Can you please write down and type in here, the exact error message?  The stop error aka "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) will tell us if it's likely a driver problem.  The odds are that the BIOS update changed some setting in the card reader's resources and Windows is confused.

 

Is it XP or Vista?  32 or 64 bits?  I'll assume Vista with 64 bits support is installed, but you should check.  Right click on "My Computer" and choose properties.  Or Start->Run->winver and it'll show it.  It should also say this when you boot up, heh.    Before following the advice below, you really need to tell us your OS and the exact error message.

 

I can't seem to find the drivers for it on Dell's site for any 64-bit OS...  I was going to recommend that you uninstall the old drivers and reinstall them but that might be problematic.  The chipset driver with the word "Ricoh" in it's description is the one you want.  If you just uninstall the device and reinstall it, then the driver cache should have a good copy to use.  You should really make sure that you can download them anyways, though.

 

See:  http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=vista&message.id=5352&c=us&l=en&cs=&s=gen where someone wants the Ricoh drivers.  I see the 64-bit drivers for other laptops (example:  R141763.EXE) but I can't recommend you try them unless you know what you're doing, and I'm almost sure Dell wouldn't officially recommend it at all.

 

Good luck, Joe

 

 

 

0x0000007e means an exception was unhandled.  Your drivers are corrupted?

See: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330182

 

I hope it didn't mention NTFS.sys...   0x00000024 means the NTFS driver has failed.  You don't have any memory cards installed at the time?  Even so, most memory cards are formatted FAT.

 

Please copy the all the numbers in parentheses and the filename.  I really need this information.  Looks like "(0x********, 0x********, ...)" and "********.sys" on BSOD.

 

Do any of these BSOD happen in Safe Mode?  Remove the drivers in Safe Mode, reboot, reinstall drivers.

 

Are you using a localized (Italian) version of Windows?  Make sure you have the right drivers.

 

See:  http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=525986&SiteID=17

 

 

I see that Italian version doesn't say what file (PCI.SYS/NTFS.SYS/...?) made it fail.  Annoying, but oh well.  :/

0x0000007e=Unhandled exception

It's likely that 0x0000007e error is not important if it doesn't happen anymore.

 

STOP:  0x00000024 (0x001902FE, 0xF78D5B10, 0XF78D580C, 0x4F4D454D)
STOP:  0x00000024 (0x001902FE, 0xB4EB8620, 0xB4EB831C, 0x4F4D454D)
From these, I can see that you're having a disk related error.  Rather it is the driver or the drive, is hard to say...  It's most likely that you need to disable the 'card reader' in BIOS and boot to Safe Mode.  Anyone know if the device is USB or Firewire?  Disabling those should work, if there's no card reader option.  If we can't help you, then you need to go to an Italian technical board.  

 

1)  Disable the card reader.

2)  Load Windows in Safe Mode.

3)  Start -> Run -> "DevMgmt.msc"

4)  Click on View -> Show hidden devices

5)  Totally remove ALL entries for Ricoh memory cards.  Very important!

6)  Reenable the card reader.

7)  Load Windows.  It should ask you to install drivers.

If it still isn't working, I'll point you to an Italian site.  Have you tryed talking to Dell?

 

 

 

:EDIT:

See solution #3:  http://www.fixya.com/support/t4393-stop_0x00000024_after_install_sbs_2000  User Pasty mentions possible reasons.

 

Here's a bookmark for Google:  http://www.google.com/search?hl=it&q=0x001902FE+0x00000024

 

 

 

How to check the disk if Windows is broke:

1)  Boot to 'Recovery Console' using the XP setup/recovery disk.

2)  Type:  "Chkdsk C: /F" and press enter.

3)  If it fixed any errors, then you know why you got a NTFS error - filesystem was corrupt!  Reboot.

4)  Make a backup of your files.

 

How to find error history in Safe Mode:

1)  Boot to Safe Mode.

2)  Start -> Run -> EventVwr

3)  Click on 'System'.

4)  Look at the errors when it crashed.

It's possible to right click on 'System' and save the log.  Put it on a floppy disk and you can get it on your other PC.

 

 

I hope it works.  Good luck!

 

Well I tried...  At least this is a good troubleshooting list for others.  :(

 

uff......:smileysad: