Strange bluescreening

megalithic · 04-01-2011, 02:31

Im using Vista with a pentium 4 machine, stupidly only running just over 700mb of ram, a 512 and a 256, more on the way, but the problem is it runs more than fine until i install service pack 2, as soon as i do it starts bluescreening on start up.
I know it's due to service pack 2 as i've formatted the hdd and reinstalled 3 times now, same result every time.
I've done a minimum software install comprising of -
Avast free
Flash
Spybot
Moviemaker 2.6
K-lite codec pack
Vinyl Ac'97 codec for my sound
Ccleaner
InfraRecorder
Winzip
Firefox with AB+
Same software installed each time and as soon as i install SP2 it all goes mental.

I've watched countless youtubies and numerous programmes on Iplayer without incident until i install SP2, then it's watching youtube or iplayerthat bluescreens me, if i get that far.
Any idea what's causing this. ?

megalithic · 04-01-2011, 02:52

Well this gets even weirder, no sooner had i posted this it bluescreened on the minimal SW install which has been running fine for 3 days.

2 fans including the cpu one running fine, new thermal paste on the cpu last week, no overheating.
I'm guessing Hdd or ram.
New ram should arrive tomorrow so i'll swap and change it and i have another hard drive to try out, it's bloody puzzling me.

Btw, i could post the bluescreen errors but they seem to change each time.

Paul Blade · 04-01-2011, 11:05

I'd think like you ram as neither watching youtube or Iplayer uses the hdd usually but as you have a bare minimum of ram maybe it at a pinch could be your HDD but I don't think so

swarfendor43 · 05-01-2011, 00:05

1. Is the bigger memory stick in slot 0?

2. Are the memory modules the same type/same speed rating?

3. Have you added any new hardware lately?

4. Was it that last Mandriva install!

swarfendor43

megalithic · 05-01-2011, 02:57

I don't even know where to atart with a reply, but here goes.

Received a 1gig ram module this afternoon, tried it alone and in every possible combination, still bluescreening.

Tried a reinstall of vista which seemed to take an age, installed SP1 fine, installed SP2 and it went into a cycle of constant rebooting when i'd got to the configuring stage 3 of 3, couldn't do bugger all with it so formatted and began another install, now it's bluescreening when i try to download updates.

I left the updates to watch a 1 hour programme on youtube, no bluescreen, though i did expect at least one.

Ran windows memory test with every possible combination of ram, each time it gets to around 10% it gives the message that hardware problems have been found, when it gets to 100% it bluescreens.

Ran check disc, no problems found.

I'm at the end of my tether with the bugger but i don't want to tickle it with the hammer just yet, i don't like to be beaten.

I've not tried another hard drive yet so there';s another possibility, though i'm doubting it's a problem there, i've also checked ebay, used mobo £22 inc delivery.

I don't even really need this pc as i have a newer one but i want to get to the root of the problem.
I guess i'll just go on trying, all part of my education isn't it.

Greengeek · 05-01-2011, 10:58

Why are you trying to run such a resource hungry OS on such antiquated hardware?

I'd use XP, or Linux on that. It's just headaches waiting to happen.

auto98uk · 05-01-2011, 11:15

If you have a copy of an older OS, try it. Or indeed linux.

megalithic · 05-01-2011, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greengeek

Why are you trying to run such a resource hungry OS on such antiquated hardware?

I'd use XP, or Linux on that. It's just headaches waiting to happen.

It's not due to running Vista, it ran it fine for months, a little laggy admittedly, due to the amount of ram.

Tony Erikson · 05-01-2011, 18:08

Are you using an onboard network card?

megalithic · 05-01-2011, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Erikson

Are you using an onboard network card?

I have an ethernet card yes, but i'm using wireless via a dongle.
Just installed a different hard drive witha fresh install, we'll see how this goes.

Weazel2006 · 05-01-2011, 19:55

Can i just ask exactly what combinations you used with your ram.

Also is this the program that you used in your testing?

http://www.memtest.org/#screen

Im looking at the ram on this one but need a little more information.

I would normally put an HDD issue in other realms and more drive related situations, video cards are another culprit but i will keep with ram for the time being, but won't rule out a driver issue with a service pack.

megalithic · 05-01-2011, 21:05

Hi weazel.

I tried each ram module alone bar the 256 for obvious reasons, and i've tried them together swapping them between slots.
Yes, i ran memtest, it found no problems with any of the combinations.

I used windows check disc from the tools menu of my hard drive, that was flagging up an hardware problem, though as i said, the full check never completed without bluescreening.

Just installed SP1 without incident on this borrowed hard drive, so just maybe it was the HD, though time will tell.

To me this pc is just something to play with, i have a much better spec one but i'm going through the fault finding to give myself a better knowledge of fault finding, i am a relative novice when it comes to the technical side of things.

Now for SP2.

Weazel2006 · 05-01-2011, 21:29

Keep us posted, interested in the result....sp2 is a bugger for throwing up faults!

megalithic · 05-01-2011, 23:43

SP2 is on, no crashes yet either, though i know i shouldn't have said that.

terminator · 06-01-2011, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by megalithic

SP2 is on, no crashes yet either, though i know i shouldn't have said that.

Now your asking for trouble

Paul Blade · 06-01-2011, 00:10

10-9-8-7....................................

terminator · 06-01-2011, 00:12

Chucked my vista home in bin stuck vista black on it works wonders.

megalithic · 06-01-2011, 01:26

Another 77 updates gone on fine.

megalithic · 06-01-2011, 23:32

I was pm'd this morning asking what my cpu temperature was, from someone who never posts on this section, downloaded speedfan and got a reading of 67C idle.
Was advised to clean up my cpu/hs and re-apply some decent thermal paste.

I'd done this a few weeks back after taking advice with a syringe bought from fleabay, was advised to bin it and get a new batch from Maplin.
Temp has been stable all day at 36c - 45c, a new install and updates have run perfect and not a bluescreen in sight.
Windows update isn't finding anything new for me and it's running sweet.
The lot of the novice eh, granted, i'm not out of the woods with this damn pc yet but i've had no problems at all, and this is using the ram and hard drive i thought was fu**ed.
Only thing i've changed on the hardware front is clamping the heatsink to the cpu with cable ties, anothert tip from here.

Thanks for all your help on this, though i may be back.

terminator · 07-01-2011, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by megalithic

I was pm'd this morning asking what my cpu temperature was, from someone who never posts on this section, downloaded speedfan and got a reading of 67C idle.
Was advised to clean up my cpu/hs and re-apply some decent thermal paste.

I'd done this a few weeks back after taking advice with a syringe bought from fleabay, was advised to bin it and get a new batch from Maplin.
Temp has been stable all day at 36c - 45c, a new install and updates have run perfect and not a bluescreen in sight.
Windows update isn't finding anything new for me and it's running sweet.
The lot of the novice eh, granted, i'm not out of the woods with this damn pc yet but i've had no problems at all, and this is using the ram and hard drive i thought was fu**ed.
Only thing i've changed on the hardware front is clamping the heatsink to the cpu with cable ties, anothert tip from here.

Thanks for all your help on this, though i may be back.

Not being funny but have known cable ties to come loose would,nt rely on them on there own.Saying that i have used them in past but not as a perminant fix.