Laptop is sick as a dog!

Black_Knight · 08-03-2008 12:02pm #1

Hey all.
For some reason recently my laptop has been throwin out blue screens like beads at mardi gras:eek:. The only common factor ive found is that ive been using firefox everytime except possibly once when it just rebooted from a blue screen, left the laptop, and then blue screen after 20mins or something. Ive been using firefox for years now, and never any problems.

I uninstalled firefox and tried out firefox 3 beta. Was all goin good until again, a blue screen. I can use my laptop for maybe a few hours and its all good, then more then likly il get a blue screen. About 3 a day now. Generally it dies when i do something kinda big. Opening pdf and ppt documents from the net, especially if the page file is pretty big.

I cant read the blue screen as it goes too quick but i got a different error yesterday, error is Stop c000021a {Fatal System Error}:(
Followed by a reboot and more then likely a No operating system found, or it says my hard drive is going to be bricked and back up all data. (ive since done this)

It might be a hard drive issue but im only basing it on that last error i said.

Also on reboot windows enters it scanning for bad files check(i think thats what it is), it finds a load of files in docs n settings/me/app data/mozilla/..../cache
So i might try opera if it happens again. Possibly try a system restore but if its hardware then im not sure what good this will do.:(

Anyone have any ideas as what to do? I might be able to get my hands on a 2nd hard drive to test out but thats only a might.

Cheers guys n gals.
Sorry its such a long post

Overheal · 08-03-2008 3:56pm

It could very well be a hard drive corruption issue. In those cases, once problems start, things go very downhill, very fast. So double and triple check you have backed up all of your vital data. And if you have done so I strongly suggest a re-install of the OS.

also, run the cmd.exe promt and run chkdsk from there.

If that doesnt provide conclusive evidence try this out: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ brilliant kit of free diagnostics.

How old is the laptop?

Black_Knight · 08-03-2008 4:34pm

Laptop is about 3 years old.
Pentium M 715, 1.5Ghz
512mb Ram

This all started on Monday or Tuesday, and since then my laptop has been on during the day for most the day (i need it for studying). Crashing a bit throughtout. That said, if the Hard drive was going to give out, as you said it should go bad and go bad quickly, i agree. But its been nearly a week of blue screens and 12hrs turned on each day and the auld hard drive is hanging in.
If it was going to pot id expect it to be gone already.

Thanks for the help, running chkdsk now. Error!!

Sherifu · 08-03-2008 4:47pm

run chkdsk /r to attempt to repair the errors.

Black_Knight · 08-03-2008 5:08pm

That was a big one there. Got a BSOD again. Basically posted and then couldnt get the laptop since my last post to this one. Ill try that now

Black_Knight · 08-03-2008 9:56pm

Done that. Didnt stop it from blue screening. I wasnt even doing anything strenuous this time though! Im using opera now [size=-2](cringe)[/size] just to see if its firefox thats the problem.
Next step is system restore tomorrow if ive another crash.

Sherifu · 08-03-2008 10:05pm

In advanced tab of system properties turn off the automatic reboot so you can read the bluescreen fully.

Black_Knight · 08-03-2008 10:17pm

Sherifu wrote: »

In advanced tab of system properties turn off the automatic reboot so you can read the bluescreen fully.

Cool, now just to enduce system failure.
Time to put pressure on the laptop.
Would my page file in task manager being quite full have anything to do with the crashing? Im basically just browsing with 4 tabs and google talk running and my page file usage is 642mb! CPU usage is pretty high too, system idling with the above applications ive a CPU usage of ~25%.

Pre-sickness it was never this poor.

Overheal · 09-03-2008 12:43am

jesus, youve tapped into virtual memory o_0 i dont think any of us thought that was possible with Windows

the virtual memory support in that is dire. But youve done! Well done!

Seriously though, thats bad. You're running way too much ****e if its that big. Yeah I honestly have to say no more Fox for you: its a memory whore vs other browsers.

Because youre running with virtual memory [using space on the hard disk to purpose as extra RAM - its a builtin feature of windows] im betting thats where your blue screen is originating from: the constant reading and writing to your disk. Is your hard drive constantly busy?

I'd say that 3 years on, youve accquired a fair bit of memory leaks, dead registry entries and spyware. All of that gets loaded when you run the lappy and you may not even know its there.

