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    MX-3215 BSOD + boot problems

    Discussion in 'Gateway and eMachines' started by seaweedsl, Jan 30, 2009.

  1. seaweedsl

    seaweedsl Newbie

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    Hi guys, I'm trying to fix a Gateway MX3215 laptop. Here's the problem in the form of my repair notes :

    Helped a friend setup her Creative webcam - driver was already installed, just plugged it in and setup in Skype, turned on cam monitor or somesuch utility

    Then at shutdown - Locked up - BSOD

    KERNAL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR
    STOP: 0x0000007A
    atapi.sys - Adress F751050C

    Then on reboot it does it again and then next it can't even find OS. MBR error.
    Then it boots again after a while, but crashes at log on
    Rinse and repeat.

    Next I try to address MBR issue and boot to Recovery console to fixMBR, but it can't do it. Says maybe bad drive?

    Next I run a quick test off the Ultimate Boot disk using Hitachi Drive Fitness in DOS and drive tests good.

    Nexti I go into Recovery console again and try to repair but it now says there's no drive. Happens twice.

    Next I go back to my UBDisk and run (forget brand tools and it can't find any drive.

    Back into Hitachi and it eventually finds a drive IC25N060ATMR04-0 60 GB (Fuji?)

    says smart status of drive is good -

    Go into Seagate Disc Diag and use Generic test. Tests good, electrical and mechanical parts Smart status, Random read test

    Find out it according to Gateway it should be a Fuji, run Fuji diagnostic and they say it's not Fuji

    Go back into Recov console and this time it found the windows installation again. I ran fixboot but it said it was a corrupt sector and then it could not fix the boot sector.

    Then I did bootcfg /rebuild, but it said it failed to find windows installation, could be caused by corrupt file system. Use chkdsk

    Ran chkdsk and says volume appears to be in good condition

    ran chkdsk /p and it says 39% completed ....unrecoverable problems

    So then, I installed Windows XP over the spare (old recovery) partition on the same drive and it installs fine. Upon initial boot, though, it snags.
    I am able to go into safe mode and begin to copy files from primary partition but after a few minutes, it crashes, BSOD again, but a different one. This is in safe mode, with zero drivers, nothing installed.

    It now refused to boot in the new Windows - boot sector problem or else goes to BSOD if it does get into Windows.

    So I try starting in the original Windows install and now IT works. I install Backup software (Acronis) and try to make a backup of the whole drive but it crashes - BSOD
    Something is definitely wrong with the hardware - two different installations (on the same drive) failing with BSODs and also with Boot sector issues.

    Most likely is hardware, though it passes the tests.

    Just to be sure, I run more tests:
    Windows Memory test - Good
    Memtest+ Passed two times, no errors

    Next I'll try to recover friends drive, gonna see if Acronis can do that from a boot CD.

    Then what, new drive? Any other likely suspects? Maybe these are known to do this with a bad MB? I doubt it, but checking.

    Thanks for any suggestions.

    Steve
     
    seaweedsl, Jan 30, 2009
    #1