Has this happened to You, Yet?

[oldnslo]

A few days ago, I got the BSOD [blue screen of death] on my Dell 4600, which is used exclusively for email and internet. It is a pentium 4, 2.66, 40gb. A stop error message about a process or thread crucial to system operation unexpectedly exiting or being terminated by the system.
I am presently using my 7-year old Celeron HP computer on dial up. Slooooow.
Checking with Dell tech and visiting many websites draws me to the conclusion I have a hard drive that may be toast.
I would appreciate any input on this, as I am old and cheap, and would like to salvage the hard drive if possible.
Thanks in advance......

Incidentally, the Dell tech was in India, and almost impossible to understand--not a pleasant experience.

[Wizzard]

How long has it been since you really cleaned out your system?

[oldnslo]

I haven't. I somehow was under the impression that there are some self cleaning tools built into XP, plus I had noadware on it. Probably not enough, but I am not really savvy on computers. Error code 0F00.0244 seems to be a popular one on various websites, along with 0x000000F4 followed by others similar to it. My old Celeron computer just keeps plugging along, self-maintaining at weekly intervals, so I assumed a more modern os like p4 would do the same maintenance cycle. Dell told me, with a strong Indian accent, that it was a hardware problem, curable only via a new hard drive. Or, at least that's what I thought he said. The Dell is just 2 years old, and has not been used heavily.

[basshole]

I'd first try to reboot in safe mode. then clean the cache out (which really should be done daily) then de-frag the drive and see what happens after that. Computers require maintanence, just like your bike.

[oldnslo]

I would agree with that--must have missed the sign somewhere that the computer needed maintenance with my personal assistance. Guess I will have to take a short course on XP maintenance, much like a Ducati valve adjust. As I said , my old Celeron just keeps working, taking care of itself, no bsod, ever.

[Ninja Geoff]

A few days ago, I got the BSOD [blue screen of death] on my Dell 4600, which is used exclusively for email and internet. It is a pentium 4, 2.66, 40gb. A stop error message about a process or thread crucial to system operation unexpectedly exiting or being terminated by the system.
I am presently using my 7-year old Celeron HP computer on dial up. Slooooow.
Checking with Dell tech and visiting many websites draws me to the conclusion I have a hard drive that may be toast.
I would appreciate any input on this, as I am old and cheap, and would like to salvage the hard drive if possible.
Thanks in advance......

Incidentally, the Dell tech was in India, and almost impossible to understand--not a pleasant experience.

Ask to speak to an advanced tech. Or utterly confuse the guy and he'll transfer one to you.

Got backups of your stuff? Consider a fresh reinstall of windows (read: Format the hard drive THEN reinstall windows).

[Wizzard]

Depending on how I feel and when I get home tonight from work , will try to post some simple step by step instructions on a thorough cleaning .
Regards, Wizzard

[Nibblet99]

In the uk, most dell kit is sold with a 3 year on site support agreement where they send someone out to your house to replace the duff bit of kit... Its worth checking your service agreement when you bought it

[CNF2002]

I'd first try to reboot in safe mode. then clean the cache out (which really should be done daily) then de-frag the drive and see what happens after that.

x2.

Phone techs are helpful unless you have a real problem...their solution is always to reformat the hard drive and start over, or in your case replace the drive entirely. It gets you off the phone faster.

[Nibblet99]

not true with dell... I've been on the phone for 2 hours before now... trying to get them to replace the hard disk, as it was busted ad under warrantee.... "could you just take you pc to even smaller bits please sir. then coat them with rasberry ripple ice cream and try again?"