Frequent Blue Screen Crashes (PLEASE HELP)
in [Windows Performance]
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From: Karim434 on 11 May 2010 06:09 My computer keeps experiencing what I think are called 'blue screen' crashes. The screen does not turn blue; rather it freezes and the graphics become heavily pixelated and distorted. I think it also turns progressively black over an extended period of time. It's an old Dell laptop running Windows XP Home Edition and when the problem started I used to get a link (on restarting) to this site: http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/Response.aspx/11/en-GB/5.1.2600.2.00010300.3.0?SGD=960632d3-5133-417c-bcb5-ca3e5719c196#here I do not get this link any more but I have no reason to doubt it is still the same problem. I have tried the advice offered here but to no avail. I have also spoken to Dell and been taken through the diagnostic tests for my computer, which failed to find any problems. According to Dell this means there is nothing wrong with the video card; rather Windows needs re-installing. I have also spoken to the video card manufacturer who say that, based on the symptoms, there is a problem with the video card and it's nothing to do with Windows. Any suggestions for resolving the problem would be much appreciated. I should also say that I used to connect the computer to a TV from time to time to watch movies (involving changing some of the display settings) which may have started the problem but I don't do that any more. -- Karim434
From: Shenan Stanley on 11 May 2010 09:19 Karim434 wrote: > My computer keeps experiencing what I think are called 'blue > screen' crashes. The screen does not turn blue; rather it freezes > and the graphics become heavily pixelated and distorted. I think it > also turns progressively black over an extended period of time. > > It's an old Dell laptop running Windows XP Home Edition and when > the problem started I used to get a link (on restarting) to this > site: > http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/Response.aspx/11/en-GB/5.1.2600.2.00010300.3.0?SGD=960632d3-5133-417c-bcb5-ca3e5719c196#here > > I do not get this link any more but I have no reason to doubt it is > still the same problem. I have tried the advice offered here but to > no avail. > > I have also spoken to Dell and been taken through the diagnostic > tests for my computer, which failed to find any problems. According > to Dell this means there is nothing wrong with the video card; > rather Windows needs re-installing. I have also spoken to the video > card manufacturer who say that, based on the symptoms, there is a > problem with the video card and it's nothing to do with Windows. > > Any suggestions for resolving the problem would be much > appreciated. I should also say that I used to connect the computer > to a TV from time to time to watch movies (involving changing some > of the display settings) which may have started the problem but I > don't do that any more. Unfortunately - it does sound like the video card. If it is still under Dell warranty - tell them to replace the motherboard. If it is not under Dell warranty - given it is an "old Dell laptop", this is the likely scenario - then you could try replacing the battery/running it without a battery source but plugged into the wall - to see if that makes a difference and if not - then it's probably a lost cause would cost more to repair than replace with something that runs better, faster and is still under some warranty.) -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
From: Daave on 11 May 2010 10:16 Karim434 wrote: > My computer keeps experiencing what I think are called 'blue screen' > crashes. The screen does not turn blue; rather it freezes and the > graphics become heavily pixelated and distorted. I think it also > turns progressively black over an extended period of time. > > It's an old Dell laptop running Windows XP Home Edition and when the > problem started I used to get a link (on restarting) to this site: > http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/Response.aspx/11/en-GB/5.1.2600.2.00010300.3.0?SGD=960632d3-5133-417c-bcb5-ca3e5719c196#here > > I do not get this link any more but I have no reason to doubt it is > still the same problem. I have tried the advice offered here but to > no avail. > > I have also spoken to Dell and been taken through the diagnostic > tests for my computer, which failed to find any problems. According > to Dell this means there is nothing wrong with the video card; rather > Windows needs re-installing. I have also spoken to the video card > manufacturer who say that, based on the symptoms, there is a problem > with the video card and it's nothing to do with Windows. > > Any suggestions for resolving the problem would be much appreciated. I > should also say that I used to connect the computer to a TV from time > to time to watch movies (involving changing some of the display > settings) which may have started the problem but I don't do that any > more. How old? What is the model and model number. What are the specs? I recently inherited an old Dell from my Dad. It exhibited the same behavior you describe. (By the way, "blue screening is something entirely different.) A Clean Install did actually fix this problem for me. Depending on the specs of this PC, you could boot off a Ubuntu CD. If there are no problems, then you can be certain your issue is Windows-related. You could either purchase this CD for a very nominal fee or create your own if you access to a good PC with a broadband connection and good CD burning software. More info on Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/ http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/purchase (actually this would be to purchase the DVD, which would be good only if your laptop's hardware supports this) http://www.ubuntu.com/ (the CD is free or you can make a donation, but you would have to wait a long time for it to ship!) You can either thoroughly scan for all types of malware (which may solve your problem or then again might not) or copy all your data and perform a Clean Install. If you believe this is still a hardware issue, this page contains very good troubleshooting information: http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot For Clean Install instructions: http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html (Then again, your laptop may have a different method. That is why I asked for the model and model number.) Depending on the age of this laptop, perhaps you might want to purchase a replacement!
