Help! Any system check resets my PC!

[Bobby]

Whenever I try to run spyware or antivirus software on my PC, I get a BSOD
and the machine resets.

This happens about half way through any check that I carry out. It has
happened with three different spyware programs and McAfee antivirus
software.

Same symptoms - the software runs then about half way through -> BSOD ->
reset. It's as though checking a specific file causes the machine to
malfunction. Is that possible?

The last time I checked, the file it was checking immediately prior to a
BSOD was "NTServicePack uninstall".

A couple of weeks ago I tried to uninstall Microsoft .Net v2 beta when my
machine crashed and I could not then install the official .Net v2 from the
update site (I got a failed install every time). Could this have something
to do with it?

My PC is running XP Pro SP2 with all the updates. Other than this problem my
PC is running fine - so I'm reluctant to do a complete reformat and
reinstall.

Help!

Bobby

 

[Guest]

Did you run CHKDSK, yet?
My Computer>(Your drive letter)>Rt.Clk.>Properties>Tools tab>Error Checking,
"Check Now" button.
[Just to rule out a bad spot in the drive.]

 

[Rock]

Whenever I try to run spyware or antivirus software on my PC, I get a BSOD
and the machine resets.

This happens about half way through any check that I carry out. It has
happened with three different spyware programs and McAfee antivirus
software.

Same symptoms - the software runs then about half way through -> BSOD ->
reset. It's as though checking a specific file causes the machine to
malfunction. Is that possible?

The last time I checked, the file it was checking immediately prior to a
BSOD was "NTServicePack uninstall".

A couple of weeks ago I tried to uninstall Microsoft .Net v2 beta when my
machine crashed and I could not then install the official .Net v2 from the
update site (I got a failed install every time). Could this have something
to do with it?

My PC is running XP Pro SP2 with all the updates. Other than this problem my
PC is running fine - so I'm reluctant to do a complete reformat and
reinstall.

Help!

Bobby

Try the scans in safe mode.

 

[Bobby]

The PC freezes when I do a boot-time disk check (when checking the data
area).

There seems to be something on the hard disk that either causes a BSOD in
Windows or a freeze outside of Windows.

I'm getting to the point where I will have to reinstall XP - which I did not
want to do since apart from anti-virus, anti-spyware and disk check software
(the list is growing my PC is fine.

Bobby

 

[Malke]

The PC freezes when I do a boot-time disk check (when checking the
data area).

There seems to be something on the hard disk that either causes a BSOD
in Windows or a freeze outside of Windows.

I'm getting to the point where I will have to reinstall XP - which I
did not want to do since apart from anti-virus, anti-spyware and disk
check software (the list is growing my PC is fine.

Before you reinstall Windows, run a hard drive diagnostic utility to
make sure the hardware is good. Go to the drive mftr.'s website and
download the utility file and make a bootable floppy or cd with it.
Boot with the media and do a thorough test. If the drive has physical
errors, replace it.

Malke