Repeated blue screen events

[SteveR750]

My Viao has cxrashed 7-8 time this evening, sometimes within a few minutes of rebooting, somtimes a couple of hours.

I've run malware on it, disabled as many non essential programmes as I can, checked the core temps which all look ok, so have no idea what's causing it. The only programme I have recently installed was the NAD ASIO USB driver on Friday lunchtime. This is the first time it's happened.

It's a quad core i7 running Windows 7 home premium 64 bit

 

[SteveR750]

OK, I'll try that. I have already uninstalled the NAD USB driver, but its just crashed again, this time not a BSOD just started squawking via optical and the pc froze.

I wonder if there is a graphics card issue? I updated the drivers earlier - will have to do this again if do a system restore

 

[chebby]

The only programme I have recently installed was the NAD ASIO USB driver on Friday lunchtime. This is the first time it's happened.

It's a quad core i7 running Windows 7 home premium 64 bit

Try to restore back to a point just before Friday lunchtime...

Go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools.

Click on System Restore.

Click Next > on the Restore system files and settings window.

Choose a restore point.

Click Next.

Click Finish.

The restore won't touch any of your non-system files or settings (documents, email, music, photos etc.)

 

[chebby]

OK, I'll try that. I have already uninstalled the NAD USB driver, but its just crashed again, this time not a BSOD just started squawking via optical and the pc froze.

I wonder if there is a graphics card issue? I updated the drivers earlier - will have to do this again if do a system restore

Are these drivers & updates all 64 bit versions?

 

[SteveR750]

Can't even try that now, Windows failed to start is trying to self repair now. I just about managed to save the HD tracks file onto my external HDD but potentially could lose about a dozen or CD albums that I ripped from borrowed freinds copies.

 

[SteveR750]

OK, I'll try that. I have already uninstalled the NAD USB driver, but its just crashed again, this time not a BSOD just started squawking via optical and the pc froze.

I wonder if there is a graphics card issue? I updated the drivers earlier - will have to do this again if do a system restore

Are these drivers & updates all 64 bit versions?

I assume the nvidia one is, since it does a system check prior to download. There is only one NAD USB driver file (as was cambrideg audio - no problems with that one)

 

[chebby]

Try pressing F8 when it boots up next.

Then when you get the boot menu use Last known good configuration.

If that brings the machine up ok then still do the restore back to prior to Friday lunchtime.

 

[SteveR750]

Try pressing F8 when it boots up next.

Then when you get the boot menu use Last known good configuration.

If that brings the machine up ok then still do the restore back to prior to Friday lunchtime.

OK.

The PC powered off after it failed to complete the self repair - with a message cannot repair windows, which I basically took as it's fooked take it to a garage.

I simpley tried powering it up and it all started without any problems. I've set it to a system restore point prior to the installation of the NAD drivers, so let's see if that cures it.

I have a feeling though its the graphics card - all of the forums I have found when googling sony viao repeated blue screen come up with that problem.

Thanks for your help though Chebby.

 

[Alantiggger]

Good that it's back working again.

For future references should anything go wrong ,this is quite helpful Steve:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbysymptom/tp/computer-wont-turn-on.htm

 

[VoodooDoctor]

The nvidia graphics drivers have been the only things to cause BSOD problems on my laptop. I found the Beta drivers were more stable than a recent release candidate.

 

[BenLaw]

CD albums that I ripped from borrowed freinds copies.

Karma teaching you a lesson?

 

[SteveR750]

Good that it's back working again.

For future references should anything go wrong ,this is quite helpful Steve:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbysymptom/tp/computer-wont-turn-on.htm

Thanks, I'll need that. It's not fixed, it's still sick. Really heffed off with it now, first PC I have ever had any problems with, and I have taken good care of this one, rarely use it for day to stuff, never knocked it or bashed it up. Sod's law huh. It keeps freezing this evening, at least I can't blame the NAD USB driver. Did a quick check on the graphics and audio drivers and they are all up to date.

