Computer HELP!

[La Flames Fan]

I consider myself pretty Computer savy, but this one has thrown me for a loop. For some reason my computer has started to crash and become unstable, Blue Screen of Death.

I try to run certain programs, and processes like DXDIAG and others and they don't load and after a few minutes they're "not responding". Now, when I go to close these processes through the task manager that's when my computer freezes, becomes unstable and crashes a fiery death. I can't figure it out for the life of me.

I've run spybot, ad aware and norton but these have not solved the problem. I recently put new RAM in the system, but for weeks it was working fine with no issues.

I need some major help....Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

[Oxygen-Supply]

I am not big on this stuff.

What worked for me was, I saved all the files on to disc.

Then re-instaled windows. I lost every thing and had to set it up agian but it worked.

[La Flames Fan]

The poopoo thing is, I don't have my Windows support disc. I can't find it. That was my first thought, but whammo, I don't have it.

[photon]

What version of Windows are you using, and what do the blue screens say (the first few lines anyway)?

Have you installed any new software recently (like CD burning software)?

[BlackEleven]

Could be a virus ... I would update your virus definitions and try to rescan.

It's probably a long shot, but you may also want to try installing a firewall just in case. You can download ZoneAlarm for free at http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/comp...kulist_download

If all that fails, your hard drive may be shot, have you had it for a long time? If so, it may be time for a new one.

That's about all I can think of. Hopefully it will help.

[La Flames Fan]

Originally posted by photon@Sep 9 2004, 04:16 PM
What version of Windows are you using, and what do the blue screens say (the first few lines anyway)?

Have you installed any new software recently (like CD burning software)?

First blue screen I receive says the system is waiting for the the program to close itself, then, almost right after that, I get the "your system is busy or has become unstable...."

I only tried to install a game recently. RailRoad Tycoon....Other than that, I've put no other software on it.

[La Flames Fan]

Originally posted by FlamesFanInMTL@Sep 9 2004, 04:19 PM
Could be a virus ... I would update your virus definitions and try to rescan.

It's probably a long shot, but you may also want to try installing a firewall just in case. You can download ZoneAlarm for free at http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/comp...kulist_download

If all that fails, your hard drive may be shot, have you had it for a long time? If so, it may be time for a new one.

That's about all I can think of. Hopefully it will help.

I used to half Zone Alarm on another computer, and I liked that program, so I'll try that. I actually have an extra Hard Drive sitting beside my desk....What would happen if I installed that hard drive? Would I lose all my files? Would I have to reinstall windows, or would the previous windows OS that is on the Hard Drive be sufficient?

[BlackEleven]

You could install the second hd as a slave, but you would probably have to change some jumper setting on the back (most hard drives have the jumper settings for master/slave configurations printed somewhere on them). Once you have it installed as a slave you can run both hard drives at once and just copy the files from one hd to the other.

[La Flames Fan]

Sweet, thanks, I think I'll try that....UGHGHG....I need to get a new CPU.

[Pagal4321]

sounds like a good format is in the best intrest of your drive. been reentley having some omputer trouble myself, for the past 2 months, am just now realizing that i will have to buy a new computer.
But a ood format and re-installation of windows should do the trick. And if you don't want to lose all your files just do as flamesfaninmtl said and slae the extra harddrive, plug it into the computer and transfer files over to that one.

[Tron_fdc]

Anyone like to venture a guess as to why my laptop keeps shutting down on me? When I leave it for extended periods of time it will switch to the screen saver, then click off. I thought it had something to do with my power settings (which I changed so the thing should never turn off) but it hasn't helped. Is my motherboard fried? Or is there a setting in my CMOS that can be changed?


I don't want to format it again

[photon]

Originally posted by La Flames Fan@Sep 9 2004, 10:22 AM
First blue screen I receive says the system is waiting for the the program to close itself, then, almost right after that, I get the "your system is busy or has become unstable...."

I only tried to install a game recently. RailRoad Tycoon....Other than that, I've put no other software on it.

Alright, sounds like you have Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME..

My first recommandation is to get rid of that and use Windows 2000 or Windows XP Seriously 95, 98, and ESPECIALLY ME are garbage.

But anyway, it could be a software problem but it could also be a hardware issue, esp if there's no pattern as to what software triggers the problem.

Check to see what programs are running in the background (ones that give those system tray icons) and try to eliminate all the unnecessary ones. Stuff like Real Player can cause grief.

You could also take out the new memory (or take out the old memory) and any expansion cards to see if one of those is causing the problem. Bad memory is less likely the problem, but that can be faster to check and eliminate than rebuilding the whole system from scratch.

[BlackArcher101]

Test your memory... this is the usual suspect when getting numerous kinds of errors.

Download memtest86 here: http://www.memtest86.com/
Follow the directions on that page. Start running it when you go to bed, as it will take a long time.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally posted by La Flames Fan@Sep 9 2004, 04:09 PM
I consider myself pretty Computer savy, but this one has thrown me for a loop. For some reason my computer has started to crash and become unstable, Blue Screen of Death.

I try to run certain programs, and processes like DXDIAG and others and they don't load and after a few minutes they're "not responding". Now, when I go to close these processes through the task manager that's when my computer freezes, becomes unstable and crashes a fiery death. I can't figure it out for the life of me.

I've run spybot, ad aware and norton but these have not solved the problem. I recently put new RAM in the system, but for weeks it was working fine with no issues.

I need some major help....Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

I had the same problem with my laptop a while back and I was running Windows XP, so I'm not so sure the OS is the problem. In my case, the blue screen of death signalled HD failure.

Do you hear a clicking noise sometimes coming from your computer? For me again, when the blue screen of death appeared, it was because portions of my memory were unusable (damaged) and whenever the CPU tried to access these portions of the memory, the computer would freeze and do a memory dump.

A quick Google search found me some tips I could try, but I didn't even bother with it, because replacing the HD is a better way to go. Also, you could try to go into DOS mode at startup, and run Scandisk (you might need to create a bootdisk for this application). Run Scandisk and it'll block off all the bad sectors on your HD. You'll lose all those portions and it might significantly decrease your usable memory, but at least you won't be surprised with the blue screen of wonder in the middle of something important.

It's not spyware or adware, so don't worry about that.

[La Flames Fan]

Thanks guys this it totally helpful....I was going to play with the new hard drive last night but rather I watched TV. Productive evening. I will try that memtest....Just to make sure. And will run scan disk as well. Thanks a million.

[La Flames Fan]

SOLVED!!!! BY ACCIDENT!!!! I was searching for a program setup icon and searched through "find files and folders". I came across the setup for Windows and initiated it. It worked like a charm! I still got to keep my files but it fixed the problem!