From: Karim434 on 11 May 2010 13:26 Well, the computer is a Dell Inspiron 8500 and was purchased in late 2003. It has since been upgraded once (hard drive and RAM, in early 2007) and now has 2GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive. The processor continues to be the original Mobile Intel Pentium 4 with a speed of 2.2 GHz. I should also have said in my last post that it was the 2002 version of Windows XP with Service Pack 3. Does any of that information help? -- Karim434 "Daave" wrote: > Karim434 wrote: > > My computer keeps experiencing what I think are called 'blue screen' > > crashes. The screen does not turn blue; rather it freezes and the > > graphics become heavily pixelated and distorted. I think it also > > turns progressively black over an extended period of time. > > > > It's an old Dell laptop running Windows XP Home Edition and when the > > problem started I used to get a link (on restarting) to this site: > > http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/Response.aspx/11/en-GB/5.1.2600.2.00010300.3.0?SGD=960632d3-5133-417c-bcb5-ca3e5719c196#here > > > > I do not get this link any more but I have no reason to doubt it is > > still the same problem. I have tried the advice offered here but to > > no avail. > > > > I have also spoken to Dell and been taken through the diagnostic > > tests for my computer, which failed to find any problems. According > > to Dell this means there is nothing wrong with the video card; rather > > Windows needs re-installing. I have also spoken to the video card > > manufacturer who say that, based on the symptoms, there is a problem > > with the video card and it's nothing to do with Windows. > > > > Any suggestions for resolving the problem would be much appreciated. I > > should also say that I used to connect the computer to a TV from time > > to time to watch movies (involving changing some of the display > > settings) which may have started the problem but I don't do that any > > more. > > How old? What is the model and model number. What are the specs? > > I recently inherited an old Dell from my Dad. It exhibited the same > behavior you describe. (By the way, "blue screening is something > entirely different.) A Clean Install did actually fix this problem for > me. > > Depending on the specs of this PC, you could boot off a Ubuntu CD. If > there are no problems, then you can be certain your issue is > Windows-related. You could either purchase this CD for a very nominal > fee or create your own if you access to a good PC with a broadband > connection and good CD burning software. > > More info on Ubuntu: > > http://www.ubuntu.com/ > > http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/purchase (actually this would be to > purchase the DVD, which would be good only if your laptop's hardware > supports this) > > http://www.ubuntu.com/ (the CD is free or you can make a donation, but > you would have to wait a long time for it to ship!) > > You can either thoroughly scan for all types of malware (which may solve > your problem or then again might not) or copy all your data and perform > a Clean Install. > > If you believe this is still a hardware issue, this page contains very > good troubleshooting information: > > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot > > For Clean Install instructions: > > http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html > > (Then again, your laptop may have a different method. That is why I > asked for the model and model number.) > > Depending on the age of this laptop, perhaps you might want to purchase > a replacement! > > > . >
From: Daave on 11 May 2010 19:22 The specs are half-decent. Then again, the laptop is pretty old and you probably won't want to spend too much time or money troubleshooting it. The following group has a number of helpful fellow Dell users: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.sys.pc-clone.dell/topics?lnk=srg&hl=en It's worth a shot to post there. I agree with Shenan that the video card is probably bad. But since I had a similar experience and a Clean Install fixed the situation, I threw it out there in my first post. The problem right now is we are not 100% sure if this is hardware- or software-related! Your laptop's specs are robust enough to boot off a Ubuntu or Knoppix live CD. If the laptop does not exhibit the same symptoms (freezes and distorted video), then you can rule out hardware. If the symptoms persist, you do have a hardware problem. I already posted a link to hardware troubleshooting. If you have access to another video card of the coorect specs, you could swap it with the current one. Then again, laptops are nowhere near as easy to take apart as desktops. Good luck. (And make sure you back up all your data before it is too late!) Karim434 wrote: > Well, the computer is a Dell Inspiron 8500 and was purchased in late > 2003. It has since been upgraded once (hard drive and RAM, in early > 2007) and now has 2GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive. The processor > continues to be the original Mobile Intel Pentium 4 with a speed of > 2.2 GHz. > > I should also have said in my last post that it was the 2002 version > of Windows XP with Service Pack 3. Does any of that information help? > >> Karim434 wrote: >>> My computer keeps experiencing what I think are called 'blue screen' >>> crashes. The screen does not turn blue; rather it freezes and the >>> graphics become heavily pixelated and distorted. I think it also >>> turns progressively black over an extended period of time. >>> >>> It's an old Dell laptop running Windows XP Home Edition and when the >>> problem started I used to get a link (on restarting) to this site: >>> http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/Response.aspx/11/en-GB/5.1.2600.2.00010300.3.0?SGD=960632d3-5133-417c-bcb5-ca3e5719c196#here >>> >>> I do not get this link any more but I have no reason to doubt it is >>> still the same problem. I have tried the advice offered here but to >>> no avail. >>> >>> I have also spoken to Dell and been taken through the diagnostic >>> tests for my computer, which failed to find any problems. According >>> to Dell this means there is nothing wrong with the video card; >>> rather Windows needs re-installing. I have also spoken to the video >>> card manufacturer who say that, based on the symptoms, there is a >>> problem with the video card and it's nothing to do with Windows. >>> >>> Any suggestions for resolving the problem would be much >>> appreciated. I should also say that I used to connect the computer >>> to a TV from time to time to watch movies (involving changing some >>> of the display settings) which may have started the problem but I >>> don't do that any more. >> >> How old? What is the model and model number. What are the specs? >> >> I recently inherited an old Dell from my Dad. It exhibited the same >> behavior you describe. (By the way, "blue screening is something >> entirely different.) A Clean Install did actually fix this problem >> for me. >> >> Depending on the specs of this PC, you could boot off a Ubuntu CD. If >> there are no problems, then you can be certain your issue is >> Windows-related. You could either purchase this CD for a very nominal >> fee or create your own if you access to a good PC with a broadband >> connection and good CD burning software. >> >> More info on Ubuntu: >> >> http://www.ubuntu.com/ >> >> http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/purchase (actually this would be to >> purchase the DVD, which would be good only if your laptop's hardware >> supports this) >> >> http://www.ubuntu.com/ (the CD is free or you can make a donation, >> but you would have to wait a long time for it to ship!) >> >> You can either thoroughly scan for all types of malware (which may >> solve your problem or then again might not) or copy all your data >> and perform a Clean Install. >> >> If you believe this is still a hardware issue, this page contains >> very good troubleshooting information: >> >> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot >> >> For Clean Install instructions: >> >> http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html >> >> (Then again, your laptop may have a different method. That is why I >> asked for the model and model number.) >> >> Depending on the age of this laptop, perhaps you might want to >> purchase a replacement!
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