CD albums that I ripped from borrowed freinds copies.

Karma teaching you a lesson?

Possibly, except that they belong to my g/f, some of which I bought for her. She is not quite so meticulous with her storage of CDs so some have gone missing / damaged....

 

[chebby]

Did a quick check on the graphics and audio drivers and they are all up to date.

Were they downloaded via Sony's support site or direct from Nvidia?

(My Dell machines have always preferred driver updates to be downloaded/installed from the Dell Europe support site.)

 

[SteveR750]

I checked using the W7 device manager menu, and clicked on the check for updates box for each device - so this will be done through the Viao network.

I haven't had the blue screen today, just a complete freeze, the mouse doesnt work, the screen saver stops. The only recovery is through a power down and reboot, upon which it starts fine (after giving me the safe mode options)

 

[cheeseboy]

if you can get some details from the blue screens it will tell you what is causing the issue.

You can ususally find these in the system event viewer.

 

[chebby]

Do you have any warranty or support/cover with Sony or the retailer?

 

[Paul.]

You could try booting in verbose mode to see if anything is missing or damaged on startup.

 

[SteveR750]

Spoke with Sony today - it's out of warranty, and they recommended a repairer.

Their free phone advice was to try invoking the Viao repair / rescue system by rebooting with F10 held down, that should conduct a hardware check.

I need to check the RAM sticks are correctlly located, and finally a hard reset (system reinstall of W7). The only programme that i cannot locate the license key to a copy of excel 2010, but Lightroom, and most importantly JRMC can be reinstalled. My music files are backed up, and I never stored photos on the PC from the start.

If that doesn't cure it, then it's off to be fixed - a new motherboard is circa £400-£500, and Hard drive around £180 all in. Think I can forget that new NAD or DAC...

 

[chebby]

Spoke with Sony today - it's out of warranty, and they recommended a repairer.

Their free phone advice was to try invoking the Viao repair / rescue system by rebooting with F10 held down, that should conduct a hardware check.

I need to check the RAM sticks are correctlly located, and finally a hard reset (system reinstall of W7). The only programme that i cannot locate the license key to a copy of excel 2010, but Lightroom, and most importantly JRMC can be reinstalled. My music files are backed up, and I never stored photos on the PC from the start.

If that doesn't cure it, then it's off to be fixed - a new motherboard is circa £400-£500, and Hard drive around £180 all in. Think I can forget that new NAD or DAC...

You may as well buy a new laptop at those prices! And get the manufacturer's best cover option. (My Dells have always had 3-year/onsite/next business-day support - extendable by a further 2 years when nearing expiry - and have paid for themselves handsomely over the years.)

 

[cheeseboy]

Spoke with Sony today - it's out of warranty, and they recommended a repairer.

Their free phone advice was to try invoking the Viao repair / rescue system by rebooting with F10 held down, that should conduct a hardware check.

I need to check the RAM sticks are correctlly located, and finally a hard reset (system reinstall of W7). The only programme that i cannot locate the license key to a copy of excel 2010, but Lightroom, and most importantly JRMC can be reinstalled. My music files are backed up, and I never stored photos on the PC from the start.

If that doesn't cure it, then it's off to be fixed - a new motherboard is circa £400-£500, and Hard drive around £180 all in. Think I can forget that new NAD or DAC...

Are you still getting the blue screens? Sorry to repeat what I said, but they will tell you what is wrong with the computer.

By the sounds of things, an update has screwed something. If you want to test if it's the hardware or software, download ubuntu and burn it on to a cd or a memory stick, then boot from that. It won't touch your current system, but it will allow you to use your computer. If it's freezing when it's running that, then it may be hardware. If it doesn't freeze, chances are it's software.

also, whoever quoted you those prices for repair is having a laugh. A new 500gb 2.5" hard drive shouldn't be much more than 50 quid http://www.cclonline.com/product/45017/WD5000BPVT/Hard-Drives/Western-Digital-Scorpio-Blue-500GB-5400rpm-SATA-Hard-Drive/HDD0510/

 

[AnotherJoe]

Its probably due to corrupted system files.
- Click on Start button
- Type in cmd - and right click on cmd.exe and choose run as administrator
- Then in the cmd window type sfc /SCANNOW

Windows will now check all system files and correct any problems.
If it corrects any you will probably need to run windows update afterwards.

