What could be causing my blue screen?
 

of death problems?

I have had techs look at my computer because I was getting blue screens. They said my hard drive was corrupted, and so they reformatted it. But that didn't solve the problem. So I took it back and . . . they said they could not reproduce the problem this time, after running it for a couple of days.

This time, they suggested it may be my mouse or keyboard. They gave me a mouse to try.

But this morning I turned the computer on--just pressing the button without even touching the mouse or keyboard--and it gave me a blue screen.

What could it be? I sooooo don't want to buy a new computer! Any suggestions on my next step?

This is one that techs won't be able to solve because it could be *anything*.

However disk formatting and mouse and keyboard are at the bottom of the list. The next thing to try is memtest. Download a bootable CD from their precompiled bootable ISOs. Use the ZIP version. Decompress it and use your CD burning tool to write the raw ISO image to disk. Your CD burning tool will have an option to "burn raw image", this is what an ISO is.

Once you've done that, you'll have a bootable CD that will boot and run memtest by itself, without Windows getting in the way. It tests your memory. By itself it will run test after test until you stop it. One good idea is to let it run overnight. Hit us back with questions or problems.

Just wanted to add, Mr. Clod just did this exact same thing with my brother's computer, which was bluescreening, and memtest did indeed return an error. He changed some BIOS settings, and now it's all fixed.

None of those *problems* will create that BSoD (blue screen). Numbers and the error messages in that message are essential - absolutely critical - for solving the problem a first time.

But when the tech said a hard drive causes the BSoD, then the correct move was to take the computer and run as fast as possible.

Important facts for that error may have been stored in the computer's system logs. Search on help for system log or event logs. However, then tech was trying to fix something long before he knew what was wrong. Therefore critical information in logs that would have been helpful was deleted by that tech. He only made the problem more difficult.

It's possible the tech took an image of the disk, reformatted it, and put the image back. So it could still be in the logs (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Event Viewer -> System)

But in either case, since it's still blue screening after the tech worked on it, if the system CAN log the problem there will be new log entries for it.

If you do paw through those logs, ignore all the "information" entries and just focus on the exact time the problem occurred. The logs are huge but if something is happening right before every blue screen, that's what to focus in on.

Blue screens are mostly due to hardware, software, or driver issues. In otherwords, they can be caused by anything.

Have you installed any new devices lately? If so, when you start up tap on the F8 button and go into safe mode and uninstall the device. You may want to verify that you have the newest and best drivers for whatever that device is. If you recently installed software, go into safe mode and uninstall the software.

Lastly, the problem could be due to failed hardware. The first thing you should check is your ram. Make sure it's seated properly. If it is, then replace it. Or take one dimm out and try to boot and if that doesn't work, switch them and try again.

Properly seated RAM.

very cute ram!

your suggested fixes are pretty technical for me, though much appreciated. I'm still working on it. It's like one of those stupid noises in your car, that mechanics can never seem to find. "Intermittent" my ass. Seems to be better in the past few days.

Even if you don't understand them, you could print them out and show them to someone who may.

heh. I bet this didn't "just happen" as suggested.
Cloud what did you differently right before you got the blue screen the first time?

you're quite right, and I have printed it out. Am working on it, believe me!

I forgot to mention, when you are tapping on the F8 button, another thing you'll want to do is select "Last Known Good Configuration" and that might fix you right up.

If none of this works, you may have a corrupted boot sector or missing bootup files. To fix this, put your Windows XP, 2000, or NT disk into the computer. Boot up to the CD and select repair. Then when given the opportunity, choose "Console".

It will ask you to select which version of windows you want to logon to, type 1 and enter. Then type in the admin password (if you have a password to logon enter it, if you don't just hit the enter key).

Once you get in there type the following

fixboot (then hit the enter key and type y to confirm)
fixmbr (then hit the enter key and type y to confirm)
chkdsk c: /R (then hit enter and type y to confirm)
exit (then it enter to reboot)

After the reboot, it will scan your hard disk looking for bad sectors. If it finds them, it will try to recover any data, and remove the bad sector from your drive map so no data will be saved their again and you can avoid further problems. This takes awhile depending on how large your drive is.

An NPR radio show is called Car Talk. People call in with their insane problems. Eventually, Klic or Klak will ask, "Is your Check Engine light on?" Too often, the answer is yes.

Some people will see something, not comprehend it, then ignore it. Best replies are obtained when uncomprehended facts are posted. "Check Engine" numbers are displayed on a blue screen and may be stored in the event (system) logs when computer keeps working.

Klic and Klak always laugh as soon as the called 'forgot to mention' that glowing check engine light. One way of dealing with frustration.