Computer refuses to shut down and then BSOD's on me if I let it run.

[Zibeltor]

Huh, well, I was unable to find getoddmodel.exe or Leaderbit in my add/remove programs list. I don't really recognize or know what they are either. Ahem! After searching for just that phrase "getoddmodel.exe" I found it; it was a driver installed by the portable DVD burner I bought for those backup discs. Haha, as such, I kind of doubt it's the source of the issue, but I went ahead and deleted the folder. I uninstalled utorrent and daemon tools a long time ago; I have no idea why they would still be cropping up. I was able to find old .exe's from utorrent which I deleted and daemon tools program file folder, which I deleted. (I'm not sure why the folder would still be there after having uninstalled it, but whatever...)

I mean, I suppose I could uninstall firefox...but it has all those saved passwords, history, and bookmarks I use so much. My understanding was that firefox was a perfectly stable, widely-used internet browser. And this shut-down problem has been around a lot longer than I ever had that VPN. :/ If I were going to uninstall those, I figure I might as well do the clean install ... Am I correct in thinking that a clean install is essentially like a reformatting of the system? (That'd it'd be like the first day I installed Windows 7 and I'd lose all my personal data?) Kind of related to that, I tentatively plan to take advantage of the free Windows 10 upgrade coming out at the end of the month. Do you think it would be possible to do a "clean install" of that instead of doing a clean install of Windows 7 and then upgrading to a different OS?

 

[essenbe]

As I understand it you will be able to do a clean install of Windows 10 after you have done the upgrade and when they release the ISO files. Personally, I would do a clean install now so that when windows 10 is upgraded it will have a good, clean base to install into. As far as your Firefox, you can back up all of your bookmarks and History from it so it can be restored if/when you reinstall it again. +

All of these programs I am asking you to uninstall is not that I just do not like them. It is because I have looked at your error reports and see several errors caused by these programs, or they are well known causes of BSODs. In the end, it is your computer and you are free to do whatever you want. If it were mine, I would already have done a clean install a week ago.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutsearch.php?q=seatools

 

[Zibeltor]

So, am I right about the clean install being a reformatting of the system? It would fix/overwrite whatever registry tweaking I did in the far past, but it would also wipe my hard drives? So, in order to save my personal info (like the firefox settings), I would have to burn it all onto DVD's or, I guess, buy an external HDD to put everything on? The biggest reason I'm asking is because I have about 70 GB worth of music that I've been collecting for years, and I've really prioritized my digital collection over my physical one...

I'm just kinda surprised that in the year 2015, "just wiping it and starting fresh" is still the ultimate/last troubleshooting step.

 

[essenbe]

Does your SSD have instructions for a secure erase? If so, yes. It would wipe everything out and it would be a fresh install. As far as the backups go, if you have files you want to keep, you should regularly back up everything to an external drive. It is not a question of if your hard drive will go out. It is a question of when it will die. They all do. I have everything backed up to at least 3 external hard drives. I learned my lesson many years ago.

I'm just kinda surprised that in the year 2015, "just wiping it and starting fresh" is still the ultimate/last troubleshooting step.

What would you think the ultimate step would be? Do you have any suggestions? There are a lot of backup strategies that could avoid this, if you did complete backups. I'm really not sure what you would expect. Anything you have needs to be taken care of and proper maintenance done. A computer is no different than your car. If you go messing with the engine and not doing necessary maintenance, it won't last very long. There's no magic involved. No, even in 2015, we don't have a fix it key on the keyboard. You do not have to do anything I suggest, it's your computer and you are free to do as you like.

 

[Zibeltor]

No, even in 2015, we don't have a fix it key on the keyboard.

Haha, fair enough. That would be nice though, wouldn't it? Anyway, I guess part of me is afraid that it's really not an OS or software issue at all, which would be kind of annoying. I guess it'd at least be nice to confirm that's not the problem once and for all.

Um, how do I find out if my SSD has instructions for a secure erase? Like, check on the manufacturer's website or is that a utility hidden somewhere on the hard drive itself? Also, not to sound paranoid, but doing a clean install wouldn't mess up that weird OEM license I have, right? Right now, I'm trying to get my USB 3.0 ports to work (via a different thread) which is kind of a prerequisite to me getting everything backed up via an external hard drive. Thank you for the advice though; I've personally never had a hard drive fail, but I know it can be quite traumatic when it does happen.

 

[essenbe]

You should still run Seatools to make sure it isn't your hard drive. What's wrong with your USB 3.0 Ports? Have you installed the USB 3.0 Drivers from the Gigabyte site? GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1155 - GA-Z77X-UD5H (rev. 1.0). Your OEM License should be fine as long as it has never been installed on another computer. Whatever is wrong needs to be fixed before upgrading to Windows 10. I'm not even sure I would do a full install before 10. Just install what is necessary for now. When you do the upgrade, many of the programs will probably need to be reinstalled anyway, most likely. Just be sure everything is running right, you have all of the Windows Updates installed and the most current drivers installed.

 

[Layback Bear]

From post #83

It would fix/overwrite whatever registry tweaking I did in the far past,

That is one more reason to do a clean install.

1. If things are worth keeping they are worth backing up to a external drive. Should of already been done.

2. You can test a computer to death; sooner or later you got to bite the bullet and do a clean install. A fresh starting place will make it possible to work out any problems that are left, if any.
Yes you can have hardware and software problems along with infections all at the same time.

3. Don't assume the the computer system only has one problem.

4. The proper method after a clean install is to also clean install all needed or desired programs.

**Zibeltor**
The ball is in your court. Let us know what you plan on doing.

P/S
We have excellent tutorials on this form to guide you with a Clean Install. Take a little time and read through them.

