in regards to what you've just said above there writhziden, I have a really simple issue, I know its a driver issue causing my bsod's but i'm unaware of how you go about opening the .dmp and getting the name of the driver, is it possible to get some guidance on how to do this?
I'll respond in the thread you have going with my friend zigzag3143 and analyze the .dmp file. User-friendly: Analyzing your first BSoD! is the way we initially learned the basics of how to analyze the .dmp files.
Writhziden,
Theoretically, that's supposedly what should happen. But, you read down to step 17 and 18, it does state that there will be a "Windows.old" folder generated, which is one of the reasons I'm iffy about doing it, even though I'm burning the MSDN DVD as we speak. While I have no problems re-installing computers from now to when the cows come home, I'm just terrified that it's going to break something again. Also, the notion that I can't trust the Vista drivers also doesn't make me the happiest of campers.
Any advice on how I can find better drivers for everything?
Never had to do that myself. I've done a repair install 5-6 times on my systems with no issues, but I also didn't have a monster built in my basement.
The best place to find drivers is from Dell or the manufacturer of the device. Nothing else is guaranteed to work. Driver Reference Table is a useful resource to find driver updates.
Drivers and Downloads has driver manufacturers.
Well, given that it's a Franken-OS built from its own cloned parts, it's less weird than the original Frankenstein's Monster. Nonetheless, I've decided to just take your advice and pop it through the borg maturation chamber known as Windows Repair Install in the hopes that it can iron out most of the errors that exist, and take it through the Windows Update process to finish it off.Never had to do that myself. I've done a repair install 5-6 times on my systems with no issues, but I also didn't have a monster built in my basement.
The best place to find drivers is from Dell or the manufacturer of the device. Nothing else is guaranteed to work. Driver Reference Table is a useful resource to find driver updates.
Drivers and Downloads has driver manufacturers.
I'm definitely not looking forward to the driver hunting, since I have no idea which components work and which ones don't (Device manager doesn't show but one or two yellow question marks. However, even the ones that do run off of a generic driver supplied by Windows 7 may still have issues, even without us knowing.). And, being that Dell's Support site is out of date by a few years, going through each device via individual Hardware ID is potentially going to really chap my ass.
Regardless, I figured that since I don't have to give it back until Sunday, I'd just finish off things today. At the very least, if it does collapse and die once it gets back to my cousin, I can say without guilt or doubt that it was my fault that something went wrong. *Shrugs* Also, you didn't have a monster built in your basement, that's true. But, like most people, you most likely have a monster that's been breed in mass cloning tanks in the basement of a massive factory in Asian somewhere that's staffed by disgruntled peasants with swollen joints in their appendages. Haha!
Believe me, I feel your pain with the driver hunting. My brand new machine was missing a lot of drivers through the Windows install when I did a clean install. I was surprised it was not supported at first, but then I realized it probably has a lot of brand new devices that Microsoft did not know about when they made 7. Let us know if you have any trouble finding drivers, and we can try to help you find them. We have a forum dedicated to that on here, too.
Best of luck!
Oye. Let the official record show that attempting to normalize a Franken-OS take a fraking long ass time. I started my install approximately three hours ago, and that shiznit is still going. I can only imagine that whatever work crew of digital Oompa Loompas that Microsoft conned into do the installation are somewhere between throwing-acid-in-each-others' face and actively pulling a Donner party. Luckily, I think this pandemonium should be done soon, since there's about 50% left of the last "Transferring files, settings, and programs" step. Here's hoping that whatever guano insane issues this computer has, this repair install will have permanently solved it; why the upgrade process from Vista to Windows 7 didn't accomplish the same goal is beyond me. Ppffftt!
Just curious, should I just jump in on other threads, if I feel like it? It almost feels like I'm not qualified, despite me having done hobbyist computer repair for about five years. Heh. =p
I didn't feel qualified when I began either, but as long as you are careful and make suggestions that will not hurt a person's computer, you should be fine. The best way to learn is by making suggestions, having more experienced helpers add more information or correct you, and taking it in stride. I took it a little personally when I was corrected at first, but I got used to it so now when I get corrected (yes, it still happens to those of us with a lot of experience), I am glad for the correction and add it to my knowledge so I can help better the next time.
Also, before you post a solution to someone, see if there is a tutorial for it on these forums. That will help with the process and give useful pictorial steps to the person whose thread you help in.
Well, I've just read through a few posts, and there's so many brilliant people here that if I didn't get corrected at least once a day, I'd be totally surprised. Just as an update on my reinstall, it appears to have gotten stuck at 51% of the File transfer step for some reason. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say that this HD has at least one small, but nasty, bad cluster or sector, to the point where when you attempt to access it via a HD scanning program or a file transfer, it just pulls a time dilation on your ass. Between us, if I was two weeks younger, I'd be contemplating holding a forced power off via button. However, being that that's what got me into this mess initially, I'll just let it run and hopefully it'll complete it sometime.
It's almost like I'm pet-sitting a nasty cat or something. I can't wait until I get this thing all prettied up and send its ass packing!
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