Is my pc dead?

[upnorth]

There are a few things that can cause a BSOD. Software, hardware, drivers. It is not a cut and dried thing, there is no one pat answer.

Let's all just offer the advice that we have and leave it at that.

[spearchucker]

Quote:

Ya, I am assuming? smirk By what was posted, the only thing I am assuming is possibly he might want the file/programs currently on the HDD. If he can not go into the OS via the regular way or safemode, how is he supposed to get those files? He posted he can "not" get into safemode. No assumption on my part smile I just suggested that if he wanted to backup (should) the files before running the recovery CD, and could not get to them, there ways (software) that can help.

You pull out the drive and read in from another computer or enclosure like I said many times. If that doesn't work then resort to more drastic measures of getting your data. Once you have your data, then reinstall Windows or run your recovery disk which will format and reinstall Windows.

Recovery programs are a last resort method that should be run from another drive because you run more of a risk to losing your data.

[spearchucker]

Quote:

I have heard of the BSOD occurring after the motherboard was replaced, but never the motherboard being the cause.

If the motherboard is failed, how is the BSOD supposed to even display?

Then I take it you haven't seen many motherboard failures. It doesn't need to be a complete failure. I have seen onboard video or LAN go bad, flaky power supply circuits, RAM, you name it. As soon as the driver tries to access the bad hardware it Blue screens.

[cabin boy]

First off let me say thanks to everyone that is trying to help! Second, to say I am not computer savy would be a major understatement. Here's what I know-I have tried starting up in safe mode, safe mode with networking,normal start-up,last known good configuration ect... All with the same results-I end up getting the BSOD every time. I tried unplugging the unit from the power-same results. I put in the recovery disc, and I can hear it spinning but nothing comes up on the monitor. What to try next?

[spearchucker]

Do you have data that you need to recover from the disk or is it all expendable data that you don't need?

[muddpuppy]

If you run the recovery disc you run a chance at loosing data. So if you need anything backed-up now is the time to try and recover it.

With the recovery disc in and the power off. Turn the computer on and hold the F12 key for a second when you see the DELL Bios splash. this should bring up a boot device list. select the cdrom from that list. Follow the prompts from there.

Good luck

[cabin boy]

I have most of my pics backed up on cd. Everything else,I think I can live without. I will try the recovery disc tonight and give a report tommorrow. Thanks a million guys!

[upnorth]

With some dells(I think you said it was a dell) you need to go into the BIOS and allow it to boot from the recovery CD. Best bet would be to try to call dell. Even tho it is out of warranty they may at least get you pointed in the right direction. If not you can get the info off their site, but for the proper procedure I think you need to have the model info to get it right.

[DTro]

I’m pretty sure you have to get into the BIOS and change the boot sequence so that it will boot from CD.

From there, you might be able to do a quick restore and save your data, or possibly a full restore which would wipe your data.

Getting into the BIOS is pretty simple. Probably F12 for you I think.

[cabin boy]

Here's the latest-I did the f12 thing and selected the cd option. It then brought up a screen that says "we apologize for the inconvience windows failed to load..........please select an option from below start in safe mode ect..........at the bottom of the page a counter stating "windows will start automatically in 25 seconds............No matter which option I choose the next screen that comes up is guess what? The BSOD!!

[spearchucker]

It seems like it still isn't booting from the CD. Make sure it is the correct bootable restore CD.

[cabin boy]

The CD I am trying to load is WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION REINSTALLATION CD. Is this the correct one?

[upnorth]

Yes but many dell PCs need to have a change made to the BIOS to allow it to boot from that CD. Also when you are trying to boot from that CD make sure you don't try to go into safe mode.

[muddpuppy]

What model do you have and what is the Bios ver? You may have to set the CDrom/DVD as the first bootable device in the Bios. By pressing the F2 to enter the Bios. I have a couple older dells at home I can double check on, and work on them everyday on the job. F12 should give you a boot device menu F8 gives the Windows advanced options menu.

Dell packages sends several cds that look the same. the only bootable CD is the Windows XP reinstall make sure it's not the Drivers CD.

[cabin boy]

My Dell is a Dimension 4600.BIOS Revision A09. Could my problems have anything to do with memory? The last week before the "crash", I had gotten warnings that I was low on virtual memory? Thanks again for all the assistance!!

[spearchucker]

How much RAM does the machine have? The bug on your machine was probably taking up a lot of RAM and forcing your computer to use a lot of virtual memory (hard drive space used as RAM) since it was using all of your physical RAM.

[muddpuppy]

Virtual Memory is allocated space on the Hard Drive. You could get VM errors due to a magnatude of issues. Caused by the system trying to use more resouces than are available. If you had a problem with Physical RAM failing you would most likey have errors in the post and would be promted.

I will check my machines when I get home , I don't have anything that old at work.

[cabin boy]

As far as memory goes, this is what I found.

Installed System Memory 256 MB DDR SDRAM

System Memory Speed 333 Mhz

System Memory Channel Mode Dual

AGP Aperture 128 MB

This mean anything? It's all foreign to me.

Thanks again!

[spearchucker]

256MB RAM is about the bare minimum to run XP very well. My guess is that you were getting the LOW VIRTUAL MEMORY warnings because you were using a lot of virtual memory since you are low on real physical memory. When Windows runs out of memory it will start using virtual memory, which is just using a big file on your hard drive for extra memory. The hard drive is much slower than real memory (RAM) so it slows your machine down. You will notice the hard drive light blinking a lot of activity and chattering away when this happens because it has to constantly access the hard drive for memory. You are getting the warning because Windows is setup with a maximum amount of virtual memory to use in the System Properties. You could increase the maximum amount to get rid of the message, but this will just get rid of the message a stop a crash. To really fix the problem you need more memory (RAM) and figure out what is using it all up. On that old of a machine you may be better off just buying the cheapest machine on sale at Best Buy or on the web. It will be much faster than what you have. You have to weigh the upgrade cost of RAM/age of old machine vs the cost of a new machine and better speed.

[upnorth]

I have an old dell about that vintage and it was fine for most home use until we started running into running both AV and anti-spyware. Both take an amazing amount of rescources to run. I wouldn't spend a whole to upgrade a PC like that either. Money would be better spent on a new PC. Buying vintage RAM like that is not always cheap and the prices of the new desktops hardly makes it worth the effort and money to upgrade. You wind up with a slightly faster old slow machine.

[cabin boy]

So, do you think low memory is what caused all my problems to begin with? Would that also have something to do with not being able to start in safe mode, not being able to start up using the operating system restore disk ect............

[spearchucker]

Hard to say. Either you got a bug that screwed everything up, or all the virtual memory use took a toll on your hard drive and corrupted some files. The bug could have added a bunch of extra processes that started using up your memory causing your virtual memory warnings. Hard to say.

You still can't boot from the recovery CD?

[cabin boy]

Nope! Can't boot from CD. I don't think I'm doing anything wrong!

[upnorth]

1st you need a bootable CD, your restore CD would be bootable. You may need to enable your PC to boot from a CD in the BIOS. Dell also has a thing in the BIOS that blocks it from booting from the restore CD that you need to enable. Find the model of your PC and post it here and I will see if I can find it on the Dell site for you.

[cabin boy]

My model is Dell Dimension 4600. Thanks man!