Blue Screen of Death...Yet Again??!

[scott110]

Hi all,

I have a WinXP Home system thats giving me a major headache. A while back the system started randomly displaying the dreaded BSoD until it eventually stopped working altogether. The system would get past the first WinXP boot screen and then immediately hit me with a BSoD when I logged into any user account, thus making the system virtually useless.

Thinking it was the HD, I ran System Restore, did a full CHKDSK scan, full virus scan, tried repairing the Windows Installation, etc all to no avail. Eventually I formatted the entire drive and recreated the partion in WinXP setup. When I tried to reinstall Windows, the same thing happened again! Right after XP's first boot I get slapped with a BSoD!! I have used XP's setup at least 4 times now, and everytime I format and repartition, same thing happens (BSoD on first boot).

I even downloaded utility software from my hard drive's manufacturer, Western Digital, and ran a full drive scan - which states there is nothing physically wrong with the HD. I also did a FULL WIPE (writing zero's to the entire disk) and that still didn't work! Same thing happens during installation, after XP first boot...BAM! BSoD!! More like SOB!!!!

Now I'm thinking its the BIOS or perhaps any other component, would updating the BIOS help? If anyone can offer me some insight, it would go a long, long way. My system specs are listed below. Thank you for your consideration.

-Scott

-P4 2.4Ghz
-512 MB SDRAM
-80GB Western Digital Hard Drive
-Intel Motherboard (D865GLC: Integrated Video & Sound)

 

[GavinO]

I'm thinking that some hardware setting is having a problem. I'd try resetting your BIOS (there should be a reset in the BIOS menu or a jumper you can short. Barring that pop the button cell for a few hours). If that doesn't work, I'd try reseating your cables, RAM, and expansion cards; some dust or something may have gotten in there. If you're still having the problem, then I would guess the problem to be a hardware flaw in either the hard disk or the motherboard (in either the IDE controller or the video subsystem).

One thought I have about the point that it crashes is that it might be a video problem. If the crash is right when it changes to a higher graphics mode from the boot screen, then something may be wrong with the video system. What makes me wonder is that the earlier problems were while the system was already running.

 

[handan2002]

Have you tried installing another version of Windows or even a completely different OS to see if it runs? This would help pinpoint the problem...

Also, what does the BSoD say?