By Gregrocker:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

By Brink:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

I also agree with Steve's suggestion in his post #86.

 

[Zibeltor]

Alrighty--I'll google, download, and run Seatools once I get back home. I did indeed install the drivers you recommended (although I should probably double-check that my mobo is rev. 1.1 and not 1.0). Unfortunately, I just recently found out that I forgot to plug my front panel USB 3.0 ports back into the motherboard after I RMA'ed it a while back. I'm guessing the drivers probably need to be reinstalled because of that. (But then again, that wouldn't explain why my back panel USB 3.0 ports (the ones built directly onto the mobo) are acting similarly squirrely.)

I definitely agree about wanting to have a stable, solid running setup before I start upgrading to a newer OS. I'm not chomping at the bit to install Windows 10 (and I'll actually be out of town the week that it's released anyway). Hopefully I can get this USB issue solved, then the backup going, and if my computer isn't magically acting right by the time I want to upgrade I can just do the clean install (because like you said, a lot of the programs and stuff would have to be reinstalled anyway). Sorry for being so reticent to your guys obviously more informed advice; I've just never had to do a clean install before and the process sounded a little intimidating. Thank you for posting those guides!

I have one more sort of related question in case I want to do more registry fiddling in the future (which, I know now, obviously, is a bad idea). It's more of a hypothetical question than a practical one: if I did a system restore/complete backup before the registry tweaking, would that system restore/complete backup save the default registry settings that I messed with? Meaning that if what I did "messed up" the computer again, I'd be able to restore it to how it was before I messed with the registry? And kind of related to that, I'm assuming by back up my stuff on an external hard drive, you just mean that I should copy all the files I want to keep to that external hard drive. Would there be an easier way to do it with like a system restore or the Windows backup utility, or would that possibly just preserve the problems we're trying to diagnose and eliminate?

 

[essenbe]

Here's a good simple way. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/278866-synctoy-backup-user-data.html, or you can just copy/paste them. Yes, an image of the OS would restore the registry to the point it was when you took the image. But, I would not be messing in the registry when you don't understand what you are doing.

 

[Zibeltor]

Thanks for the tip a la backing stuff up! I went out and got an external HDD and a USB 3.0 flash drive for testing purposes. While I was out, I ran the Seatools for Windows program. All my drives passed all the tests, except that my little 40GB SSD failed both the short generic and long generic tests. What's the significance of that? Is there a possibility that drive could be causing the issue?

Also, I had another mysterious occurrence that I thought I'd relate just in case it could be significant. After attempting to shut down the PC, it said that it shut down..but all the lights and fans were still on/running. I pressed the power button again to make sure that I didn't accidentally put it in sleep, but nothing happened. I ended up just holding the power button down for a hard shutdown and it did in fact shutdown (i.e. the lights and fans shut down). Just thought I'd mention it.

 

[essenbe]

I've never run Seatools on an SSD. I wouldn't think it could pass. Seatools is made for Mechanical hard drives. Seagate should have a test or tool box for your SSD. I presume it is being used as a cache system for your other hard drive. I imagine it could cause the BSODs, but, I would either replace it with a regular SSD and use the hard drive for data, or avoid using the SSD all together.

 

[Zibeltor]

Huh, it's interesting you say that because my other larger SSD passed all the tests just fine (the SSD that serves as my local C drive). I looked through all the options on Seatools for Windows and there didn't appear to be any SSD specific tests. That little 40 GB SSD though actually has nothing on it. It's not being used as a cache system (at least I don't think; I don't really know what you mean by that). I'll go ahead and unplug it for a while and see if that seems to affect anything.

By the way, I did pick up an external HDD the other day. It's still a little slow going on the USB 3.0 issue, but it shouldn't be too much longer now.

 

[essenbe]

OK, that sounds like a good test. Just let me know how it goes.

 

[Zibeltor]

Hey there! I've pretty much finished getting everything I wanted backed up and was trying to begin the windows 7 clean install guides. Unfortunately, when I try to download an ISO from the microsoft website, it says something about my license having been preinstalled on the machine and therefore I can't download the iso. What you would recommend as a second best option?

 

[Zibeltor]

So, more specifically, I've gotten a torrent of the iso that looks to be reputable, but when I went to check the SHA1 signature a la GregRocker's guide:

"SHA1 signature available freely on the MSDN Downloads page "Details" links, using a checker like HashTab which adds a HASH calculator to the ISO file Properties tabs. Having these sums match assures ISO integrity and that nothing was added to the file."

they didn't match. How do I find a copy that would have the matching hashes?

 

[essenbe]

Try these links Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

Microsoft Software Recovery

 

[Zibeltor]

I'm pretty sure that first Digital River link got shut down in February 2015 and the second link is the one I've already attempted to use from GregRocker's guide. I guess because I have an OEM license, I can't download an ISO of the OS? I've got a promising looking version on the way from Download Windows 7 ISOs, Legally and for Free | PCsteps.com

 

[essenbe]

I never recommend a torrent download. It's just too unreliable and dangerous. If you have a friend who has a Windows HO X64 DVD, you can use ant DVD to install and just use your COA activation number. It just has to be exactly the same one you had pre installed. Windows 7 Home Premium X 64.

 

[Zibeltor]

I'm afraid I'm the savviest computer person of my real life friends. None of them have an installation disc I can remember. I did find a torrent from that website that had the identical SHA1 signature identified by the GregRocker fellow by reference to that MDSN page. Is there a way I could doubly verify the torrent's authenticity (since I'd rather not wait/pay to have M$ ship me another disc)? (The people in the comment thread of that website seem to be generally pretty happy/satisfied. Apparently it's just a dude rehosting the original DigitalRiver iso's.)

 

[essenbe]

I'm trying to see right now. But, I don't know of a place right now.