Solve : System unstable?

1.	Solve : System unstable?
Answer» Your Service Tag # should be on a sticker on the back/rear of the machine... Quote from: Mackem1983 on December 22, 2009, 04:06:12 PM I just COPIED the information that it says when i click goto control panel and then to system. The service tag is provided on top of my computer, if your confuzed then it doesnt give me much hope of understanding any of this . 1. It is what it is. I can only work with the information you provide. Either the different Dell models are compatible or there is something wrong somewhere (or at least inconsistent). Since you're ultimately responsible for the computer and have to live with the consequences, suggest you contact Dell to verify what you have (and what your options are). Quote from: Mackem1983 on December 22, 2009, 04:06:12 PM So if i go through the dell website to try and restore what your saying is that everything might break? If so what would your opinion be for me to do, is there any other options? 2. I'm saying you should "backup" your personal data before continuing your repair or recovery efforts. If your system has been damaged by malware or the subsequent repair attempts, there's no guarantee the "hidden" restore/recovery partition (if it exists) hasn't been damaged. Even if there was no malware, there's no guarantee a restoration from a recovery partition will be successful. You've also indicated you may not have the Windows XP Setup CD (further limiting your recovery options). It's also possible you may have a hardware problem. If the hard drive fails, you're not going to recover anything. I'm recommending that you "backup" your personal data to media "off the computer" and then attempt system recovery with whatever options Dell may have provided on your "preinstalled" hard drive. This may mean a restoration of the hard drive (and operating system) to the state it was in when "shipped". Generally this means an operating system without your user data or any applications you subsequently installed. 3. I don't know what the problem "currently" is. Your descriptions are vague or generic; e.g "And rather than BSOD now my computer is more prone to freezing/crashing". a. What do I do with that statement? I have no "specific" information or data to work from. b. Are we troubleshooting a "blue screen", a "freeze", or a "crash"? c. Can you reproduce the symptoms? d. Can you describe the sequence of events that lead to the blue screen, freeze, and/or crash? f. If you boot into "Safe Mode", do you still experience the symptoms? 4. Yes, there are options you could try; but I don't feel you have the skill, resources, or temperment to FOLLOW through. Not to mention the time and effort involved with no guarantee of success. A repair shop would simply reinstall the operating system (with or without user data) rather than spend the time troubleshooting an unknown number of problems. a. You could try the command "sfc /scannow" to ensure you have a consistent set of system files that are neither missing nor corrupt, but this might require the Windows XP Setup CD for source file access. Or it might not. I gave you "reference" links for this, but either you didn't read them or you didn't understand them. b. You could try the commands "chkdsk /f" and 'chkdsk /f /r" on each of your logical disk drives to verify and fix the integrity of your file system(s). This can be done from Windows XP operating system (or during boot) or from the Windows XP Recovery Console. c. You could use "verifier" utility to catch and identify drivers that are behaving badly. Poorly designed third party drivers can cause BSOD, freeze, or crash. d. You could perform various levels of a "clean" boot and/or "Safe Mode" boot to see whether limiting what applications and/or system services start prevent the freeze/crash symptoms. e. You could uninstall the security software to see if problem goes away. Of course you should disconnect from internet while performing these tests. Security software suites are notorious for causing system conflicts. f. You could perform a "repair" installation of the operating system, but this would require the appropriate Windows XP Setup CD (and will revert your system to the service pack level of the CD without any subsequent updates).\ g. You could run memory diagnostic to verify integrity of memory modules. h. You could run manufacturer supplied hard drive diagnostic program. i. You could run software to "stress" the motherboard and/or CPU. j. You could monitor the temperature sensor values of CPU, hard disk drive, and possibly video card (heat can cause problems). Quote from: Mackem1983 on December 22, 2009, 04:06:12 PM This all seems very drastic from where i was a week ago when i came looking for help. 5. The Riddled with VIRUSES thread? Please... 6. You need to start from where you are. (The malware removal procedures probably removed your System Restore points.) What do you want to do? Quote I have cleaned out inside the computer and checked for anything being loose of which i couldnt find. I have installed a graphics card and power supply which i found very tricky. Why did you REPLACE the power supply? Did you use a Dell PSU? Did you choose one that was of equal or greater wattage? How did you clean it? Did you use compressed air?I have succesfully restored my computer and eveything seems to be fine. It seems as if i rubbed some people up the wrong way and I am sorry for this, either something was lost in translation or there was a lack of communication. Anywhoo id like to say a big thank you to everyone who tried to help with my first problem and problems subsequently. I shant bother you again. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.No! Please bother us again. That's what we're here for. How did you solve you're problem? Did you do a clean install?I did a system restore so that it restored eveything back to factory settings, I had checked a lot of the diagnostics that were given to check if I felt half confident it wasnt going to explode and was reasonably confident the hard drive wasnt broken. The only difficult part of it was that I couldnt get to the system restore screen normally, I had to try to restore it to an earlier point (of which i knew would fail) and complete the instructions when it was loading up that way (ctrl + F11).The last thing you should do now is visit the Virus and Spyware Forum, just to check if anything BAD was restored.