 

[Papalazarou75]

I agree with the Ubuntu method,but would prob go for Mint linux instead as it has better out of the box features making it a bit more useable with less learning, but either way it is a great tool for testing hardware & you never know you may just preff it to windows

 

[SteveR750]

You may as well buy a new laptop at those prices! And get the manufacturer's best cover option. (My Dells have always had 3-year/onsite/next business-day support - extendable by a further 2 years when nearing expiry - and have paid for themselves handsomely over the years.)

Normally I'd agree, but the Sony has two key features worth preserving - a screen that is better than a Macbook Pro (which was the primary reason because I use Adobe Lightroom for photo editing) and the optical output. I agree £500 would get a perfectly adequate machine for streaming music.

Are you still getting the blue screens? Sorry to repeat what I said, but they will tell you what is wrong with the computer.

By the sounds of things, an update has screwed something. If you want to test if it's the hardware or software, download ubuntu and burn it on to a cd or a memory stick, then boot from that. It won't touch your current system, but it will allow you to use your computer. If it's freezing when it's running that, then it may be hardware. If it doesn't freeze, chances are it's software.

also, whoever quoted you those prices for repair is having a laugh. A new 500gb 2.5" hard drive shouldn't be much more than 50 quid http://www.cclonline.com/product/45017/WD5000BPVT/Hard-Drives/Western-Digital-Scorpio-Blue-500GB-5400rpm-SATA-Hard-Drive/HDD0510/

It was laptop hut who quoted that - they are Sony's recommended out of warranty repairers, so I expect a top book quote. In the first instance I'd want an accurate diagnosis, then I can find a cheaper place to effect the repair.

I haven't had a BS event since Saturday evening - only a couple of screen freezes. What am I looking for, since the Blue Screen last for about 5s before rebooting!

I've already run Windows diagnostics - no errors found. I'm currently running the Viao hardware system check utility, so far the CPU and RAM is OK, as is the linear and radom seek test on the hard drive. I guess if it crashes during this test, it's a big clue to a hardware fault.

Bear in mind this has a dual high speed hard disk, so again I'd expect it to cost a little more.

@Chebby - I had a option to extend the warranty on my son's Alienware laptop, but at £200 for 12 months its steep, and IMO a waste of money since they failed to fix a major problem properly under the original warranty. I have not enjoyed the Dell ownership experience at all, and frankly the utter BS from the rep today trying to tell me that th PC was much more delicate and needed more maintenance than a bog standard Inspiron had me reaching for a solicitor. Unsurprisingly he would not confirm those comments in an email to me. A few years ago, their quality was OK, currently it's poor. I have a Dell from my employer and have had some issues with it, mostly bits falling off. We have just switched a global IT contract to another manufacturer because of the high failure rates of their machines.

 

[SteveR750]

It's finished the Viao diagnostics check, and all OK (though I was told the system can check the hard drive OK when in fact it's not - self delusional or what).

I'me now doing another system restore going back two weeks prrio to several windows updates, I'll set up manual updates, force a Sony BIOS update check and see what happens. Need to find some missing albums but I know they are on the external backup, and download that NAD ASIO driver again. Let the noise commence!

 

[steve_1979]

What am I looking for

Write down all of the infomation from the BSOD and let me know what it says.

the Blue Screen last for about 5s before rebooting!

Here's some instructions that show you how to stop the computer from automatically rebooting after a BSOD. This will give you all the time that you need. http://www.ehow.com/how_6830626_disable-automatic-restart-blue-screen.html