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From: Christopher Muto on 13 Oct 2009 20:06
<DaveJohnson12(a)nomail.> wrote in message
news:51p9d5pniebh3kkes0hmcsjrk275h3curj(a)4ax.com...
> On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:07:43 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
> <muto(a)worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>
>>is it up to date? i can go long periods without scanning and that means
>>the
>>virus libaray is old. perhaps you can start in safe mode with networking
>>and collect the updates.
>
> It seems to be up to date. I get a message saying that it is when I try to
> update. The strange thing
> is the database is dated 8/8/2009. Over two months old! Database version
> 2583
>
>>
>><DaveJohnson12(a)nomail.> wrote in message
>>news:qum7d5dlp357ai03fjcicnqmm64bh77o08(a)4ax.com...
>>>I just tried the quick scan option with Malwarebytes. I think this scans
>>>the Windows folder. It
>>> didn't find anything. I also scanned the Program Files folder. Again it
>>> did not find anything.
>>

that is old. perhaps it is the latest database for the older version of
malware bytes. they released version 1.41 of the program on september 9th
and the latest database for it is 2955 from yeaterday or today. but i don't
know what to tell you about installing it since you can only start in safe
mode. the only thing that i know of that you can run in safe mode without
having to install it is avasts free 'virus cleaner'... but it isn't very
effective... thought it costs nothing and would not hurt to try. it is
found near the bottom of the page here:
http://www.avast.com/eng/programs.html


From: DaveJohnson12 on 13 Oct 2009 22:29
On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:06:49 -0400, "Christopher Muto" <muto(a)worldnet.att.net> wrote:

><DaveJohnson12(a)nomail.> wrote in message
>news:51p9d5pniebh3kkes0hmcsjrk275h3curj(a)4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:07:43 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
>> <muto(a)worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>>
>>>is it up to date? i can go long periods without scanning and that means
>>>the
>>>virus libaray is old. perhaps you can start in safe mode with networking
>>>and collect the updates.
>>
>> It seems to be up to date. I get a message saying that it is when I try to
>> update. The strange thing
>> is the database is dated 8/8/2009. Over two months old! Database version
>> 2583
>>
>>>
>>><DaveJohnson12(a)nomail.> wrote in message
>>>news:qum7d5dlp357ai03fjcicnqmm64bh77o08(a)4ax.com...
>>>>I just tried the quick scan option with Malwarebytes. I think this scans
>>>>the Windows folder. It
>>>> didn't find anything. I also scanned the Program Files folder. Again it
>>>> did not find anything.
>>>
>
>that is old. perhaps it is the latest database for the older version of
>malware bytes. they released version 1.41 of the program on september 9th
>and the latest database for it is 2955 from yeaterday or today. but i don't
>know what to tell you about installing it since you can only start in safe
>mode. the only thing that i know of that you can run in safe mode without
>having to install it is avasts free 'virus cleaner'... but it isn't very
>effective... thought it costs nothing and would not hurt to try. it is
>found near the bottom of the page here:
>http://www.avast.com/eng/programs.html
>

Thank you. I'll try virus cleaner I guess or I might wait until I get the new drive
running with windows installed, connect the old drive as a second drive and then scan it.
I just installed Malwarebytes on my antique computer and noticed the database version. It
seems odd that the older version won't update the database or tell me that I need the
newer version of the program but I guess that's the way it works.
From: DaveJohnson12 on 13 Oct 2009 22:55
On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:11:18 -0400, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote:

>DaveJohnson12(a)nomail. wrote:
>> On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:47:28 -0400, "GTS" <x(a)y.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Firstly, what exactly is the blue screen error code? The 0x..... numbers -
>>> state the first one and then the next several inside the parenthesis. There
>>> may also be a one line text item in Caps. This is all flying blind and
>>> guessing without this information.
>>
>> The error codes look like this:
>>
>> Technical Information:
>> STOP: 0x0000007E (0XC0000005, 0X8981506D, 0XBA4C32CC, 0XBA4C2FC8)
>>
>>> Secondly, since it boots in safe mode run msconfig, put the machine in
>>> selective startup to not load startup items and see if that makes a
>>> difference.
>>
>> Okay.
>>
>>> Protecting your data is, of course, paramount. If you have access to
>>> another computer and a USB drive adaptor that would be a good way to
>>> retrieve it without buying another drive you may not need.
>>
>> I was going to buy another drive anyway. No I only have the one comptuter with SATA. My other ones
>> have ATA drives.
>>
>>> It may prove possible, once the problem has been properly analyzed and your
>>> data protected, to performing an in-place repair Windows reinstallation if
>>> all else fails, without having to reformat your drive.
>>
>> Interesting. I didn't know about that. Thanks.
>
>Direct from the Microsoft web site, here is the steaming pile of horse
>manure that they think describes the causes of a STOP 0x0000007E:
>

:-) Nice of them to narrow it down.