Answer»

Your Service Tag # should be on a sticker on the back/rear of the machine... Quote from: Mackem1983 on December 22, 2009, 04:06:12 PM

I just COPIED the information that it says when i click goto control panel and then to system. The service tag is provided on top of my computer, if your confuzed then it doesnt give me much hope of understanding any of this .

1. It is what it is. I can only work with the information you provide. Either the different Dell models are compatible or there is something wrong somewhere (or at least inconsistent). Since you're ultimately responsible for the computer and have to live with the consequences, suggest you contact Dell to verify what you have (and what your options are).

Quote from: Mackem1983 on December 22, 2009, 04:06:12 PM

So if i go through the dell website to try and restore what your saying is that everything might break? If so what would your opinion be for me to do, is there any other options?

2. I'm saying you should "backup" your personal data before continuing your repair or recovery efforts. If your system has been damaged by malware or the subsequent repair attempts, there's no guarantee the "hidden" restore/recovery partition (if it exists) hasn't been damaged. Even if there was no malware, there's no guarantee a restoration from a recovery partition will be successful. You've also indicated you may not have the Windows XP Setup CD (further limiting your recovery options). It's also possible you may have a hardware problem. If the hard drive fails, you're not going to recover anything.

I'm recommending that you "backup" your personal data to media "off the computer" and then attempt system recovery with whatever options Dell may have provided on your "preinstalled" hard drive. This may mean a restoration of the hard drive (and operating system) to the state it was in when "shipped". Generally this means an operating system without your user data or any applications you subsequently installed.

3. I don't know what the problem "currently" is. Your descriptions are vague or generic; e.g "And rather than BSOD now my computer is more prone to freezing/crashing".
a. What do I do with that statement? I have no "specific" information or data to work from.
b. Are we troubleshooting a "blue screen", a "freeze", or a "crash"?
c. Can you reproduce the symptoms?
d. Can you describe the sequence of events that lead to the blue screen, freeze, and/or crash?
f. If you boot into "Safe Mode", do you still experience the symptoms?

4. Yes, there are options you could try; but I don't feel you have the skill, resources, or temperment to FOLLOW through. Not to mention the time and effort involved with no guarantee of success. A repair shop would simply reinstall the operating system (with or without user data) rather than spend the time troubleshooting an unknown number of problems.
a. You could try the command "sfc /scannow" to ensure you have a consistent set of system files that are neither missing nor corrupt, but this might require the Windows XP Setup CD for source file access. Or it might not. I gave you "reference" links for this, but either you didn't read them or you didn't understand them.
b. You could try the commands "chkdsk /f" and 'chkdsk /f /r" on each of your logical disk drives to verify and fix the integrity of your file system(s). This can be done from Windows XP operating system (or during boot) or from the Windows XP Recovery Console.
c. You could use "verifier" utility to catch and identify drivers that are behaving badly. Poorly designed third party drivers can cause BSOD, freeze, or crash.
d. You could perform various levels of a "clean" boot and/or "Safe Mode" boot to see whether limiting what applications and/or system services start prevent the freeze/crash symptoms.
e. You could uninstall the security software to see if problem goes away. Of course you should disconnect from internet while performing these tests. Security software suites are notorious for causing system conflicts.
f. You could perform a "repair" installation of the operating system, but this would require the appropriate Windows XP Setup CD (and will revert your system to the service pack level of the CD without any subsequent updates).\
g. You could run memory diagnostic to verify integrity of memory modules.
h. You could run manufacturer supplied hard drive diagnostic program.
i. You could run software to "stress" the motherboard and/or CPU.
j. You could monitor the temperature sensor values of CPU, hard disk drive, and possibly video card (heat can cause problems).

Quote from: Mackem1983 on December 22, 2009, 04:06:12 PM

This all seems very drastic from where i was a week ago when i came looking for help.

5. The Riddled with VIRUSES thread? Please...

6. You need to start from where you are. (The malware removal procedures probably removed your System Restore points.) What do you want to do? Quote

I have cleaned out inside the computer and checked for anything being loose of which i couldnt find. I have installed a graphics card and power supply which i found very tricky.

Why did you REPLACE the power supply?
Did you use a Dell PSU? Did you choose one that was of equal or greater wattage?

How did you clean it? Did you use compressed air?I have succesfully restored my computer and eveything seems to be fine. It seems as if i rubbed some people up the wrong way and I am sorry for this, either something was lost in translation or there was a lack of communication. Anywhoo id like to say a big thank you to everyone who tried to help with my first problem and problems subsequently. I shant bother you again.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year.No!
Please bother us again. That's what we're here for.

How did you solve you're problem? Did you do a clean install?I did a system restore so that it restored eveything back to factory settings, I had checked a lot of the diagnostics that were given to check if I felt half confident it wasnt going to explode and was reasonably confident the hard drive wasnt broken.

The only difficult part of it was that I couldnt get to the system restore screen normally, I had to try to restore it to an earlier point (of which i knew would fail) and complete the instructions when it was loading up that way (ctrl + F11).The last thing you should do now is visit the Virus and Spyware Forum, just to check if anything BAD was restored.

Solve : System unstable?

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