Help...chkdisk error and unexplained system crashes

[Dreamstalker]

Dell Inspiron 5150 with Win XP Home.

I recently installed a Linksys 802.11g network card. Shortly after
installation, I began getting a bluescreen "fatal system error" and
system shutdown randomly when online. Sometimes, Windows tells me the
cause is ZoneAlarm Pro, other times I'm told it's a device driver. The
only driver it could be is my wireless card; yet if it is the card, this
should be happening more regularly (it bluescreens six times one day,
one the next, none the next....I thought it was dependent on a certain
website, but that has since been disproven).

I recently also ran Chkdisk, and am now getting a bluescreen on stsrtup
"Cannot open volume for direct access"; after that, everything starts up
OK. My Chkdisk run was a week and a half ago, and I am still getting
this screen upon bootup.

Could it be a failing HD symptom? This laptop is only about six months
old, and everything started happening after the card installation.
Since the crashes are so sporadic, I'm not sure how much good a test
with the hardwired network will do.

 

[Guest]

On start-up tap the F8 key,enter in safe mode,go to run,type:Msinfo32
Open hardware tab,forced hardware,problem devices,chk for details.You
should also open ADM.,event viewer,chk system events.If you believe a hd
is the fault,boot to xp cd,recovery,press enter for password,at cmd screen
type:CHKDSK C: /R When its thru,type:EXIT Let xp restart.

 

[Richard]

Dell Inspiron 5150 with Win XP Home.

I recently installed a Linksys 802.11g network card. Shortly after
installation, I began getting a bluescreen "fatal system error" and
system shutdown randomly when online. Sometimes, Windows tells me the
cause is ZoneAlarm Pro, other times I'm told it's a device driver. The
only driver it could be is my wireless card; yet if it is the card, this
should be happening more regularly (it bluescreens six times one day,
one the next, none the next....I thought it was dependent on a certain
website, but that has since been disproven).

I recently also ran Chkdisk, and am now getting a bluescreen on stsrtup
"Cannot open volume for direct access"; after that, everything starts up
OK. My Chkdisk run was a week and a half ago, and I am still getting
this screen upon bootup.

Could it be a failing HD symptom? This laptop is only about six months
old, and everything started happening after the card installation.
Since the crashes are so sporadic, I'm not sure how much good a test
with the hardwired network will do.

If you are using Zone Alarm 5 then this could be the cause of your problems.
Shut it down,close all running tasks and uninstall ZA 5 using it's
uninstaller. When you restart CHKDSK should run normally. See ZA's FAQs and
web site to read all about it and download an earlier version 4.5 which
works OK.

Richard.