The HORROR, the HORROR of using my computer

Sorry for the torrents of threads I've been starting lately, but I've been having so much trouble with my computer. Now that I've finally gotten XP MCE on the computer and installed all my apps, I've encountered yet another problem. I restarted my computer after I update the virus definition. However, after the XP Logo disappears, nothing happens - just a black screen (no messages, graphics, warnings, etc). I thought it might just be a minor problem, I manually restarted and the same thing happened again. I tired another time, but using safemode, I got in. After I did, I ran a spyware/virus/registry/error scan, but nothing came up, so I restarted, but alas, I was greeted with the same thing. I also tried a array of other things including system restore, but they didn't work either. After several restarts, I notice a pattern. I am able to successfully turn on the computer once every for every 3 times failures. Is there any way to fix this or do I have to reformat for the 3rd time in 2 days?

Thanks,

 

Wow, sounds like a bad reformat. Fixable though I think. First thing to me: did you delete the 1st partiition and write over it? Or make a seperate one?

Maybe its something related to the applications you installed. What applications? Were they stuff like display drivers, system drivers, etc? Maybe you installed them in the wrong order. I know my now dead dell 4600 had a strict order in which things must be installed manually.

If I were in your comp chair I'd just reformat once again.

 

do you know if your ram is okay? try running memtest86 overnight.

also, did you change your video drivers recently? i had a similar problem like you're having when i changed to omega drivers on my desktop.

 

I deleted my previous windows Partition and the created the current one.


Drivers (in the order they are install - as far as I can recall)

LAN
Wifi
Bluetooth
Chipset
Audio
Graphics
Card Reader
Web Cam



Applications


Adobe Reader
Flash
Fireworks
Dreamweaver
Bootvis
Messenger
Ie7
WMP11
.net framework 3
Firefox
ad-aware
spybot
zone Alarm 7

you get the picture. They are installed on other systems, which work fine.

 

Learning curiosity: what possible reason is there to suspect a RAM issue?

 

I actually upgrade my video driver recently, from the one Dell provided to the newest one on TweakRUS

 

when my ram went bad, it would at times load up windows fully and other times just freeze at the windows screen.

to hehe:

are you using the default video drivers that came with your notebook?


edit: try returning to default drivers to see if that may affect things.

 

Ej you saved me from something I can't even begin to describe right now this explains something odd about my XPS. I'm going to run that test.

 

Sounds like a video driver problem.. Rollback to the default drivers that were shipped, or to the default XP frivers, and then see if the problem still exists.
DO you have an integrated gpu, or a dedicated one?

 

hopefully this is your problem....but to be honest, this stalling on the windows screen seems to be a symptom that arises from several different issues. you might also want to check your hd health using the specific utility from your hd manufacturer's website.

 

thankfully Hd health is no problem with the XPS at all -- tested out ok. Sorry to digress but now back to HEHE.

 

I also think it's a HD problem. I would suggest running a test for bad clusters asap. If there is a problem, bad clusters will most likely show up before you even have to finish that long process @hehe

 

I SUGGEST auslogics defrag!

 

I'll run those tests anyways, but I'm not sure if it's a hardware problem. I can boot into safe hood fine, so doesn't that indicate my HD/RAM is ok?

 

yeah that is why I also wondered why ej asked about the RAM.

but maybe it's because safe mode is less intensive on the RAM and uses less of it to run windows barely well enough just to get into safe mode. not sure about this just my theory.

 

it's very possible that you are right. i never tried booting to safe mode when i had bad ram b/c memtest86 runs on boot up so i figured out i had a problem before then. i just saw symptoms of what i had when i had bad ram with your description so i figured i would mention it....

but why did you perform a reinstall anyway?

 

I think he was having XP pro issues and went (back?) to MCE.

Edit: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=109891

 

as i had thought....unexpected freezes and bsods are also symptomatic of bad ram...but i don't know if being able to get into safemode negates ram as being a problem.

 

So I guess safe mode theory not using as much RAM, causing it to possibly be more stable, doesn't apply =/

 

i have no idea. what you say sounds very plausible, but i can't be sure...