>This issue might occur if a system thread generates an exception that
>the error handler does not catch. This exception can be caused by any of
>the following:
>
> * If this issue occurs after the first restart during Windows Setup
>or after Setup is complete, the computer might not have sufficient hard
>disk space to run Windows XP.
> * The computer BIOS might be incompatible with Windows XP, or it
>might have to be updated.
> * The video adapter drivers might be incompatible with Windows XP.
> * A device driver or a system service might be damaged.
> * If the issue is associated with the Win32k.sys file, it might be
>caused by a third-party remote control program.
>
>So let me add to their list, because evidently nobody there really knows
>much about hardware:
>
> * The hard drive has corrupted or bad sectors, and the system tried
>to execute some invalid instructions in one of the bad sectors.
>
>As William Walsh suggested, run HDAT2 to see the SMART attributes. If
>HDAT2 flags any attribute in red, you know the drive needs to be replaced.
>
>Also, download and run the Seatools that runs from DOS... Ben Myers

I will try those. Thanks.
From: DaveJohnson12 on 13 Oct 2009 23:02
On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:05:54 -0400, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote:

>DaveJohnson12(a)nomail. wrote:
>> On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:11:03 -0400, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote:
>>
>>> DaveJohnson12(a)nomail. wrote:
>>>> It's an Optiplex 755 with Windows XP pro SP2.
>>>> I get a blue screen saying Windows has detected an error and is shutting down to protect the
>>>> computer. The screen did not list any drivers as causing an issue.
>>>>
>>>> I called Dell tech support. They had me run diagonostics. No hardware problems.
>>>>
>>>> The computer boots in safe mode. For some reason there are no restore points though it's set up to
>>>> use 18GB of space for restore points. ;-) Dell recommends reinstalling the OS.
>>>>
>>>> Any suggestions on correcting the problem would be appreciated. :-)
>>>>
>>>> I was going to burn data to DVDs but Nero cannot find any DVD burners, probably because it only runs
>>>> in safe mode. I have backups but they are so disorganized that it would be much easer to copy what
>>>> data is on the computer now.
>>>>
>>>> I'm planning to buy another hard disk, install Windows on it and copy the data from the old hard
>>>> drive to the new one, then reformat and reinstall Windows on the old hard disk if necessary.
>>>>
>>>> I haven't yet found a good place to buy the specific hard drive I want. Please see my other post if
>>>> you have any recommendations about that.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you.
>>> Run the DRIVE MANUFACTURER'S diagnostics, downloaded from the mfr's web
>>> site, on the hard drive. Dell's diagnostics do a quick sanity check on
>>> the drive, not at all thorough. Also run HDAT2, a free download, to
>>> examine the SMART data on the drive.
>>
>> I downloaded Seatools. It's a seagate hard drive. Unfortunately I could not install it.
>> The computer will only boot in safe mode and software can't be installed in safe mode.
>> I tried a diagnostic startup and it would not boot like that either.
>>
>>> If you can wait until a new drive arrives, do so, unless the drive
>>> diagnostics show the drive as A-OK. Then copy whatever data possible
>>>from the old drive to the new one, after installing Windows.
>>
>> It looks like that is what I will do.
>>
>>> Any complaint about unusual performance by one of my clients gets me to
>>> run diagnostics first, screw around with Windows afterward. If one does
>>> otherwise, he is peeing in his own soup, to quote an old Slavic saying.
>>
>> lol good one. I never noticed any performance problem or any other kind of problem. I had the
>> computer running for a while and when I came back to it the blue screen was there. Thanks.
>
>You need a version of SeaTools that is self-booting and runs under DOS.

If it's self booting, does that mean it somehow causes DOS to run? Is DOS included in the
self-booting version?

> Seagate has SeaTools downloads for a bootable CD (ISO file) or a
>bootable floppy. Your CD burning software needs to be able to burn an
>ISO file correctly. If your system does not have a built-in floppy
>drive, an USB floppy drive will do.

Do I have to change something in the BIOS to get the computer to boot from a CD. I don't
have a floppy drive.

I think HDAT2 also boots from a CD.

