Vista Home Prem Blue Screen issues

[Guest]

I and 3 of my friends purchased new Acer Aspire Laptops with Vista Home
Premium already installed. Mine started having blue screen issues within 2
weeks of purchase. I did not install any new software or hardware during that
time. The only thing was my son plugged in his Zune to recharge it, we didn't
install anything software or drivers with it. I will just be using my
computer and it will suddenly get a blue screen with white dashed lines all
over it, then it will reboot. I get a message that Windows has recovered from
an unexpected shutdown, and I get the option to look for a solution. There
is never a solution available. I have not been able to discern any event
that is tied to this, it seems very random. One of my friends has had it
happen now to his computer and he hasn't added any software or hardware
either. I see lots of info on line that Vista users are having this problem.
Any help is appreciated. An email to Microsoft has not solved the problem.

 

[Cal Bear '66]

Take it back for a refund or exchange.

A brand new computer should not do this.

 

[Guest]

Easier said than done, I'm afraid. We are all outside the US on a Navy Base.
Wouldn't it seem likely, with all of the other folks having this problem
with Vista, that Microsoft would be aware and issue a patch for it? I
actually like a lot of things about Vista, this is my only problem. Since
another computer (among the 4 we bought) is doing the same thing it seems to
me a software issue. An odd point is that I got the blue screen twice
yesterday while using my computer for an hour, then used the computer for 3
hours today and never got one. It's just so random. Do you have any
suggestions other than returning the computer? I've done a complete system
restore and it didn't fix the problem. Thanks.
--
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of
battle."

Take it back for a refund or exchange.

A brand new computer should not do this.

 

[Michael Gould]

Easier said than done, I'm afraid. We are all outside the US on a Navy Base.
Wouldn't it seem likely, with all of the other folks having this problem
with Vista, that Microsoft would be aware and issue a patch for it? I
actually like a lot of things about Vista, this is my only problem. Since
another computer (among the 4 we bought) is doing the same thing it seems to
me a software issue. An odd point is that I got the blue screen twice
yesterday while using my computer for an hour, then used the computer for 3
hours today and never got one. It's just so random. Do you have any
suggestions other than returning the computer? I've done a complete system
restore and it didn't fix the problem. Thanks.

Since this is a laptop that you are having issues on, heat might be
cause of the laptop blue screening. Does this happen after the
computer has been on for long periods of time? Just a thought.

 

[Guest]

I actually thought of that, but I don't think that's the problem. I use the
laptop indoors in the A/C and sometimes it happens after just a few minutes
and sometimes it doesn't happen after several hours. Also, I have another
Acer that I bought in Dec 2006, it has Windows XP. It has never had a BSoD
and my son uses it the same way I use mine, under the same conditions.

 

[Michael Solomon]

I actually thought of that, but I don't think that's the problem. I use
the
laptop indoors in the A/C and sometimes it happens after just a few
minutes
and sometimes it doesn't happen after several hours. Also, I have another
Acer that I bought in Dec 2006, it has Windows XP. It has never had a BSoD
and my son uses it the same way I use mine, under the same conditions.

Vista is new and it will take some time. Assuming your laptop is not near
any high energy fields, strong magnetic fields or stereo, the answer may be
contained in your original post. You haven't loaded any drivers. Just
because it was purchased new does not mean the drivers are automatically up
to date. You need, to check the Acer site for any updates including those
for hardware and also check manufacturer websites for the latest Vista
compatible drivers for all your hardware, soundcard, graphics card, network
card, anything you connect to the laptop as those drivers have been
installed and can have an effect even if the device isn't connected or
turned on.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info, I'll do that right away. I've downloaded all of the
critical and important updates from Microsoft, and all of the ones from
Norton. I never thought about going to Acer for downloads. I'll do that
tomorrow (working tonight). I've also printed out a lot of info regarding
diagnostics in Windows. Things are not as clear in Vista as in XP, but I do
like Vista. Thanks again.

 

[Michael Solomon]

Thanks for the info, I'll do that right away. I've downloaded all of the
critical and important updates from Microsoft, and all of the ones from
Norton. I never thought about going to Acer for downloads. I'll do that
tomorrow (working tonight). I've also printed out a lot of info regarding
diagnostics in Windows. Things are not as clear in Vista as in XP, but I
do
like Vista. Thanks again.

You're welcome. Remember as well, you mentioned the problem didn't begin
until your son connected his ipod. Any device requires a driver
installation even if that driver is already on the setup. However, being
relatively new, that driver may have been updated and require a newer
version that is more stable.

Ultimately, you may find you need to run System Restore to get things stable
again as there have been some issues with ipods and I don't think Apple has
these issues completely resolved as yet.

System Restore is only meant to restore your settings and registry but as a
precaution, you should make sure your data is well backed up. If you find
no other way to resolve this, you can use it to take you back to a time
prior to when this began. Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\System
Tools\System Restore.

 

[NotMe]

I believe I saw IPod/ITunes service combined with the newest Quicktime
version.
If it's an issue with the IPod, that may help solve it.

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:26:01 -0700, Moxey2000

Easier said than done, I'm afraid. We are all outside the US on a Navy Base.
Wouldn't it seem likely, with all of the other folks having this problem

Define "this problem"

with Vista, that Microsoft would be aware and issue a patch for it?

That's what suggests it's the PC rather than the OS per se, especially
with a new PC that you haven't installed anything on or exposed to
malware attack as yet (if this is the case, of course).

Since another computer (among the 4 we bought) is doing the same thing

Tell me more about these 4 PCs?

What else is installed on them?

it seems to me a software issue.

Well, if 2 out of every 4 Vista PCs failed, we'd have heard about it.
We've heard about a lot of things, but not those sort of failures...

So it's more likely something particular to these, such as drivers,
additional software, the way they were setup, etc.

You said you're at a naval base. Is the climate a lot hotter than
where the PCs came from? Is your mains supply good, or are you
running on lumpy generator power?

I'd start by checking the hardware. With new PCs, you aren't likely
to have bad motherboard capacitors, but you could have overheating
(especially if some moron applied serial number stickers to the top of
the processors, so the heat sink contact is bad; consider this
especially if pre-Core2Duo generation) or bad RAM, or bad HD
especially if lumpy power, poor case cooling or G-forces.

Make a MemTest96 boot CDR and test all PCs for 24 hours with that,
ejecting the disk after it starts to run so that any unattended resets
will be obvious (as opposed to booting the test again).

Then check HDs with HD Tune from www.hdtune.com (must be run as
administrator). This test will show temperature and SMART details
updated in real time as you do the "slow" surface test. You can post
the SMART results text here, etc. Strive for < 40C HD temperature.

--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -

To one who only has a hammer,
everything looks like a nail

 

[Alias]

You're welcome. Remember as well, you mentioned the problem didn't
begin until your son connected his ipod. Any device requires a driver
installation even if that driver is already on the setup. However,
being relatively new, that driver may have been updated and require a
newer version that is more stable.

Ultimately, you may find you need to run System Restore to get things
stable again as there have been some issues with ipods and I don't think
Apple has these issues completely resolved as yet.

System Restore is only meant to restore your settings and registry but
as a precaution, you should make sure your data is well backed up. If
you find no other way to resolve this, you can use it to take you back
to a time prior to when this began. Start
Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools\System Restore.

Um, Zune is not an iPod, as much as MS wishes it was and Zune, an MS
product, shouldn't cause BSOD on Vista.

Alias