustment to it. So after I replaced the battery, I couldn't get the clip to "clip." The connections weren't connecting, no matter what I did. Finally, I resorted to using a tiny piece of aluminum foil, folded several times, to wedge between the clip and the battery so there would be a connection and the battery would stay in place. Obviously it's working for now (I only have this one computer), but I worry that the first time I accidentally bump the pc, I'll lose everything again. Do you think it will be okay this way, or do you have any better solutions? Thank you so much for your input-- it has been VERY helpful!


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

If you are careful, removing all power to the computer do you think you might be able to use a needle nose pliers to bend the clip so it makes better contact? Of course you have to be careful how you do it so as not to break the clip off. If you do that you will probably need to be handy with a soldering gun.

But there is nothing wrong with what you did as long as the foil seems firmly held in place.


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## FeMerican (Apr 2, 2005)

Since I've never soldered in my life, I guess I'll just hope for the best with the foil. I suppose the worst that can happen is I'll have to take the cover off again and put another piece of foil in there. I'd sure feel a lot more secure about it if the battery were made to lie horizontally... which I suppose used to be the case when computers laid flat on the table. Too bad they didn't reconfigure the battery area when they decided to make computers stand on their ends. In any case, I guess you can mark this thread "solved," and I thank you once again for all your help!


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Actually I think vertical is the exception, at least the Win98 systems and later that I've seen are all horizontal.

You're welcome for the help, I'll mark the thread "Solved", by the way this option is also available to you in the "Thread Tools" menu when appropriate.


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