Here's my BSOD problem :)

[OV099]

Yeah, survived another day! LOL And look, the internet is working at top speed too! Must be that everyone went to see Harry Potter and not tying up the cable connection. I went back to a bit more internet use on there, watched up usual videos, and only had the guts to do one of the three spyware programs I use (Malwarebytes). So, tomorrow, the antivirus program will go off, and will try to remember to not do anything else at the same time to be sure... and if I survive that, might try one of the other spyware programs to see what happens. You know, if I have the guts too. We'll see. LOL I know that it's probably better to actually have it do a blue screen to hopefully figure out what is causing it, once and for all, but still, really don't actually want it doing it again. But anyway, that's today's good old report.

Lois

 

[OV099]

Hi again folks... well, yesterday tried the virus scan, and it froze, ~10 minutes into it, the temps I don't remember precisely, but were ~120-130, so they didn't exactly spike or anything. Didn't come here after because since I couldn't give you any info from it, well, might as well not bug you until I could. But I don't think we can actually say for certain it is that given that since all this started, I have had it go off with no problems, and those time the temps might have gone up a lot more than perhaps now. Guess the only way to find out for certain is do it again, but I'm skipping that for today, and went with the Adaware check before, and maybe Spybot later, since I forgot to do one of those yesterday like I wanted. Much later, I was using Freemake to download and convert three videos off of youtube, and in the last one it did freeze again. I tried this last weekend too, after getting the core temp program, and I would pause the converting whenever it got close to 150, let it wait, do some more. Last week it went fine (and I saved and converted more than yesterday), this week it froze in the last one. But I don't remember if I did one at a time then or like I did yesterday, had all three in the same screen (although they all download at the same time, but converts the files one at a time). Regardless, can't give you any info there either, since it was a freeze. So, that's all I can give you for today.

 

[MvdB]

How about another viruschecker...

 

[OV099]

Ah, survived another day... I know I can google this, but I'm hoping you'll know too - can you point me to a good, real, pretty trustworthy free one?

 

[FredeGail]

Ah, survived another day... I know I can google this, but I'm hoping you'll know too - can you point me to a good, real, pretty trustworthy free one?

Do you mean a Anti-Virus? - MSSE
Or a software to kill malware? - Malwarebytes

Best Regards,
FredeGail

 

[OV099]

Well, switched virus programs, and it survived the first scan! So, definitely not assuming that all is well now, but I'll take any good news that I can get any which way! LOL

 

[OV099]

Well, so far, still has been fine... doesn't look like I posted it before, but back towards the weekend when I tried to use Spybot, I stopped it after a while because the temps were hitting in the 140s and staying there, so didn't want to chance anything. So, just wondering if that's a program you use regularly, and should I try it again, or are Adaware/Malwarebytes enough of a check? And still trying to get myself to watch the hour long streamed program that I tend to at 8pm my time... last time I tried that on this computer, it froze or gave me a blue screen, don't remember now. The other videos I watch I tend to watch and take a break in between - like the Daily Show, at the most is 25 minutes, then I stop, then go to Colbert, another 25 minutes, then a break and go for Tonight Show, usually at the most 30 minutes. So definitely haven't gone a full hour there. So, anyway, I've just been rather reluctant to rock the boat, so to speak, but, arguably have to use it more to see if the computer is anyway fixed, don't I?

 

[MvdB]

That is good news!
All you need for security etc is:
1. a good firewall, standard Windows7 is fine
2. An AV, you've got that
3. Malwarebytes (or something like it). It has the possibility of a realtime protection

I hope you solved it.... but there is still a chance that prolonged use of streaming, overheats your system and that causes a crash. So I would use your system normally, as you want to. If it should crash after longer use, we'd have to replay that and watch what your temps do...

 

[OV099]

Well, I tried the 8 o'clock show, but I was getting to tired to continue, that after 15 minutes, I stopped. LOL But during it, it stayed between 120s-130s. And while it might not have done anything, but figured it couldn't hurt, given that the temp of the system with it just sitting there and not me doing anything was just about hovering around the heat index around here today, I shut it off for a couple hours in the afternoon. (aside - while this is abnormal weather right now, I still hate summer!). This morning, I did watch Daily Show and Colbert Report, one right after each other, which basically made it streaming for ~ an hour. I watched them at hulu.com because it seems like the temps stay a little lower there than when I watch them at their actual sites.

And I guess I should try running Spybot anyway, because whether it's useful or not, I still should be able to actually run it on the computer. Guess I'll try that during the weekend. Too hot to think right now! LOL

 

[MvdB]

Starting to look hopeful, fingers crossed here...

 

[OV099]

Yeah, well... sigh.

Okay, so I had it off for a couple hours since I went out. Came back, put it on, wasn't doing anything more complicated than had tweetdeck open and chrome checking my email. Then the think went to black, and the power/other buttons lights off, because it was off. Then it tried to restart, I unplugged it and waited a while. Put it back on and might have gotten as far as getting tweetdeck up (it's one of the first things I do when turning the computer on), and got a blue screen. Now it stayed on, so the files have better be for today. Anyway, it was the simple two or three line one, hardware malfunction one. Unplugged it and waited a while. Turned it back on, it froze while gathering the info. Turned it off for a good long while, and it gathered the info. Now the dang stuff better be from today because the BS definitely stuck around and didn't immediately shut off. And it better help, for crying out loud. LOL Oh, yeah, and the temps probably are not an issue, because while I have no actual numbers, when it blacked out, I really doubt they were in the 140s. When it froze, maybe in the 130s, if that. But as a whole, let's just generally say that it could have topped out at around 145, never crossed into the 150 range.

