Oh geez

Ysidro · 23rd September 2009, 06:06 AM

So I had my computer running overnight, downloading some stuff. Nothing major going on there. Woke up to a black screen. "Uh oh" I think. "This can't be good. Let's see what happens on a reboot."

"Huh, everything came up. Cool. OK, let's check email, LJ, the forum.... hey wait, it just crashed again. Damn it, didn't I change the settings for it to hang on a BSOD so I can see what it says?"

Bah. Now it won't get up for long and I can't see the error. Last time this happened I had to replace the CPU. Hopefully this isn't another hardware fault and a restore or repair will fix it. Well, I'm not going to know for over 8 hours since I'm now stuck at work doing absolutely nothing of use.

So, whoever has some extra computer mojo, send it my way. This is going to be an "interesting" evening.

One with lots of swearing.

deep · 23rd September 2009, 08:34 AM

It could be a heat problem. Open it up and make sure the fans are working (CPU, power supply, etc).

Ysidro · 23rd September 2009, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by deep44

It could be a heat problem. Open it up and make sure the fans are working (CPU, power supply, etc).

Water cooled, but not likely a problem. Still, I did forget to check the pump. Thanks for the reminder.

Wudang · 23rd September 2009, 09:24 AM

I have some surplus swear words if that helps?

uruk · 23rd September 2009, 09:36 AM

1st. Scan for viruses from a boot disk or take out the hard drive and scan the drive using another computer.

2nd. Check the RAM. Either swap it out with another working computer (with the same type of RAM) or take it to a computer repair shop and have them check the RAM.

The same problem happened to my sister-in-law's computer. It would for a random amount of time and then take a BSOD dump. Turns out it was the RAM.

dasmiller · 23rd September 2009, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Ysidro

Water cooled, but not likely a problem. Still, I did forget to check the pump. Thanks for the reminder.

There are a lot of places that heat can be a problem. Are we sure that the power supply is adequately cooled (fan still working, nothing blocking the ports). Is the chipset overheating? Years ago I had a motherboard that had a separate chipset fan, which failed and caused a lot of lockups.

etc etc

Ysidro · 23rd September 2009, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by uruk

1st. Scan for viruses from a boot disk or take out the hard drive and scan the drive using another computer.

2nd. Check the RAM. Either swap it out with another working computer (with the same type of RAM) or take it to a computer repair shop and have them check the RAM.

The same problem happened to my sister-in-law's computer. It would for a random amount of time and then take a BSOD dump. Turns out it was the RAM.

I know what to do. Last time it was actually the CPU!

Originally Posted by dasmiller

There are a lot of places that heat can be a problem. Are we sure that the power supply is adequately cooled (fan still working, nothing blocking the ports). Is the chipset overheating? Years ago I had a motherboard that had a separate chipset fan, which failed and caused a lot of lockups.

etc etc

Trust me, if it's overheating it's because something failed recently and I didn't notice. This isn't a new box and it survived the summer (which is why I have water cooling. I don't overclock, it's just more efficient than trying to cool my entire crappy apartment.)

Honestly folks, I just wanted the extra swear words for when I end up having to reinstall a crappy Microsoft product.

jsiv · 23rd September 2009, 11:19 AM

Unless you've changed the settings, the BSOD details will be stored in the event log, and a basic memory dump that can be read by WinDbg in c:\windows\minidump.

Ysidro · 23rd September 2009, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by jsiv

Unless you've changed the settings, the BSOD details will be stored in the event log, and a basic memory dump that can be read by WinDbg in c:\windows\minidump.

Thanks, I keep forgetting that!

Ysidro · 23rd September 2009, 03:18 PM

OK. Now it works. I wonder if I just needed a cold boot.

Still don't know what's wrong because I'm having trouble reading all the dmp files. Weird.

Running other obvious diagnostics, but so far nothing is coming up.

Soapy Sam · 23rd September 2009, 04:20 PM

Probably just Homeland Security or the Secret Service updating the keystroke logger.
Nothing to worry about.

Ysidro · 24th September 2009, 04:27 PM

And now I can't get my DVD drive to slide out. My case has these slide out bays. A little bar holds on to the screw on one side and all you do is lift it up and slide the drives out the front. Alas, something is jamming. Apparently on the other side which I can't get to at all. I'm trying to pop the front of the case off, but having a hell of a time with that (and don't think I can get all the points anyway.)

I don't think I can win. I really can't win.

