Question For The Computer Savvy
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 42,085
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From: Lakewood, Ca.
Question For The Computer Savvy
This morning my desktop (Windows Vista) told me that it shut down in order to keep from hurting itself. It said "Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal" and showed a couple of number/letter strings that I suppose means something to someone. I restarted in safe mode/command prompt and restored the system to a couple of days ago and it seems to be working again, although it's acting pretty strange. Windows Mail is very slow to respond and I'm getting that (Not Responding) message up on the top. Browsers (Firefox, IE...doesn't matter) have similar problems. Hold the cursor on a link and it takes a few moments for the link to become "live"...same thing with changing tabs.
Is this thing getting ready to explode, or what?
Is this thing getting ready to explode, or what?
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, TX
This morning my desktop (Windows Vista) told me that it shut down in order to keep from hurting itself. It said "Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal" and showed a couple of number/letter strings that I suppose means something to someone. I restarted in safe mode/command prompt and restored the system to a couple of days ago and it seems to be working again, although it's acting pretty strange. Windows Mail is very slow to respond and I'm getting that (Not Responding) message up on the top. Browsers (Firefox, IE...doesn't matter) have similar problems. Hold the cursor on a link and it takes a few moments for the link to become "live"...same thing with changing tabs.
Is this thing getting ready to explode, or what?
Is this thing getting ready to explode, or what?
One TB external HD's can be had for less than a $100 bill these days. I remember the days when a 10 meg platter for storage cost nearly $500, PC's ran best with 64K of RAM, and we were lucky to have a 5.25 floppy that was high density.
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 42,085
Likes: 6
From: Lakewood, Ca.
Thanks for the response, parker. I'm using an online backup service, so data loss isn't really a concern. The machine is only 3 or 4 years old, I'd hope they have a longer service life than that.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
Likes: 317
From: Whittier, CA
I've seen that message only a few times. I think it was due to an unstable hard drive starting to get flaky.
I would suggest running "CHKDSK C: /F" from the command line. It will ask to run the next time you reboot. So reboot, and let it run. See if it finds bad sectors. Do that routine a few times until it comes back clean. If it can.
Windows is trying to avoid losing data when you get that message.
I would suggest running "CHKDSK C: /F" from the command line. It will ask to run the next time you reboot. So reboot, and let it run. See if it finds bad sectors. Do that routine a few times until it comes back clean. If it can.
Windows is trying to avoid losing data when you get that message.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,315
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From: Rossmoor at Seal Beach
Steve You can get an upgrade kit from Microcenter in Tustin, pretty cheap and upgrade to windows 7... I would do a reformat, and then load the Windows 7 upgrade... Fairly easy to do! if you get stuck, give me a call my son is a computer tech...
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 887
Likes: 70
From: Santa Clarita
I've seen that message only a few times. I think it was due to an unstable hard drive starting to get flaky.
I would suggest running "CHKDSK C: /F" from the command line. It will ask to run the next time you reboot. So reboot, and let it run. See if it finds bad sectors. Do that routine a few times until it comes back clean. If it can.
Windows is trying to avoid losing data when you get that message.
I would suggest running "CHKDSK C: /F" from the command line. It will ask to run the next time you reboot. So reboot, and let it run. See if it finds bad sectors. Do that routine a few times until it comes back clean. If it can.
Windows is trying to avoid losing data when you get that message.
Yes, this is generally due to HW going bad, and based on the other symptoms you described is does sound like it is the HDD (hard drive).
You probably have a .DMP file that was written out when the error message was experienced. You can search for that .DMP file on your HDD and upload it to one of a myriad of sites where uber computer geeks can help you diagnose.
My Backpack Gots Jets
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 365
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From: LBC
ahh the Blue Screen of Death. could be a lot of things. its a loong process of elimination. i build custom gaming desktops on the side. so i know the how frustrating it is when things go awry.
my advice as another member said is to start backing up your important data. then i would do a clean format/install of the operating system.
since im very local to you. if you need help on it. shoot me a PM. i can do that for you. ill even upgrade you to a win7 OS.
i got a lot of clients that come to me with this problem. the easiest and cost effective way of fixing it is a clean OS reinstall. 90% of the time some window files is corrupted. it happens over time. its one of those things that just malfunctions.
my advice as another member said is to start backing up your important data. then i would do a clean format/install of the operating system.
since im very local to you. if you need help on it. shoot me a PM. i can do that for you. ill even upgrade you to a win7 OS.
i got a lot of clients that come to me with this problem. the easiest and cost effective way of fixing it is a clean OS reinstall. 90% of the time some window files is corrupted. it happens over time. its one of those things that just malfunctions.
