Plugging and Unplugging Power Cord May Hang Computer

ID: Q190508

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

If you plug and unplug the power cord on a battery-powered computer that conforms to the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification, one of the following symptoms may occur:

Your computer appears to stop responding (hang)

You receive a Fatal Exception 0E error message.

After you experience one of these symptoms, your computer may appear to retain some degree of functionality, but certain ACPI functions such as thermal management may be disabled. This may result in the computer's internal temperature reaching dangerously high levels without Windows 98 being able to activate the appropriate cooling methods to reduce the temperature.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, shut down and restart your computer. If you are unable to shut down Windows properly, turn your computer off and then back on.

To prevent this problem from occurring, do not plug and unplug the power cord repeatedly or in rapid succession.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 98.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem occurs only on battery-powered computers because if you unplug the power cord on any other type of computer (for example, computers that use only AC power), the computer turns off.

It is possible, although not confirmed, that other power-management actions may cause these symptoms to occur.

This problem has been reported to occur on an IBM ThinkPad 600 computer.

Additional query words: freeze freezes hangs lock locks up


Keywords          : win98 winapm 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: February 12, 1999