BSODs; volsnap.sys identified

Heck, at this point, perhaps it would be better for me to simply format the HDD and then install the OS from scratch again. My concern in doing that, however, is that I'll end up at the same place.

I performed a repair re-installation on Monday. Early this morning, another BSOD occurred, naming volsnap.sys as the culprit again. What a pain!!!

I fear I have no recourse but to go through the painful process of formatting the HDD and installing Windows again. But what's to say I won't experience the same problem again?

What could cause volsnap.sys to keep crashing? Could there be malware in the BIOS? (BTW, the Dell BIOS update utility won't let me re-flash the BIOS with the same or an earlier version. I already have the latest BIOS so I appear to be stuck.) Could it be a hardware failure?

Kaktussoft said:

Post screenshot of disk management please. Then I can give you instructions how to dual boot and test.

You already performed chkdsk/r c: ?
You already did a memory check?
You already tried Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup ? So no special drivers/startup software is loaded?

Thanks!
I've performed numerous CHKDSK /R /F, on both C: and D:.
I did a memory check using MemTest86.
I reviewed the 'Clean Startup' article but haven't tried it yet because the problem is so random and inconsistent. For instance, my system hasn't rebooted in over 30 hours. Not sure how to answer your question about "special" drivers/startup software. Can you elaborate?

I have attached a screenshot of my Disk Management. I've never been able to figure out why my C: partition is on Disk 1...nor if that matters.

Kaktussoft said:

Disk0 has an OEM partition and a RECOVERY partition.... this was the initial boot disk a long time ago. The 3rd partition on disk 0 is still active. So marked to be bootable. Please make it inactive.

In Elevated Command Prompt :

Code:

diskpart
sel  vol  d:
inactive
exit

Now open disk management and check if D is not active anymore.

Now shrink C by 50000MB to make space for new win7 system. Partition or Volume - Shrink

You joggled my memory. :) This PC came with Window Vista when I purchased it three years ago; that's where the 47MB OEM and 10GB RECOVERY partitions on the 500MB Disk 0 likely resided. I recall adding a 750GB HDD some later (Disk 1) and installing Windows 7 on it; not sure where the 100MB System Reserved partition came from on Disk 1...is that anything to be concerned about? In any case, Vista has long since been removed from this PC; i.e., there is no \Windows directory on Disk 0's third partition...and the system isn't set up for dual-boot.

I have marked Disk 0's third partition as inactive. On Disk 1, I have shrunk C: by 50000MB and have created a new 50GB partition (M:, listed as a Primary Partition). Please see attached.

Kaktussoft said:

Boot from win7 install DVD and install win7 in unallocated space you just created. If all is succesfull you can dual boot. Boot into the new and old win7 and check drive lettering using disk mangement. Is new win7 really using the new partition?

I will install Windows 7 on the new partition and then verify that I can dual-boot. I will also boot into each install and check the drive lettering--which (presumably) will verify that the new install is using the new partition. What should I do after that?

I installed Windows 7 on the new partition. I can dual-boot. I booted into both the original install and the new install; the drive lettering looks OK in each (IMO). Please see attachments.

How do you suggest I proceed?

Kaktussoft said:

Looks great!!! Now you can determine if it's a hardware problem

How will I be able to do that? Are you perhaps recommending that I boot into the new installation/environment and then wait to see if the volsnap.sys BSOD occurs again? I would need to install all (or many) of my apps before I could use that environment for any length of time.