BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

I'm asking on behalf of my father since i am more computer literate than him.

Basically, while my mom was using the laptop, a BSOD suddenly appears. Further restart and attempt to get into safe mode also fails.

This is very important considering that the hard drive contains half of my father's data and program that he needs to complete his thesis. It's a 3 years worth of data and my father is in his correcting stage, which means that it is vitally important for him to recover the program and data at all cost. (the other half is on the external hard disk)

Here is some extract from the errors shown:

************************************************** ******
Problem cause by ntfs.sys

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

Tech. info

ntfs.sys. address F823A0FO base at F8212000. Date Stamp 41107eea
************************************************** ******

The Dell is still in warranty but they will probably wiped out the hard-disk memory if we send it for repairs.

Any input will be much appreciated. Thanks.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Starting in safe mode was the best thing to try first. If it still won't start then that should rule out corrupt drivers etc. It's either going to be a corrupt Windows kernal file or (more likely I think) a faulty memory chip. Flip the laptop over and remove the memory. Then reseat the modules and try again.

If that doesn't work then the only other thing would be a repair install of XP. Depending onn what it need to do it should leave the data and programs intact. It might also be worthwhile seeing if you can get hold of a Linux boot CD with drivers for your external hard drive then assuming that the file system is intact you should be able to copy data onto the external drive just in case.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Does it have a DVD burner? or is it networked?

You could try downloading a Linux live CD to access the data and burn what you want... Then you can worry about Windows restore and stuff.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

That is what the guys at neowin recommends too...

I'm scared of Linux though, so he probably have to ask his uni's technician.... but he is technicaly not a student anymore... hmmm..that makes for complicated situation...

Will try removing the RAM. He's at work now so I'll have to wait till he gets home.

No DVD burner, but I have my a 250 gb external hard drive, he has the 80 gb external hard drive too, but knowing my father, he never backs up anything...

I'm not even sure he knows how to back up things...

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

A Linux Live CD/DVD is an excellent idea, that way nothing on the faulty computer will be overwritten.

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html
http://www.ubuntu.com/

http://ubuntu.virginmedia.com/releas...sktop-i386.iso

DW

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Well I hope you get sorted out, if you do, I hope the very next thing you show him is how to back up his files, 3 years worth of stuff and not one back up, sheer madness :erm: :shocked: :confused:

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Oh dear. :( You only do it once. I lost two years worth of important stuff back in the Amiga days, ever since I've backed everything up both to DVD-R and external HD.

DW

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

I would recommend SystemRescueCd - it's a light Linux live CD which includes an NTFS driver. You can boot up the CD, mount the NTFS drive and a USB disk and hopefully get the data - assuming the NTFS structure is intact!

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Basically check if any new hardware has been installed and uninstall it or any new drivers have been installled and again uninstall them. You should be ok getting into safe mode with this error as it shouldn't be a serious one.

Also try things like re-seating the RAM incase it has become loose.

Another common casue is graphic drivers.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

ui've always used UBCD - you need to have a copy of winxp and slipstream it in before you make the cd, but it then allows you to boot to windows off the cd, and run LOADS of tools!!!

Linkage

hope this helps?

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

It's not free but Winternals Emergency Recovery Disk provides a Windows-like environment if you're not familiar with Linux.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Guys, new problem!

************************************************** *************
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

************************************************** *************

All I did was change the position of RAM and done a complete diagnostic test using Dell onboard software and it reveals NO fault at all with either the RAM or Hard Disk. It even checks every blocks and sectors available on that HDD.

Why? Why must Dell hates me!

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Moved RAM, symptons change, suggests RAm to me. Would try running something like memtest386 to check your RAM. This can be downloaded and creates a bootable FDD.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Don't trust memtest as it often misses corrupt RAM same with the DELL diagnostics.

What Laptop model do you have?
Do you have more than one RAM chip in use? Can you take one out and try the machine with just one chip. Some Dell's have the RAM soldered to the board and some have chip under the keyboard so it may take some poking around but try it with one chip if you can and then try with the other to see if you get different issues.

If you are really stuck and let me know what model laptop you have I can 'lend' you some RAM from our Dell's so you can try it before possibly having to fork out for some new RAM.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

My father uses the Inspirion 6400... i think... the ugly, unsightly grey one..

Weirdly... it only uses 1 RAM slot..dell must be generous to give 1 x 512 mb...

I think i'm gonna pay PCWorld a visit tomorrow... didn't they said in the advert about free diagnostic or something? Or was I just hallucinating?

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Unlikely to be the 6400 as that's the new core duo one (i think).

You can try PC World but I don't know how accommodating they are with Dell's and will likely just run the same diagnostics you have just completed and tell you nothing is wrong - Or try and flog you expensive RAM if you tell them that might be suspect!

Nothing much I can suggest if you just have the one chip and no spares except trying a local PC shop to see if you can 'borrow' some RAM to see if it helps (ask PC World if you can do this).

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

repair install wont kill any data worth a try

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Well... it does have a Core Duo chip... the thing is still in warranty AFAIK...

I'll try and see if PCWorld will let me borrow RAM..if not..i'll try and search through town and see what I can find...

Guys, new errors! Yippee! Again!

STOP : 0X0000007E

( OXC0000005, 0X805BD3CF, 0XF88DB73C, OXF88DB438 )

---------- Post added at 19:54 ---------- Previous post was at 19:33 ----------

Anyone know if Dell's warranty is void or not if i remove the HDD?

Hopefully not as they show me how in their booklet.. :D

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Have you tried booting to safe mode to rule out drivers?

All these errors do, I am afraid, point towards the RAM.

Also, you can remove the HDD without voiding warranty.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

if its under warrenty let them fix it ffs

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Can't go into safe mode. Will try and borrow one from a shop tomorrow...

The last time I went to that shop, they asked my dad 70 quids to fix a switch on a compaq laptop...

O well...not my money... ;)

Zinger, needs to back up the thing first..besides..if it is just RAM issue... then I can just phone dell to send us the new RAM..dell takes ages to do anything and my father needs his laptop ASAP.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

download and run that cd i linked in my post (page 1 post 10) this should alllow you to backup data, then run a chkdsk whilst running off the CD, then run a reciovery...

well, thats what i'd do...:)

and yes, if you send it dell for repair, the first thing they'll most likely do is restore the HDD to factory settings - wiping all your data in the process.:erm:

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

If so, then one of these has saved me more than once
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=138544
Basically it turns a hard drive into one that can be connected by usb. This is ide only, but combi ones are about that do ide and sata, got mine off ebay for £7ish.

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Thanks for all the helps guys, it's a RAM problem.

Change the RAM and after a bit of HDD indexing with windows deleting the corrupt files, everything is as good as new.

Currently backing up stuffs using the Norton Ghost..

THANKS!

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Another good result !

:tu:

Re: BSOD (serious one) on Dell's laptop - PhD thesis in there!!
 

Glad it turned out ok Mate.
www.grc.com/spinrite is what you need to run once a month. Fantastic program. :tu: