Laptop crash AGAIN

I'm answering the phone, turn round to access my data on teh latop that I was using not 2 minutes before and it has crashed. The screen was still up, but it had grown and gone blurred so I could only really view a quarter of what had previously been a full screen view. It looked like safe mode, only worse in terms of calirty, and didn't say safe mode in the corners.

I've run CHKDSK.....no change. I've run F11 for recovery, no change except now when I try to boot I get blue screened, but not long enough tor ead the error code. I'm currently trying to boot in safe mode, but it doesn't seem to be happening and has been trying for 5 minutes now, sitting at \windows\system32\drivers\agpcCPQ.sys file.

Any suggestions?

 

Ouch! Hard to repair when it won't even let you try to figure out what's going on!

Could you boot to recovery console, and perhaps replace agpcCPQ.sys with a copy from disk?

 

I could try that when I get home and have the disk.

It worked through the boot into safe mode, but crashed. It's now auto-running CHKDSK again and appears stuck at 11% (stage 2 of 3).

 

OK...attempting a dirty install from these instructions kindly provided to me..

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI

Trouble hits when I get to Item #2 and it says NOT to select R...it's the only option offered to me...there is no Set up Windows XP option.

So I have pressed R just to see the next options, and I tells me..

Press "R" for standard Gateway System Recovery Options. You will boot into the recovery partition or on CD if no recovery partition is found.

Press "Q" to quit and noot the OS on hard disk.

Obviously I don't want to run Recovery Console if I can help it. But I'm stuck as to what my options are, and my personal techie just went home for the night

 

That sounds like you do not have a normal xp cd, but a prebuilt xp cd from an OEM (compaq).

It is probably to late, or may not be, but you stated that machine bsod's on ye, but you do not have a chance to see what it stated.

Well, next time ye reboot the machine, hit the F8 key, and select the option "disable automatic reboot on error." (or something like that). Then the computer will start to boot. When the bsod appears, it should stay up on the scree. From the info there, we should be able to give a few ideas.

 

Good call, theefool!

I was about to suggest that Gateway's System recovery stuff might not be such a bad idea. See this link for more info... seems to imply that you could perform a repair install this way...

 

Thanks guys - will work through your suggestions.

The Gateway disk says on it MS Windows XP Media Center edition 2005. Operating System Disc. The it has on it instruction to re-install the OS. That's it!

@theefool - F8 does nothing on this except BEEP!

 

OK...found the disable option...what a load of total bovine faeces this system is!

the error msg says

Disable or uninstall any AV, disk defrag or back up utilities. Check your HD config and check for updated rivers. Run CHKDSK /F to check for HD crruption, and then restart.

Tech info: a heap load of numbers..

STOP: 0x000000024 (0x00190203, 0x85941848, 0xc00000102, 0x00000000)

Can't do most of that as I can;tm get in, but could run CHKDSK /F FWIW ?

 

I should have mentioned that this has helped me resolve stop errors in the past...

As for antivirus protection, you might want to try turning off Virus Protection in BIOS, if applicable...

 

Any ideas on how I can convince it to let me get to CP so I can run CHKDSK? It's not being very obliging (she says with large hammer in other hand)

 

You can't get to safe mode now?

Recovery console should allow you to run command-line tools, as well, IIRC. You don't HAVE to do any file swapping bidness...

 

I never was able to get into any mode...it always bums out when it gets to the agpc.cpq file.

I guess I'm left with no option other than recovery now *sighs*

 

Sorry, I misunderstood this...

 

Recovery doesn't work either...it crashes part way through and just keeps going round in reboot circles.

 

Unless anyone has some other suggestions, I think I'm at the Format C stage

 

I think it's related to my graphics card, due to the screen view before I tried to reboot, and the file it seems to be crashing on during reboot.

Booting up in Safe/vga mode gets to Logging enabled and then it crashes with a BSOD, as does a few other modes for rebooting. That is as far as I have got.

 

Have you added any new hardware Lev?

Unhook any USB devices and try a normal boot.

Steve

 

I hadn't done a thing. I was using my laptop all morning and partway through teh afternoon with all usual software and webapges...MGs, Yahoo Mail, Avast AV were the main things running. No USB devices were connected. I was connected to the LAN via ethernet cable.

Normal boot crashes.

 

No command prompt.

If I plug in a separate monitor, I get to watch my laptop crash in stereo

 

I don;t get an option to run anything....nada...zilch......any boot option crashes before I get any option. I have a Drivers recovery Disk I made recently, which also does sweet Fanny Adams.

I haven't released the smoke either

How do I test a graphics card? Cleaning it out? This machine is 6 months old and used in only a modern office environment

 

I think TimW is right but it is just odd the way and what happened.

Are you on the battery? If so, "take it out" and use the power supply. If you are on the power supply already, check the connections everywhere and make sure they are secure.

Steve

 

Which bit of "right"? The graphics card to it running hot and needing cleaning out?

I'm using the power supply - all connections checked and fine. I have just tried on teh battery too, out of interest, no change.

@TimW...yeah I need to dig my warranty stuff out for sure.

 

Duly sent

 

Auto response received so far.

I'm not sure what my warranty conditions are with this. I know I didn't buy any extra when I purchased the machine. I'm sure your company has a good warranty plan.

 

Got a reply from a techie FWIW.

They obviously didn't read my problem to good because they sent instructions of how to restore after booting into Safe Mode, even though I specified that 1) I couldn't boot in ANY mode and, 2) I have already tried to restore from EVERY mode.

*sighs*

 

No additional info to give until they give me something I can work with to allow me to provide additional info.

I simply emailed back that I could not boot in any mode, as per my original email. Last thing I want to do is come over obnoxious...that won't get me any further help

 

Trying to restore and got this new error message if it gives anyone any insight..

Technical Info:

win32k.sys...address BF876F40 base at BF800000, Date stamp 3d6de5e5

 

This might help

System crashes at win32k.sys is very common. It is not the software of win32k.sys.

According to my record, 80% of the problem is related to faulty ram or VID. 20% is related to software such as anti-virus or firewall.

Refer the following cases and they are crashed at win32k.sys
Faulty vid
http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic35211.html
Mini101405-01.dmp 50 (f97dfffe, 00000000, f97dfffe, 00000000) win32k!ttfdSemQueryFontData+7a -> win32k!GreReleaseSemaphore+a

Reseat memory module
http://www.techspot.com/vb/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=201950
http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic35422.html



Also note that there is a Win32 Virus out there that is corrupting that Windows file

Beat me to it Halo

 

Will try that Halo when I get home and have access to my desktop and CD burner. Non-profit equipment is basic

Will also check out your links too BC - it's been a long, arduous day and I am exhausted.

Thank you everybody for all your help this past 2 days on this - will keep you posted as to progress.

 

Ok, I should have gone back to this sooner. Ugh, BUT, Do ye have a floppy drive on this laptop?

If so, you can download the basic xp setup program on floppy disks, which will allow ye to access the recovery console.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

Also, I do want to add. I ran into the exact error at work yesterday.

What I did to fix this. Is the following. I ghosted the drive to another hard drive. Then I "fdisked" the laptop drive. Then I ghosted back the drive to the original drive. The computer booted up with no issues.

 

OK..simple but highly related question.

When I first boot my PC, if it is set up in the BIOS under <Boot> options with DVD/CD ROM first in the list, then removable media, then Main Hard drive...isn't that the boot sequence, so if I have a CD in, it should attempt to run that first, or am I totally losing it now?

My laptop is not running any bootable CDs that I insert. I can;t believe a simple graphics file is allowing such no-go on this piece of Sophisiticated Highly Intelligent Technology - I must be doing something wrong ?

 

It doesn't want to boot from CD although it does recognize the drive and the light comes on (but nobody's home).

I've been on Gateway Live Automation Tech help all morning. They gave me an .iso scan to run from CD too..same prob. Apparently I am still under full warranty with Gateway (although I bought it from Best Buy. Why do Best Buy try to sell you warranty when you already have it with Gateway, but they don't tell you that part (theoretical question - don't reply...I know the answer ).

Gateway offered me 2-3 years further warranty for free

So, box is on it's way from Gateway and it is going in for a full service. It's beyond my limited abilities and understanding now.

Thank you all for your ongoing assistance. Again, I have learnt a lot from MajorGeeks and the awesome, helpful people here Thanks Tim for the warranty advice - I never knew!

 

Lev's posts here brings up a good point for all that post questions here. Lev a long time member, and a knowledgeable computer user, had a question that baffled not only herself but most of us here. She promptly responded to all giving suggestions, and continued to work on it herself, just wish that all the rest would do the same!!!!!! Great job Lev, and hope all goes well with the Laptop repair.

 

Wow..thanks BCGray *blushes*

@Halo.....I'll keep you posted on the diagnosis

 

A little update on my laptop, as some of you asked for the detail.

Firstly I want to see how impressed I have been with the Gateway warranty and tech support. The online tech support who instigated it being still under warranty and available for a service was awesome. I spoke to him on the weekend - the pre-paid box arrived Monday. It was shipped Tuesday and back with me Friday! Very efficient. You also have to remember it was Thanksgiving weekend, and there was a ton of snow down in Chicago, which is the airport it had to go through.

The report shows they had to replace the hard drive and the ram. Sounds like a mini-frying going on in there? What do you guys reckon, given the symptoms I had?

So for the 3rd time this month I am re-installing all my back ups and software. Maybe this explains why I had so many problems recently? I'm now looking to buy a remote HD to use as back up for both the laptop and desktop

 

Just seemed very strange initial symptoms to end result, but then again, I haven't had many PCs suddenly die on me, especially when they are only 7 months old and not that heavily used.