Can only work in Safe Mode

I have gone through the Maleware process in another thread and was recommended to come here next.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=1774319#post1774319

The issue is constant freezing in normal mode, meaning I can only use my PC in Safe Mode.

I have had a few Nvstor32.sys blue screens recently and I changed the NVIDIA driver to the Standard Dual and it has still happened a couple of times.

My base unit has been making a continuous whirring noise every time I view a video online or on my desktop, so I'm not sure if it is a software or hardware issue. Around the same time I have been getting an error message everytime I download or use a video saying 'Failed to load ffmpeg.dll!' but I have no idea if any of these things are connected.

Any help would be really appreciated.

 

Greetings, Kasem1975...

Try this: run <msconfig>, and in the Startup section disable anything that's not critical (which should be just about everything - if your antivirus is listed, you can disable that also as long as you don't access the 'net while troubleshooting). Reboot and see if your symptoms change - if so, then you can repeat the process and selectively re-enable the startups until you find the culprit(s).

As far as the blue screens, if you'll navigate to C: > Windows > Minidump, grab a few of the more recent files, zip them and attach them to your next post, then someone might be able to look at them and give some direction.

 

This is a 3 year old post but perhaps you can go through the steps to remove the Nvstor32.sys error
http://techierambles.blogspot.com/2009/01/fix-blue-screen-of-death-listing.html
If it doesn't help, then roll back the driver to the one you are currently using.

As far as the ffmpeg.dll errors, it would appear you are missing a codec.

Personally, I prefer to use VLC to watch viseos because it contains all the codecs I need so I do not have to search and download codec packs.
http://majorgeeks.com/VLC_media_player_d4674.html

If you would prefer not to install VLC, there is a portable version you can try, no installation required. You download, unzip to a folder on your desktop or put it on a USB stick to carry from computer to computer, and click the exe to run it. Click file to open the video you want to view and see if it works with no errors nor a whirring sound.
http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/vlc_portable

 

Thanks for the reply Caliban.

I disabled some items but I am still running into the same issues. Once I start clicking into anything, then it starts to freeze up.

Which off the following is safe to switch off?

Windows
Supportsoft
ESET
Groove Monitor
Apple Push
IEEE 802.11

I would imagine ESET, Groove Monitor and Apple Push and leave everything else?

I have also checked the Minidump folder and there is nothing in there - not sure what that means. I haven't had any blue sceens in a few days now, so that may be resolved. I am getting some small freezes in safe mode now however.

 

Will look into that thread solution and get back shortly, thanks.

I have used VLC for years too, although the installed version. I don't watch a lot on my desktop, usually files I can view on my DVD or XBOX. The 'whirring' issue exists online in Flash videos too.

 

@Plodr

I just opened up that page and it was the exact same page I had found last week to sort the issue. I had a couple of blue screens after that but none since about thursday now, so it may be fixed.

Having just checked the driver is listed is as "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller" in my Device Manager.

 

Is there a chance it could be problem with my graphics card that is causing the issue? If so, how can I run checks to find out?

 

Does your machine have onboard graphics? If so, you can try switching to onboard for troubleshooting purposes.

You might try pulling your graphics card and reseating it - also uninstall / reinstall the graphics card drivers, check any PSU connections to the card, make sure any fans are running and any heatsinks are clean, etc.

 

How do I switch to onboard? I have onboard graphics and no graphic card installed.

I opened up the base, cleaned out the fan and heatsink, no problems with the connection. The 'whirring' sound seems to have stopped but the freezing is still taking place.

I tried to use Microsoft FixIt but that fails to install and also Seatools but that failed too - I'm lost what to do next?

 

Ah - my bad. When you mentioned your 'graphics card' I thought you meant a discrete video card.

If possible, make sure your machine is set to save crash dumps - a quick tutorial for doing so is located here. After completion of those steps, you should be able to send some of the dumps if / when the next crash occurs.

And, to verify: you do get blue screen crashes while in Safe Mode?

Also, I'm not liking the sequence of symptoms - I strongly advise that you start making preparations for salvaging any important data that you wish to save.

 

I'll look at the crash dumps later tonight, thanks.

I have not got any blue screens in safe mode at all.

After cleaning I turned it back on and run into the same problems. I tried late last night and it seemed to run quite smoothly - very minor freezes online a couple of times but I was on the net, moving around quite freely....so maybe the clean has done the trick.

I will see how things go tonight and let you know.

 

No such luck it seems - I started in normal mode and painstakingly crawled onto the net. The freezing still taking place, staying for a minute or two then back to a small window of movement.

The crash dumps have been set although I have not got a blue screen in a while - mainly because I have not been in normal mode perhaps but since I looked into the Nvstor error that has stopped.

Machine running quietly which must come down to the clean.

In terms of backup I have nothing to be honest - what would you suggest? Do you think my drive has had it?

 

If the drive was done for, you'd have problems in safe and normal mode because it is using the same software.
Normal mode doesn't load many drivers so you should be looking at a driver problem if safe is okay but normal acts up.

 

Agreed. I'm thinking the next logical step would be to reload the chipset software since you were seeing messages concering the IDE controller. What's your motherboard make and model #?

 

My first sentence in post #13 should read

If the drive was done for, you'd have problems in safe and normal mode because it is using the same hardware. Please excuse the brain fart. Sometimes what I type does not match what I'm thinking!!! :-o

 

No, that's fine PLODR, I got that from your first post!




I tried to run CPU-Z to get those specs but the motherboard section was greyed out (perhaps it couldn't be read in safe mode).

However I have found out from elsewhere that the motherboard for Dell Inspiron 531 is ASUS M2N61-AX.

 

Good morning...

Didn't realize this is a Dell machine. Please provide the Dell Service Tag # and we'll be able to link you to the exact file(s) you need.

 

Morning to you too...although you are 6 hours behind me in London!

That is the white stick on the back on the base right?

It is 3P7BG3J

 

My next step would be to download and install the pertinent drivers for your motherboard from this Dell page, especially the drivers for Serial ATA and Video.

In an earlier post you mentioned "getting some small freezes in safe mode now however". Even though you're not blue screening in Safe Mode, the freezes may indicate possible hardware issues. I stand by my earlier caveat concerning saving any important data, just in case.

 

So I can just dl and install these without any side effects to anything else?

 

I dl the files and on the Dell page it had a button to 'Complete Installation'.

An 'Update Bios' window came up and installed, before everything restarted.

My question is does this mean all of those 14 files have been installed or do I have to install each individually, from their saved location?

 

This is getting weirder.

Since yesterday I had managed to log on into normal mode and use everything with no issue at all - the same again today.

I wasn't getting too excited because I had managed to do the same (see post 11) a few days back, so was waiting to see how long it lasted.

Since installing the Dell drivers, I have no moved back to freezing on the desktop and back into Safe Mode now.

 

Agreed.

Going in circles - if at all possible, try to zip and attach any crash dumps (if indeed the machine crashes).

Don't know if you attempted to update the BIOS or not, but if you didn't I suggest leaving that alone.

One other try at isolating between hardware or software is to boot to a live Linux distro and seeing if you get a change in symptoms.

 

Well then. I've kept quiet for the past few days to monitor things after logging on the following day to find things running perfectly.

Since Monday things have been absolutely fine - perhaps that initial freeze up after installing the drivers was just readjustment.

It is working better than before all these probs, so I can only thank you for your patience and insightful tips (and Plodr) and hopefully I won't need to come back with the same problem again!

 

Fingers are crossed - hope everything works out for you, and thanks for the feedback...