Frequent Crash Problems *NOT Malware-related*

I've been having some trouble lately with blue screen crashes that auto-reboot my system.

They are more of a headache than a real danger at this point.. the only damage I've noticed is it sometimes screws with Firefox, deleting all the bookmarks and search engines, but a firefox safe mode revert fixes that problem, and is not the issue.

I HAVE noticed that the crashes happen most frequently whenever I am burning a DVD, and as such have created many 'coasters' in the process.

I was considering getting one of the free registry programs to see what that may do, as I'll never spend a cent on software so long as I have the internet at my side.

Before going that route, does anyone have any info on this situation? Are there any diagnostics I can run to post a log for a tech savvy stud or stud-ette to look at? Any insight would be ridiculously appreciated.

 

>> I've been having some trouble lately with blue screen crashes that auto-reboot my system. AZPunisher

In order to help you best; we will need to know exactly what it says on the Blue Screen (whenever these crashes occur). Therefore you will need to disable Windows XP's post-crash auto-reboot feature.

How to disable Windows XP's post-crash "Auto-Reboot" feature:

(1) Right-click on My Computer and choose Properties.
(2) Select the Advanced tab and click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery.
(3) Uncheck 'Automatically restart' in the System Failure section.

This will enable you to actually see the post-crash blue screen. The next time it happens, copy what the screen says and post again including the details of the results.

>> I was considering getting one of the free registry programs to see what that may do, as I'll never spend a cent on software so long as I have the internet at my side. AZPunisher <<

I believe CCleaner is a fairly "safe" registry cleaner. You can use the "ISSUES" tab section of the program, in order to clean out the dead and useless registry errors that have built up over time.

>> I HAVE noticed that the crashes happen most frequently whenever I am burning a DVD, and as such have created many 'coasters' in the process. AZPunisher <<

Since these the crashes happen most frequently whenever you are burning; it is possible that your "burning" software is either outdated, somehow corrupted and/or software's drivers are not up to date.

Therefore the first thing I would try if I were you; would be uninstalling whatever burning software program that you usually use. To clean out all of the dead registry entries and leftovers; once again using CCleaner "ISSUES" tab section of the program. Then reinstall and/or update the program using the very latest version (via the site where you originally obtained the burning software program).

Note: If you do not already have CCleaner installed; the program is available as freeware here at Major Geeks (in the Drive Cleaners section)

Good Luck!

 

Ok, I utilized the ISSUES tool w/ CCleaner, and that fixed about 15 or so things..

Just tried burning a DVD this morning, and the crash occurred again. I took a photo of the error screen:
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/4138/dvc00307zq8.jpg

As for the temp info, I have no idea how to measure that?

My house is very cold though.

 

Might try reading this, http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-557424.php, and see if it helps.

 

Crashed again, still while burning a DVD. All the software is fine.. the DVD Shrink is the current version, and I'm using a stable Nero build, which works fine most of the time.

Here's a new blue screen:
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3370/dvc00308ls3.jpg

 

I did a bit of research at Microsoft, and all I can tell you is that something is wrong with either the NTFS file system or maybe the hard drive itself. Vist your hard drive manufacturer's web site and download and run their diagnostic tool. You may want to run a 'chkdsk' too from the recovery console. You'll need an XP CD to run the recovery console. Here's some links that may be of interest:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/228888/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265/en-us
I hope this helps.....

hopperdave2000

 

Been getting the PFN List Corrupt screen MUCH more frequently now, just with general computing.

I am not certain as to who manufactured my HD. Does the error message reveal that info?

 

I tried to edit my post, but found no option to do so...
Anyway, I found that the HDs are MAXTOR models, and I DL'd the Diagnostic tool.. am I correct in assuming this tool will reformat my HDs?

If that's the case, I need to pursue another option, as I have too much data stored to back-up onto DVDs or CDs... which would most likely prove fruitless as I crash when burning.

 

AZPunisher,
Do you only have a dvd burner, or do you also have a cd burner? If you have the latter, is it giving you the same problems?

There is a tool available here at MG called Everest, which may enable you to see if your computer is running hot when you burn (no joke intended lol) dvd's.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181

abri

 

I haven't had to burn a CD in awhile, but I'll check and see.

I've been noticing some text errors as well now and then, check this out:
Occasionally the text in my browser, and even on more rare occasions the text on my system "shifts" below the current line of that particular sentence.

Not all of it, though. For instance.. right now only 'h' is doing it. Any word with 'h' in it shows the actual 'h' itself being dropped down a notch, so only the top line can be seen.

what the . .

here's a pic
http://server6.theimagehosting.com/image.php?img=untitled.c7e.JPG

Also, here's a new error screen:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3361/dvc00309gh3.jpg

 

hmm..