BSOD on my laptop PLEASE HELP

Nightfalcon4,

Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD-ROM.  Restart your computer.  While the Dell logo is still on the screen, press F12.  Use the arrow keys to select the CD-ROM as your boot device.  Press Enter.  If you receive a message to "Press any key to boot from CD...", then press any key.  At the Windows Setup screen, press "R" to enter Recovery Console.  Select the Windows installation found by number, usually "1".  The administrator password is usually blank, so just press Enter for the password.  At the command prompt, type chkdsk /r.  Press Enter.  This can take a while to run, so be patient.  Chkdsk will run five tests.  At the end of the test, you may want to make a note of what errors were found.

Since you apparently have tried to run a repair install of Windows, your system may "hang" when you restart the computer.  If it does, just post back and let us know what you find.

Tony

I ran the Recovery and it started working again(3rd times the charm I suppose...) There wasn't really a list of errors....it just said that windows had repair a few errors...

Soon after it started working again I got another BSOD

this time it was something like 0x000000F4 but I don't remember the rest of it. I'm sorry I'm troublesome...If it happens again I will definately post more info. Reformatting is the one thing I would like to avoid if at all possible...thank you for being understanding.

Nightfalcon4,

Uh oh!  MFT is the Master File Table.  What chkdsk /r does is basically repair the File table and attempt recovery of data stored in questionable areas of the hard drive surface.  There are two copies of the MFT.  If both go bad; you're in deep trouble.  I would write as little data as I could by bringing the computer up in Safe Mode, and immediately back up the data to removable media whether it's an external hard drive, a USB thumb drive, ZIP drive, or recordable CDs or DVDs.  The external hard drive or a USB thumb drive would be the fastest.  I would copy the entire My Documents folder to an external drive.  That'll get the bulk of your critical data.  Of course, if you have software such as Quickbooks then you need to back that data up immediately also.

Hope this info helps.

Tony

Nightfalcon4,

Please do make a note of the bugcheck code and any system file it references.  The 0x000000F4 code usually relates to a problem with the IDE controller and/or hard drive.  It can also be caused by a corrupt registry.  Be sure to keep your data backed up.  If your hard drive is failing, you don't want to be caught without a backup of your data.

Let us know if you have additional problems.

Tony

That's probably explaining the recent write time errors or something like thatthat I've been getting...

two things pop up every now and then about how two different files can't save...

A delay write error I think is what it says

C:\$Mft is one of them..I have no idea what that is....

It says

Windows - Delayed Write Failed

Windows was unable to save all the data for the file C:\$Mft. The data has been lost. This Error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere

I understand the basic jist of this....but this is actually starting to scare me now...this is my dad's laptop and he has a lot of data on this. I have a 60 Gb external...but that usually slows or eventually freezes the Laptop for a while when it tries to access it...

is there any other way for this Tony?Is it possible to recover it or something?

Nightfalcon4,

First, get your data backed up.  Then, restart computer.  While Dell logo is on screen, immediately press F12.  If Windows boots, then let it come up, shut down and try again.  After pressing F12 you should see a boot menu.  Select Diagnostics.  Note any errors found.  Write them down.  Let us know what you find.

Additional details on the Dell Diagnostics are here:  http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins6000/en/om/D5181bk5.pdf

If your drive's format has somehow become corrupted, then there is a possibility that total recovery is possible.  However, if the drive has become physically damaged or the drive's logic circuitry is beginning to fail, then a drive replacement is the only solution.   Laptop drives are built battleship tough, but even battleships sometimes sink.

Wish I could be more positive. 

Tony

Thanks for the help Tony...

The first thing I found when I ran the Diagnostics is a write error when I run the "read test" under the hard drive. It gets to 1% then pops up with something about how it timed out.  It fails that test then freezes up for awhile. I haven't tried the other tests for it in the diagnostics yet, but this one is concerning by the way it behaves after it fails.

I'll Try running some other tests and see if there is anything else I can find.

