Blue Screen of Death

[vdel14]

First off, I'd like to put a little disclaimer out here: I know very little about computers. I can navigate my way around them as needed for personal/school usage. Outside of that, my knowledge is spotty. Most of the technical stuff I need done on my computer is done by my father over breaks/weekends, because I can't leave my laptop with the Tech guys at my school since I take notes for every class on it.

So now for the computer... Oi. The computer I have is a Dell Inspiron 1420. I got it back in May. It's running Vista Home Premium 32BIT, and I'm using Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 (I don't know if that is relevant or not, but I'll include it just the same). Since I've gotten it, I've had more problems than I can count. The last problem I had before the current one (random BSODs), was a corrupt file on my computer (Dell Support Center). It wouldn't let me download or install anything, and I had to install SystemMechanic on my computer to get rid of the corrupt files/registries (I think. My father actually did this for me.) The SystemMechanic allowed me to uninstall/delete the corrupt file, and voila, it worked! For about two weeks.

Then I started getting blue screens of death. At first it was only one, and there were a few days/week and a half until I got another. And now, in the past two days, I've gotten at least two (I have left my computer sitting on my desk to do something and I have come back to find it "magically" rebooted and waiting for my login, or stuck on the black screen with the blinking underscore).

In short, I have no clue what's going on with my computer, I'm incredibly lost, and it is frustrating to come back to a rebooted computer. I've tried looking for solutions under the Problem Reports and Solutions and Event Viewer windows, and neither seem to want to help. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I just want my system to work again!!

 

[lordbob75]

Ok. I know how frustrating that can be *Reminisces back to the Windows 98 days*

Ok so first things first. Sounds like you have had this problem since the beginning. Does the laptop come with a small partitioned section Labeled something like Restore?
It should be a partition containing all the factory default settings. (Something i should do on my PC)

If it does, then try this:
System Restore - How To

Just choose the back up partition to load from.
If that doesn't work, then boot up and hit either ESC, DEL, or F8 to open the BIOS. Go through there to BOOT setting, and select BOOT order, and set the backup drive as first, then save and reboot. This should load the same thing.

If you DO NOT have the restore partition, then I have to ask two questions: Do you have a backup or your PC? and Do you have the Vista disk?

~Lordbob

 

[vdel14]

I have both the Vista disk, and my computer is backed up on an external WD harddrive. I haven't been getting BSODs since I got my computer, it's just been the past two and a half, three weeks that I've been getting them. It kind of coincided with me downloading RocketDock, but it wasn't for a few days (sorry I didn't mention this earlier, I just thought of it O_o). So I'm not sure if that's it, and so I haven't uninstalled that yet.

 

[lordbob75]

OK, try a system restore from a point BEFORE you installed Rocket Dock, and that should hopefully fix the problem. Avoid reinstalling Rocket Dock until you are sure that you are not getting BSD's again.

System Restore - How To

~Lordbob

 

[vdel14]

Okay, so after going on vacation, having no internet, and my power cord dying (oh yeah, and I was busy with school), I've finally had time to restore my computer. I did so yesterday, and I haven't gotten any BSODs since then, but I'll post back in a week or so when I have time to establish if it is, in fact, fixed. Thank you so much for the help, and sorry it took me a while to get back.

-vdel14

 

[lordbob75]

Hey no problem. Good to hear you got it working.

~Lordbob

 

[ComputerAge]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me you didn't install VISTAOSX. RocketDock is a component of that deadly software. And my friends, if you didn't install it, DONT! I have and I had to send my computer for repair. So what I say is...

-Do a System Restore. (You must be an admin)
Instructions:
1. Click "Start"
2. Type "System Restore"
3. Click on it.
4. UAC will prompt you. Click continue.
5. Wait. It may take a while to load.
6. A windows will appear. Select the option to "Choose a different restore point"
7. When a list comes up, click the checkbox at the bottom for points older than 5 days
8. Select the oldest point you can find. That should work the best.
~---THIS MAY UNINSTALL PROGRAMS, BUT WON'T DELETE USER FILES---~
9. Let your computer restore.
10. Done. Voila!

If this doesn't help, you can send me a message.

 

[lordbob75]

Hey Computer Age,

Don't have people PM you. If you put up a post about, then everyone can read it as opposed to just you two. Keep that in mind
Keep up the help,

~Lordbob