 

Since those tests didn't get anything, I tried uninstalling the video driver and that finally did the trick, or so at least I thought. The machine reboot once fine, but gave the the black screen again on the second time. Aggghhh! I really thought I had it that time

 

I hate to say: try another reformat.

 

It's highly likely that I'd get the same problem again, since that happened last time.

 

try to uninstall Zone Alarm... and then you will see your pc probably work..

ZA seems to have some major problems time to time.

 

HEHE:

I'd narrow the field down.

Reformat once more, I know it sucks.

But only install the absolute REQUIRED application drivers: chipset, display, etc.

See if this helps.

 

If you haven't done it, I'd also really run the memtest86+ application, I've had bad RAM before where sometimes the computer boots fine, sometimes it doesn't boot at all, sometimes I would get an error, sometimes not.

Running Memtest found errors with the RAM and changed it out, and all better.

Even if the PC boots into Safemode I'd still run the test.

 

In Add/Remove Programs, uninstall any and all Windows Hotfixes. Uninstall your antivirus programs, it's highly likely that they are the culprits---personally I would not recommend putting an AV on an unstable system in the first place. Uninstall your video card driver so that you have to rely on the standard Windows VGA driver for a 640x480 display. Uninstall your sound drivers. You've probably done this numerous times by now, but bear with me.

Now test it for stability and see if the blackouts or crashes occur during regular use. Go to the Event Viewer in Control Panel--->Administrative Tools--->Event Viewer. Check the Application and System fields for warnings (yellow !) and errors (red X). Feel free to browse the other fields such as Antivirus and report any errors there. If you can somehow make note of any errors that it reports and post it here, that would be helpful.

 

I ran the memory check in the Dell Diagnostic tool, but nothing came up. I knew it'd be much easier to just reformat (3rd time), so I did. I installed all the Dell Drivers and every seemed fine . However, after I installed the driver for my external display, I got the same black screen as before. I booted into safemode and reinstalled it, which fixed the problem. Thinking that the problem was solved, I installed all my programs. The only glitch I got there was a explorer-crashing problem with ZoneAlarm (but that was quickly remedied). My computer was working fine when I noticed a little pop-up balloon when saying that I still needed to install the various components of Bluethooth (PIM Sync, mouse, audio, etc), so I did. ZA asked me if I wanted to allow this operation and I said yes. The sign of trouble appeared after this: immediately after I clicked allow, the screen began to flicker (violently). This however, stopped after about 2 minutes, when the installation finished. It asked me whether or not I wanted to restart, and I said yes. Upon Booting Up, I got a BSOD (I forgot to write down the message before I turned it off). The next time I tried turning it on, I got the same black screen that I started with. Ahhghghghh!! This is driving me nuts. I called Dell and they said if this is not a hardware (specifically memory) problem, they cannot help me. Do you guys have any ideas? Thanks

 

Did you try any of the things I suggested in my previous post?

Sounds like a driver problem, probably your display or bluetooth driver.

 

What external display driver are you talking about? Is it possible your laptop video output is screwed up (outputting to your laptop screen or external display by accident, etc.)

As people keep telling you, go into safe mode. Device Manager.

Rollback your display adaptor to either Dell or XP driver.

Go to Add/Remove Programs and uninstall the non Dell or XP driver you installed.

The fact that in your post you say that while you had all the Dell stuff installed it was running fine leads me to believe it's when you start messing around with third-party stuff that's causing it. Unfortunately you can't always have your cake and eat it too...you may have to stick with Dell drivers if they are the stable ones.

 

Yes, I did. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary before the crash. Also, the bluetooth drivers are the ones supplied by Dell

 

Uninstall ZoneAlarm and tell me if it stabilizes. ZA used to generate BSOD's on my old laptop.

 

Thanks for all your help. After yet another reformat, and carefully installing one program at a time, I finally discovered that GOOGLE DESKTOP is the culprit. I'm beginning to hate Google now (its software anyways). Google Talk crashes another computer and Google Desktop crashed this one. I think it might have something to do with Win Blinds as another computer with identical programs minus Win Blinds seems to run Google Desktop fines. Anyways, I uninstalled it and now everything works perfectly.

 

I love Google and it's apps, but I HATE Desktops from any Company. I never tried Google Talk.