Ok, back...I backed up almost the entire hard drive

as for the diagnostics,,,

Read Test failed...it said

** IDE Disk S/N = (not gonna say) - Read Test **

No additional sense information

Test Results : Fail

Error code 0F00:0228

Msg: IDE device Timeout waiting for drive not busy

all test failed after this for the same reason

here are the error codes I got

0F00:0228

0F00:0262

0F00:0428

0F00:0462

0F00:1228

0F00:1262

0F00:1A28

0F00:1A62

0F00:1328

0F00:1362

Those were the errors from the other tests....

I don't know what they mean...I hope you can help here Tony...

Thanks for the support you've given me.

Nightfalcon4

Nightfalcon4,

Ok.  Now that you've got your data backed up, we can move on to troubleshooting your problem.  It appears from the error messages that your drive has developed a bad spot or a physical defect in the recordable coating of the hard drive disc.  Repetitively running the check disk (chkdsk /r)

Let's try one of the basic fixes for your problem.  Go here:  http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins6000/en/sm/hdd0.htm#wp1130375 .  Read the instructions very carefully on how to remove the hard drive and re-install it.  WARNING:  Be sure to disconnect the AC adapter and remove the battery BEFORE you remove and reseat the drive.  In all honesty I doubt this will solve your problem, but it will not hurt anything to try this. 

After you reseat the drive and reinstall the screws, replace the battery, connect the AC adapter.  Reboot the 6000.  When you get into Windows, double click on My Computer.  Right click on the C: drive.  Left click on Properties.  Click on the Tools tab.  Click the "Check Now" button.  Under check disk options, check both boxes.  Click on Start.  You will be informed that the computer will have to restart to run the check disk and ask you to confirm that you want it to run on restart.  Click Yes.  Restart your computer.  Be patient, this time check disk will not only try to recover readable sectors, it will try to fix any errors it finds.  This is the same thing as running chkdsk /r /f from the Recovery Console.

Although you have run the Dell Diagnostics, to conclusively test your hard drive for fitness, you can download and create a bootable hard drive diagnostic CD from the drive manufacturer's' web sites.  When you remove the hard drive, write down the make and model before you reinstall it.  We will need this information to select the correct diagnostic utility.

Let us know when you are ready to proceed.

Tony

I know I have my data backed up but I am worried, will this erase everything on that drive?...Just concerned...like I said, this is my dad's laptop and I'm not sure if he has other things on here too.

Nightfalcon4,

Chkdsk does not normally erase anything.  Some of the drive diagnostics, if used incorrectly, can completely erase the drive; i.e., you choose destructive rather than non-destructive tests.  You need to notify your dad immediately that we suspect the hard drive is failing, and be sure he gets his data backed up.  Rest assured that nothing you have done has precipitated the possible failure of the drive.  As I tell a lot of my clients, hard drives are electro-mechanical devices.  Just like your washing machine or dishwasher, they can fail without warning.  First rule of computers: Backup your data.  Second rule of computers: Refer to Rule Number 1.  When in doubt, backup your data again.

Tony

Nightfalcon4,

Ok.  No problem.  I understand your reluctance.  Hey, I'm reluctant to drive my relatives' automobiles.

The Task Manager problem could be the result of data being inaccessible in one of those bad spots found by chkdsk.  You can usually fix that type of problem as follows:

Insert your Windows XP in the CD-ROM drive.  If it autoruns, then just close the installation window that opens.  Now, click on Start|Run.  Type sfc /scannow.  Press Enter.  Once again, be patient.  The System File Checker will check your Windows XP protected system files for integrity and version number and automatically repair any discrepancies.  When it finishes, try to open Task Manager again.

Let us know how you fare.

Tony

ok, I haven't removed my dad's hard drive...personally, I'm a little scared to damage it.

I backed up everything that I could onto the external, turns out it could fit all of my dad's used C drive in it.

I haven't gotten any errors recently unless I tried to us the disk clean up...then I got the original BSOD that I posted this whole issue for....I don't plan on doing that again...The task manager is the only other visable issue... It only loads to the point when you can see the tasks used, but not the tabs to look at pc usage or anything.

There is no change in the task manager...I could just be me...but the task manager should have tabs on it to chech PC usage and network usage and such right?

There is no title bar on it...On the taskbar, it just has the icon of the manager but no words....its really wierd...There is no...um..the bar that has file, options, View etc. is not there either...and like I said...no tabs....