Since youve backed up the data I STRONGLY reccomend you nuke the bastard. Compile together copies of all your drivers, get a disc of XP and reformat. A clean install of XP will clean out that crap.

do NOT keep running the laptop in its present state: the virtual memory issue will keep deteriorating your hard drive over time.

Black_Knight · 09-03-2008 12:55am

Clear and consise. Thanks.
I think a few weeks bad i spoted my page file at 1.1Gb. True story. That was a slow day at the office so to speak. I had plans to format and start again from scratch, but i loose free printing in the college once I do and its a pain to get it back. I need free printing at the mo, exams on monday.
I suppose ill run d lappy for a while, reboot and repeat process until i get to format it. Right not from a cold reboot and watching 2 or 3 episodes of house in VLC player (closed) and firefox with only this boards page open, my page file usage is 358mb!
Ill prep the nuke for the 19th!

Cheers for the insite

Overheal · 09-03-2008 1:12am

I'd nuke it now personally. You can have it back online with most of your applications before dinnertime tomorrow night. I dont see how you lose your printing..

Black_Knight · 09-03-2008 11:48am

Ive to connect to the college system to print and to do that ive to queue for about 30mins on a tues or thurs to get them to put in a password and proxy setting. Then fiddle about with their program that charges me so it doesnt charge me. Not something ive time to do when ive an exam on tues and thurday. Ive ordered 2Gb of ram now (40 quid). Should be here by the end of the week. A temp fix until the 19th when I start from scratch, could do with the ram anyways.

Firefox with 4 boards tabs open and Google talk running, PF usage = 380mb.
It was 305mb when I just started up, no apps running except antivirus, google talk and other small windows things you cant rid your computer of.

Black_Knight · 09-03-2008 3:07pm

Took a pic of the blue screen.

witnessmenow · 09-03-2008 3:14pm

KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR

Black_Knight · 09-03-2008 3:20pm

Thanks witnessmenow, i was too busy studying to look it up... now you get back to study too.

0xC0000185, or STATUS_IO_DEVICE_ERROR: improper termination or defective cabling of SCSI-based devices, or two devices attempting to use the same IRQ.

If the I/O status is C0000185 and the paging file is on a SCSI-based hard disk, you should verify the disk cabling and SCSI termination.

Whatever that all means....

Seems to be applicable to me. Ill investigate later.

AlmightyCushion · 09-03-2008 7:00pm

Black_Knight wrote: »

Ive to connect to the college system to print and to do that ive to queue for about 30mins on a tues or thurs to get them to put in a password and proxy setting. Then fiddle about with their program that charges me so it doesnt charge me.

In firefox. Tools > Options > security> show passwords >show passwords. This will give you the username and password of everything saved in firefox. You should be able to get the login details from that.

Black_Knight · 09-03-2008 7:48pm

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

In firefox. Tools > Options > security> show passwords >show passwords. This will give you the username and password of everything saved in firefox. You should be able to get the login details from that.

It most certainly does, but seeing as im looking for the college wireless password firefox is a useful as a chocolate teapot!

Sorry, couldnt help but be a smart arse. I know you didnt know it was the wireless password. Thats crazy NUIG for ya.
Any ideas how to get the password of your security enabled networks you automatically connect to and have the password already saved to?

Sherifu · 09-03-2008 8:10pm

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

AlmightyCushion · 09-03-2008 8:17pm

Black_Knight wrote: »

It most certainly does, but seeing as im looking for the college wireless password firefox is a useful as a chocolate teapot!

Sorry, couldnt help but be a smart arse. I know you didnt know it was the wireless password. Thats crazy NUIG for ya.
Any ideas how to get the password of your security enabled networks you automatically connect to and have the password already saved to?

It never said anything about connecting to a wireless network in your post.

If you use the intel wireless tool to connect. Open up the intel pro wireless tool, click profiles, click the nuig profile and click export. Then save it somewhere. Copy that file and then just import the profile (same steps as above except click import) after the format.

Black_Knight · 09-03-2008 8:39pm

Sherifu wrote: »

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

Neato!
Worked a charm.

Overheal · 09-03-2008 9:48pm

Now Nuke!!!! Ram later, nuke now!

Thats the american way...

Black_Knight · 09-03-2008 9:56pm

Overheal wrote: »

Now Nuke!!!! Ram later, nuke now!

Thats the american way...

I think you have a problem man. Nuke the wales!!

Laptop is sick as a dog!

Comments