This definitely sucked, if I might add.

 

[OV099]

Well, survived today, so whatever caused yesterday's problem definitely didn't happen today. Only thing I did differently was because I had to go out really early, I didn't put the computer on when I normally did, but a good few hours later, so it had more rest or something. LOL Also too, I noticed something funny with the temps staring back at me. At some point when I wasn't looking or paying attention, it actually hit 158/154. And given it's been on all afternoon, it definitely didn't crash or shut down. But I can't tell you what it was doing at that moment, or if it stayed like that or around it for any length of time... and probably has no bearing on anything, but given that I would avoid doing anything that took me that high, it's something to mention anyway.

 

[MvdB]

Sorry but no recent dump there. Just 29th june and 3rd july... no more...

Lets start some HW checks:

Download a copy of Memtest86 and burn the ISO to a CD using Iso Recorder or another ISO burning program.

Boot from the CD, and leave it running for at least 5 or 6 passes.

Just remember, any time Memtest reports errors, it can be either bad RAM or a bad motherboard slot.

Test the sticks individually, and if you find a good one, test it in all slots.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

After that (it takes at least 8 hours for memtest to run its full 7 passes... we go on to cpu:

Try this free stress test: Free Software - GIMPS

Prime95 Setup:
- extract the contents of the zip file to a location of your choice
- double click on the executable file
- select "Just stress testing"
- select the "Blend" test. If you've already run MemTest overnight you may want to run the "Small FFTs" test instead.
- "Number of torture test threads to run" should equal the number of CPU's times 2 (if you're using hyperthreading).
The easiest way to figure this out is to go to Task Manager...Performance tab - and see the number of boxes under CPU Usage History
Then run the test for 6 to 24 hours - or until you get errors (whichever comes first).
The Test selection box and the stress.txt file describes what components that the program stresses.

Please post back any results or questions...

 

[OV099]

I'm going to have to really look at that first before attempting it... but just wondering, why is it all of a sudden the dump files aren't new ones - or is that not entirely unheard of... does it depend on how much time there is for them to get created or whatever like that? Oh, and since I've been doing it, update for yesterday, up and running all day.

 

[MvdB]

Happy that it seems to be running...

If settings are correct, it should always create small dumps. If it doesn't, something has changed. If needed, check these (again?):
To ensure minidumps are enabled:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174459-dump-files-configure-windows-create-bsod.html

Go to Start, in the Search Box type: sysdm.cpl, press Enter.
Under the Advanced tab, click on the Startup and Recovery Settings... button.
Ensure that Automatically restart is unchecked.
Under the Write Debugging Information header
Select Small memory dump (256 kB) in the dropdown box (the 256kb varies).
Ensure that the Small Dump Directory is listed as %systemroot%\Minidump.
OK your way out.
Reboot if changes have been made.

 

[OV099]

Checked it, and it's all the way it should be... figures. LOL

 

[OV099]

I still haven't been able to really sit down and look at the above yet because between occasional wonkiness from the internet connection, and email from my ISP saying that I potentially have a bot on my computer so I spent a couple of days doing the longer (and longer in time) versions of the tests that Malwarebytes/Spybot/Ad Aware do, well, my head hurts enough as it is. Needless to say last Thursday I guess, the Win7 laptop froze in the middle of the Ad Aware one, so I just stuck with the usual quicker scans. (as an aside, going to the isp forum to ask about the email, they said there is no way to know if it is from that day, last month or a few months ago, so if I had something, it could be gone by now. Nice to know for sure, huh?)... and I tried to get the info today from an apparent, but not quite sure crash (all I know is about 30 - 45 minutes away from the computer, I came back to a black screen, which has happened after blue screens, but since I didn't see it, I can't be totally sure), but it froze during it, and I just gave up with it and didn't even try again. Probably wouldn't have gotten any recent dump files anyway, just the same July 3rd stuff. Can't you tell I'm really tired of all this? LOL If it didn't cost money, I'd just take my computer to the Geek Squad and tell them to do it yourself, but trying to avoid that if I can...

Ah well, that's the update from me... might be in a better mood tomorrow after I get some sleep... Have a good one folks.

 

[MvdB]

I've recently had some more experiences with laptops that were 1 - 2 years old and that had never really been cleaned. The amount of dust etc that was stuck between the fan(s) casing and the grill of the (C/G)PU cooling unit was incredible. It might take some technical skills or going to a shop... but if you had yours for 1,5 years and have never opened it up.... I would fix that...

If you are up to doing that yourself, it might be good to watch a youtube example.

 

[OV099]

Yeah, just me again... well, I haven't been able to do those memory checks given the time involved and that I have no cd-r only disks to do it to, but I've just been chucking along -- kind of worked at times, but there have been freezes, especially since the weekend... once or twice a blue screen, but since it apparently did not save any dump files (since I discovered that while you're watching the little program gather its stuff, you can see the file name, and it has the date on it), it just seemed pointless to come here empty handed....

Until today. I had to go out, and it ended up being for a good number of hours; debated whether to shut it off or not, and decided to leave it on. It might have helped, because when I came home, there was the blue screen, have no idea how long it was on there for. Tried the info gathering, and, miracle of miracles, a dump file from today! But, pretty sure it's not going to help anyway, but, figured I'd try. And there is no way it's the temperature. It's been vastly cooler here, especially after the hurricane, and the computer just really hasn't reached past 130ish at all. Especially since I have been avoiding doing a lot of things on it.

Oh, and hiya - hope life's treating you kindly!

Lois

 

[MvdB]

I think this could fix it... goto the link, read... scroll down to press the Fixit button. It has the intelligence to check if it is for your system How to reset Internet Explorer settings