Re: Multiple sudden crashes
- From: Malke <notreally@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 05:36:18 -0800
Ian Hoare wrote:
> Hi,
> I hope someone can help. Oh, and if this isn't the right forum, could
> someone point me in the right direction, please.
>
> Running XP Professional SP2 on a desktop Athlon with 512 Mb ram. In
> the last few weeks, Windows has started crashing, with them becoming
> more and more frequent. Not the usual BSOD, but a complete and
> instantaneous return to the BIOS, almost as if the power had been cut
> off for an instant. Naturally this has resulted in lost data and disk
> problems with windows having to run CHKDSK almost every time during
> reboot.
>
>
> I'd almost suspect a intermittent hardware problem, but the triggers
> don't seem to be entirely random. "Normal" use of the computer seems
> rarely to cause this. However, when doing a complete anti-virus scan I
> invariably get a crash, and it happens when _manually_ running CHKDSK.
> When I get these crashes they sometimes occur two or three times in
> succession even during reboot. Equally, it seems to happen when I have
> a lot of programs running at the same time, busy doing their thing.
Actually, it does sound like hardware. Here are general hardware
troubleshooting steps, but I'd start by testing the hard drive and then
the power supply.
1) Open the computer and run it open, cleaning out all dust bunnies and
observing all fans (overheating will cause system freezing). Obviously
you can't do this with a laptop, but you can hear if the fan is running
and feel if the laptop is getting too hot.
2) Test the RAM - I like Memtest86+ from www.memtest.org. Obviously, you
have to get the program from a working machine. You will either
download the precompiled Windows binary to make a bootable floppy or
the .iso to make a bootable cd. If you want to use the latter, you'll
need to have third-party burning software on the machine where you
download the file - XP's built-in burning capability won't do the job.
In either case, boot with the media you made. The test will run
immediately. Let the test run for an hour or two - unless errors are
seen immediately. If you get any errors, replace the RAM.
3) Test the hard drive with a diagnostic utility from the mftr. Download
the file and make a bootable floppy or cd with it. Boot with the media
and do a thorough test. If the drive has physical errors, replace it.
4) The power supply may be going bad or be inadequate for the devices
you have in the system. The adequacy issue doesn't really apply to a
laptop, although of course the power supply can be faulty.
5) Test the motherboard with something like TuffTest from
www.tufftest.com. Sometimes this is useful, and sometimes it isn't.
Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out suspected parts
with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a professional
computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).
Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
.
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