Stop Error Screen :( Please Help, I really need this computer. .

ok so I'm going to give all the information that I can think of that may be related, which may be a bit lengthy since the problem was going on much longer than I realized, but I know how important it is that you know everything in order to help me. The computer is a Dell, not sure which model, and I CAN access Recovery Console. The CD-Rom has not functioned properly since about two months after purchase and officially died a few months ago.

It started out with my computer doing this weird thing every night where the screen would freeze up and I'd get some message that there was a problem with the graphics card or something. The desktop would get all funky colors and stuff and I'd restart it and it was fine until about 24 hours later when it would happen again. I didn't think a lot about it as the computer is getting old (it's over 5 years old) and I intend to save up for a new one when I get working, but I'm doing online college so I just need this computer to last me another say 6 - 8 months!

The next thing that I noticed was the internet was acting very slow. And I know the computer is getting old,but I've never had an issue with speed, so I knew there was a virus. I tried to run in safe mode so I could do the virus scanning but whenever I tried to run in safe mode, I'd get the blue error screen with this message:

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.


so I just ran in normal mode and figured that I'd run the Super AntiSpyware and get rid of what I could and then try safe mode again. Ran it, found some trojan infections, quarantined and deleted them, restarted and again tried safe mode, same message. So for about 3 days I repeated this process, every time I'd find at least 2 trojan infections and restart and still could not get safe mode up.

Finally, it happened. The graphics went weird again, which it hadn't done in about 4 days, and when I tried to restart, even in normal mode, the same error message came up.

I am aware that chkdsk /f is not accurate anymore, so I got into recovery console and ran chkdsk /r and still the computer will not work. I know that I can attempt the FIXMBR (i think that was what it was called, obviously I'm on another computer at the moment and don't recall for sure) but it says something about the things having been changed (some virus screwed with the partitions or something) and that if I run it I risk losing all of my files. IF that's my only option, I'll do it, but I'd prefer not to since all of my photos of my 7 month old daughter would be gone.

 

I would read the HOW TO: Debug Memory Dumps (Figure out what is causing a BSOD)

 

Look for a dell service tag number about 6 digits on a label on the side of the PC. Post that and it will give us more information about your hardware. What Operating System are you running XP?

 

Sorry it took so long to respond, the only other computer I have available is about 10 years old and ridiculously slow, I try to use it as little as possible

The only 6 digit number I found on the label was this: 05D481 and yes I'm running in XP

 

That Service tag doesn't come up. Here is there guide to finding one it should say Service tag.

The model number which will do fine should be right on the front or on a label on the back. I just want to know if you are using a graphics card and whether HardDrive is IDE connection (wide cable) or SATA(smaller connector).

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So right now every time you try to start in safe or normal mode you get "try checkdisk /f" is that correct? I would not recommend fixmbr because it complicates things IMO.

 

yeah, if I try to start the computer at all it says chkdsk /f and like I said, I know that you cannot run chkdsk /f, it's /r now so I've done that and it didn't help at all. the only thing I can do on the computer is get to recovery console, I've even attempted the "last known good configuration" or whatever the wording is, and got the same result. I'm so ready to rip my hair out! I've gotten to really rely on the damn thing. . .

the service tag is D2j4951 and the computer, btw, is a dell dimension 2400.

 

To be safe I would consider getting your pictures over to the 10 year old computer as a backup. Is the ten year old computer in the same house? Does it have enough room on the HD to hold the pictures?

Since both computers are old they will have the same HD connections and the DELL HD can be put into the old computer as a secondary hd and probably the pictures can be copied. If you want to try to work through that I can give you instructions.

The other thing is does the DELL 2400 have a graphics card installed? It isn't listed in the specs at Dell's site so it would have to have been added later. You could tell by looking on the back of the PC you would have at least two possible connectors for the monitor one would be close to the bottom of the machine.

Lastly, do you have any PC that can write CDs? If not the options are limited. Do you have your original DELL CDs?

 

Not sure IF it will help. Unplug your computer and press the power button for 20-30 seconds. Then plug it in agai and try to boot it up. MAYBE you can get a NEW set of OS disks for your computer. If it came with XP. Here's the link for noew disks : https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form