Crash on startup (even safe mode) + repair operations failed to help

[tiredtom]

Sadly my laptop recently stopped being usable and it's hard for me to tell if it's a hardware or software problem. If anyone could help me figure that out and possibly fix it I would be very thankful. I had the laptop recently fall hard to the ground and was so relieved the screen was still good + hard drive good + it ran good up until the next time I hibernated it and then tried to take it out of hibernation. My memory is bad, but I think between that time I installed one or two free utilities related to computer temperature monitoring. While Windows fails to boot, the Windows repair UI's have ran without crashing and I was able to run Linux fine from a USB stick. My hope is that maybe one of those programs installed a driver that is causing the failed boots and it isn't hardware.

I'm good with computers, but not an IT professional or person familiar with the details of what happens in the background with things like using the last known working configuration option, startup repair operations, and safe mode. I'm fuzzy on the memory, but I think I remember in the past I had a flawed software (not related to hardware, just functionality added from driver) only driver installed that even tried to load when I did safe mode.

I did the F8 startup option to prevent auto-rebooting hoping the blue screen would have useful information like a particular driver causing the crash, but it was extremely minimal. I don't have it handy, but it was something like 4 very long 64bit hexidecimal numbers relating to an error code. If anyone can tell me how or point me to good info how to get extended details about the crash, I could do that.

Anyone know what the chances are a flawed driver from a temperature monitoring app could still be loading in my case? Also if that's the issue, I could use tips how to prevent it from loading with only being able to get as far as a repair command prompt. Maybe I could delete the particular driver file from the right location(s) if that's the issue and just cause it to skip loading that?

I hadn't looked much yet for what free software to try from a boost USB stick or DVD to run hardware diagnostics. If anyone has recommendations in that area it would be awesome. I found an Ultimate Boot CD homepage and haven't really reviewed yet what all it offers.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[essenbe]

Am I correct in that you cannot boot into safe mode? I really need the Dump files to debug it. Which Temp. Monitoring programs did you install? You may try to connect an external hard drive, boot into the recovery environment with the Windows Installation DVD, and use Copy/Paste from the recovery console. See if this helps. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html . 2 things with this. I would use this opportunity to copy all my personal files to the external drive just in case and also try to go to C:/Windows/Minidump and copy the whole folder to the external. From another computer, zip the folder up and upload the zip file with your next post. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html.

This is about everything you can do when Windows fails to boot. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

From a hard drop, I would suspect the hard drive, just as a guess. You may try to run Seatools for DOS, both the short and the long test. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/313457-seatools-dos-windows-how-use.html#Part3

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Let me know if any of that works for you.

 

[tiredtom]

Thanks very much for responding.

Nope, it doesn't boot safe mode. I have to deal with getting my car fixed this morning, but maybe later today I'll have time to try and get the dump file(s) like you suggested.

I actually don't have a Win7 disc because it was a refurbished laptop that came with it pre-installed. The place I bought it from might have one I could use though and I already had a reason to stop by there. I do have a Windows Vista DVD and have no idea if it would be of any use with recovery (non-installation) options.

I'll check those links out later today hopefully.

That was my thinking to figuring most likely that if anything broke it was probably the hard drive, but so far it has looked to be good. I installed the hard drive tools and it reported good status from the SMART counters, but I didn't run the diagnostics yet that take more than a couple seconds. Windows did run a full basic scandisk with good results though at least. I'll look into the more comprehensive tests you mentioned.

I have a bad memory and don't recall which fan/temp monitoring program(s) I installed. I did it on two laptops and may have only installed one. I guess when I go on the console next time I can look in my downloads folder and find the name of it/them.

 

[essenbe]

Ok, great. If you don't have an Installation disk, do you have a friend you can borrow one from? Any disk of the same thing as you have will work for troubleshooting and installation, if need be. Your system specs say Windows 7 Pro X64. Anyone who has a Windows 7 X64 disk should work. Hopefully it is SP1 too. It will take some time, but Dell, I believe will sell you a disk of the original installation media.

Many times even a bad hard drive can pass the SMART diagnostics. It's the extended one that will find the problems. But, just whenever you get a chance is fine. I doubt the Vista Disk would be any good.

 

[RolandJS]

I recommend you take it to business-oriented computer store and let them give it a good-check inside and out, give you a report of what needs fixing, if such can be fixed.

 

[tiredtom]

Finally got around to taking the drive out and plugging it in to my other laptop. Turns out it looks like dump files are set to be written. I looked both in the directory you mentioned and in the root of the drive. Not sure at this point how to turn dump files on since I can't even boot into safe mode, but I might research that and maybe I can do it soon.

A good business computer repair place should be able to figure out what's wrong, but I'm super poor right now and am good with computers. Makes more sense for me to invest my time to attempt fixing it. Thanks tho.

 

[tiredtom]

Actually I searched a little and found out I could start regedit from the recovery console. I did have memory dumps turned on, but for whatever reason it just didn't write one. I did write down the blue screen error it showed on screen though.

Technical Information:
*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xFFFFF880009A98E8, 0xFFFFFFFFC0000034, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000)

Also I put Seatools on my old laptop (one I'm writing this from) w/ the newer laptops hard drive plugged in. I ran the short basic tests on the drive. It took a couple minutes and came back with passed status. Also ran the next test in the list (Short Generic) and it came back passing. I'll look into doing the long generic & advanced tests on it if they work in a reasonable amount of time. Plugged into my cars power inverter, so if they take a long time I'll wait until I go plug into power somewhere else.

Any suggestions on a USB bootable environment for me to use to run comprehensive hardware tests on other components?

Thanks for your help.

 

[essenbe]

What OS does your other computer have? Also, I didn't suggest a computer shop. Please run Seatools for DOS, the extended test. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/313457-seatools-dos-windows-how-use.html#Part3

 

[tiredtom]

Seatools for DOS why? Is that different than the Windows version I installed?

My older working laptop runs Windows Vista Home 32bit.

I'm too poor to afford a computer shop.

 

[essenbe]

Seatools for DOS tests the hard drive when it is not in use and therefore gives better results. It is from a bootable CD or USB drive. You boot into whichever one you choose. I was just saying that I didn't ask you to take it to a computer shop, someone else did. See if you can find one of your friends who has Windows Pro X64 and borrow his disk.

 

[RolandJS]

I did; only because it's a last resort if time becomes crucial. Meanwhile, follow the advice from Essenbe, you can't go wrong!

 

[tiredtom]

The place I bought the laptop was actually a non-profit for people on a low income and today when I went by there they were very helpful. They had a different hard drive with Windows we plugged in and it got the same crash. We got the BIOS diagnostics to run when I couldn't previously and they passed. Things point to the motherboard and I left the laptop with them to replace it for free since it's under waranty. Hoping to pick up tomorrow with it working.

Essenbe thank you very much for your help. Very kind of you. At least the whole process was a little educational. Hopefully the motherboard replacement fixes my problems.

 

[essenbe]

I hope it does and everything works out well for you. If we can help in the future, just let us know.