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Lakewood, Ca.
Sorry for dropping the ball on this 
It's actually been working fine for the most part, other than I can't access FTE anymore on it. No problems getting on any other sites, just FTE...I get the "connection was reset" message whenever I try.
Thanks for the offer Dennis...I may take you up on that
It's actually been working fine for the most part, other than I can't access FTE anymore on it. No problems getting on any other sites, just FTE...I get the "connection was reset" message whenever I try.
Thanks for the offer Dennis...I may take you up on that
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
Likes: 317
From: Whittier, CA
Reloading the OS is a lot of work, but so rewarding. Once done it is like Christmas morning.
My advice is to not put all your trust in Carbonite. Backup independently, and consider Carbonite as your emergency backup.
In this case, your best bet will be to purhase a new HD. Then install your OS on the new drive, and restore directly from your old drive. Especially since we have some question about the reliability of your old drive. Drives are dirt cheap. There has been a shortage lately, but it hasn't affected prices that I have seen.
My advice is to not put all your trust in Carbonite. Backup independently, and consider Carbonite as your emergency backup.
In this case, your best bet will be to purhase a new HD. Then install your OS on the new drive, and restore directly from your old drive. Especially since we have some question about the reliability of your old drive. Drives are dirt cheap. There has been a shortage lately, but it hasn't affected prices that I have seen.
My Backpack Gots Jets
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
From: LBC
Sorry for dropping the ball on this
It's actually been working fine for the most part, other than I can't access FTE anymore on it. No problems getting on any other sites, just FTE...I get the "connection was reset" message whenever I try.
Thanks for the offer Dennis...I may take you up on that
It's actually been working fine for the most part, other than I can't access FTE anymore on it. No problems getting on any other sites, just FTE...I get the "connection was reset" message whenever I try.
Thanks for the offer Dennis...I may take you up on that
My Backpack Gots Jets
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
From: LBC
Reloading the OS is a lot of work, but so rewarding. Once done it is like Christmas morning.
My advice is to not put all your trust in Carbonite. Backup independently, and consider Carbonite as your emergency backup.
In this case, your best bet will be to purhase a new HD. Then install your OS on the new drive, and restore directly from your old drive. Especially since we have some question about the reliability of your old drive. Drives are dirt cheap. There has been a shortage lately, but it hasn't affected prices that I have seen.
My advice is to not put all your trust in Carbonite. Backup independently, and consider Carbonite as your emergency backup.
In this case, your best bet will be to purhase a new HD. Then install your OS on the new drive, and restore directly from your old drive. Especially since we have some question about the reliability of your old drive. Drives are dirt cheap. There has been a shortage lately, but it hasn't affected prices that I have seen.
files somewhere else. hahaHDD are cheap now. you can buy one of those SSD drives for 120 bucks use that for the OS only and just everyday files. then get a dedicated slave drive for backup and important files.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
Likes: 317
From: Whittier, CA
I don't have any problem with the security. And they are welcome to my **** if they want it. Most of it is K-9 related. 
But it is not a very fast or convenient way to selectively restore data. Compared to a second hard drive where you can simply drag and drop your files onto the new drive.
But it is not a very fast or convenient way to selectively restore data. Compared to a second hard drive where you can simply drag and drop your files onto the new drive.
My Backpack Gots Jets
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
From: LBC
I don't have any problem with the security. And they are welcome to my **** if they want it. Most of it is K-9 related.
But it is not a very fast or convenient way to selectively restore data. Compared to a second hard drive where you can simply drag and drop your files onto the new drive.
But it is not a very fast or convenient way to selectively restore data. Compared to a second hard drive where you can simply drag and drop your files onto the new drive.