23rd September 2009, 06:06 AM	#1
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	Oh geez So I had my computer running overnight, downloading some stuff. Nothing major going on there. Woke up to a black screen. "Uh oh" I think. "This can't be good. Let's see what happens on a reboot." "Huh, everything came up. Cool. OK, let's check email, LJ, the forum.... hey wait, it just crashed again. Damn it, didn't I change the settings for it to hang on a BSOD so I can see what it says?" Bah. Now it won't get up for long and I can't see the error. Last time this happened I had to replace the CPU. Hopefully this isn't another hardware fault and a restore or repair will fix it. Well, I'm not going to know for over 8 hours since I'm now stuck at work doing absolutely nothing of use. So, whoever has some extra computer mojo, send it my way. This is going to be an "interesting" evening. One with lots of swearing.
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	__________________ "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

23rd September 2009, 08:34 AM	#2
deep Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,302	It could be a heat problem. Open it up and make sure the fans are working (CPU, power supply, etc).
deep Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,302

23rd September 2009, 08:53 AM	#3
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	Originally Posted by deep44 It could be a heat problem. Open it up and make sure the fans are working (CPU, power supply, etc). Water cooled, but not likely a problem. Still, I did forget to check the pump. Thanks for the reminder.
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	__________________ "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

23rd September 2009, 09:24 AM	#4
Wudang BOFH Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sheffield Posts: 4,412	I have some surplus swear words if that helps?
	__________________ Aphorism: Subjects most likely to be declared inappropriate for humor are the ones most in need of it.

23rd September 2009, 09:36 AM	#5
uruk Illuminator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: In the land of the Shatner stealing Mexico touchers Posts: 4,381	1st. Scan for viruses from a boot disk or take out the hard drive and scan the drive using another computer. 2nd. Check the RAM. Either swap it out with another working computer (with the same type of RAM) or take it to a computer repair shop and have them check the RAM. The same problem happened to my sister-in-law's computer. It would for a random amount of time and then take a BSOD dump. Turns out it was the RAM.
	__________________ Facts are meaningless, they can be used to prove anything that is even remotely true. Just because I don't care doesn't mean that I don't understand. Why do things that happen to stupid people keep happening to me!?! Lisa!...In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics! Alot of great things are based on lies, like religion and American history Homer Simpson

23rd September 2009, 09:48 AM	#6
dasmiller Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 425	Originally Posted by Ysidro Water cooled, but not likely a problem. Still, I did forget to check the pump. Thanks for the reminder. There are a lot of places that heat can be a problem. Are we sure that the power supply is adequately cooled (fan still working, nothing blocking the ports). Is the chipset overheating? Years ago I had a motherboard that had a separate chipset fan, which failed and caused a lot of lockups. etc etc
	__________________ "I know lots of people are smarter than me. But I have this philosophy: So what?" Julie Brown - "'Cause I'm A Blonde"

23rd September 2009, 10:33 AM	#7
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	Originally Posted by uruk 1st. Scan for viruses from a boot disk or take out the hard drive and scan the drive using another computer. 2nd. Check the RAM. Either swap it out with another working computer (with the same type of RAM) or take it to a computer repair shop and have them check the RAM. The same problem happened to my sister-in-law's computer. It would for a random amount of time and then take a BSOD dump. Turns out it was the RAM. I know what to do. Last time it was actually the CPU! Originally Posted by dasmiller There are a lot of places that heat can be a problem. Are we sure that the power supply is adequately cooled (fan still working, nothing blocking the ports). Is the chipset overheating? Years ago I had a motherboard that had a separate chipset fan, which failed and caused a lot of lockups. etc etc Trust me, if it's overheating it's because something failed recently and I didn't notice. This isn't a new box and it survived the summer (which is why I have water cooling. I don't overclock, it's just more efficient than trying to cool my entire crappy apartment.) Honestly folks, I just wanted the extra swear words for when I end up having to reinstall a crappy Microsoft product.
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	__________________ "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

23rd September 2009, 11:19 AM	#8
jsiv King of Svalbard Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bortenfor alle blåner Posts: 4,105	Unless you've changed the settings, the BSOD details will be stored in the event log, and a basic memory dump that can be read by WinDbg in c:\windows\minidump.
	__________________ Panama er landet eg drøymer om! Jula varer helt til påske!

23rd September 2009, 11:34 AM	#9
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	Originally Posted by jsiv Unless you've changed the settings, the BSOD details will be stored in the event log, and a basic memory dump that can be read by WinDbg in c:\windows\minidump. Thanks, I keep forgetting that!
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	__________________ "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

23rd September 2009, 03:18 PM	#10
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	OK. Now it works. I wonder if I just needed a cold boot. Still don't know what's wrong because I'm having trouble reading all the dmp files. Weird. Running other obvious diagnostics, but so far nothing is coming up.
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	__________________ "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

23rd September 2009, 04:20 PM	#11
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 18,092	Probably just Homeland Security or the Secret Service updating the keystroke logger. Nothing to worry about.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 18,092

24th September 2009, 04:27 PM	#12
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	And now I can't get my DVD drive to slide out. My case has these slide out bays. A little bar holds on to the screw on one side and all you do is lift it up and slide the drives out the front. Alas, something is jamming. Apparently on the other side which I can't get to at all. I'm trying to pop the front of the case off, but having a hell of a time with that (and don't think I can get all the points anyway.) I don't think I can win. I really can't win.
Ysidro I'm watching you Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,853	__________________ "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."