I have Nero 6. I think that can burn from an ISO file though I have never done that.

>
>For me, a blue screen almost always deserves to have the computer run
>hard drive diagnostics. if you look through the descriptions of BSODs
>on the Microsoft web site, they are as sketchy as can be. The
>programmers dreamt up something to satisfy managers flogging their
>backs, but they are rarely of much help... Ben Myers

I believe you. Thank you.
From: Ben Myers on 13 Oct 2009 22:18
DaveJohnson12(a)nomail. wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:05:54 -0400, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote:
>
>> DaveJohnson12(a)nomail. wrote:
>>> On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:11:03 -0400, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> DaveJohnson12(a)nomail. wrote:
>>>>> It's an Optiplex 755 with Windows XP pro SP2.
>>>>> I get a blue screen saying Windows has detected an error and is shutting down to protect the
>>>>> computer. The screen did not list any drivers as causing an issue.
>>>>>
>>>>> I called Dell tech support. They had me run diagonostics. No hardware problems.
>>>>>
>>>>> The computer boots in safe mode. For some reason there are no restore points though it's set up to
>>>>> use 18GB of space for restore points. ;-) Dell recommends reinstalling the OS.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any suggestions on correcting the problem would be appreciated. :-)
>>>>>
>>>>> I was going to burn data to DVDs but Nero cannot find any DVD burners, probably because it only runs
>>>>> in safe mode. I have backups but they are so disorganized that it would be much easer to copy what
>>>>> data is on the computer now.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm planning to buy another hard disk, install Windows on it and copy the data from the old hard
>>>>> drive to the new one, then reformat and reinstall Windows on the old hard disk if necessary.
>>>>>
>>>>> I haven't yet found a good place to buy the specific hard drive I want. Please see my other post if
>>>>> you have any recommendations about that.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you.
>>>> Run the DRIVE MANUFACTURER'S diagnostics, downloaded from the mfr's web
>>>> site, on the hard drive. Dell's diagnostics do a quick sanity check on
>>>> the drive, not at all thorough. Also run HDAT2, a free download, to
>>>> examine the SMART data on the drive.
>>> I downloaded Seatools. It's a seagate hard drive. Unfortunately I could not install it.
>>> The computer will only boot in safe mode and software can't be installed in safe mode.
>>> I tried a diagnostic startup and it would not boot like that either.
>>>
>>>> If you can wait until a new drive arrives, do so, unless the drive
>>>> diagnostics show the drive as A-OK. Then copy whatever data possible
>>> >from the old drive to the new one, after installing Windows.
>>>
>>> It looks like that is what I will do.
>>>
>>>> Any complaint about unusual performance by one of my clients gets me to
>>>> run diagnostics first, screw around with Windows afterward. If one does
>>>> otherwise, he is peeing in his own soup, to quote an old Slavic saying.
>>> lol good one. I never noticed any performance problem or any other kind of problem. I had the
>>> computer running for a while and when I came back to it the blue screen was there. Thanks.
>> You need a version of SeaTools that is self-booting and runs under DOS.
>
> If it's self booting, does that mean it somehow causes DOS to run? Is DOS included in the
> self-booting version?
>
>> Seagate has SeaTools downloads for a bootable CD (ISO file) or a
>> bootable floppy. Your CD burning software needs to be able to burn an
>> ISO file correctly. If your system does not have a built-in floppy
>> drive, an USB floppy drive will do.
>
> Do I have to change something in the BIOS to get the computer to boot from a CD. I don't
> have a floppy drive.
>
> I think HDAT2 also boots from a CD.
>
> I have Nero 6. I think that can burn from an ISO file though I have never done that.
>
>> For me, a blue screen almost always deserves to have the computer run
>> hard drive diagnostics. if you look through the descriptions of BSODs
>> on the Microsoft web site, they are as sketchy as can be. The
>> programmers dreamt up something to satisfy managers flogging their
>> backs, but they are rarely of much help... Ben Myers
>
> I believe you. Thank you.

Self-booting means that it has enough of MS-DOS (or FreeDOS or Caldera
DOS or IBM-DOS) to boot and run the diagnostic software.

With most Dells these days, you hit the F12 key to call up the menu that
offers the choice to boot from CD, hard drive, floppy drive (if
available), etc.

Download HDAT2 4.5.2, the latest non-demo version of the software. It,
like SeaTools, is available in both ISO format for CDs and a file that
builds a bootable floppy.

I have not used Nero 6 in a long time. I know that some of the OEM
versions of Nero are somewhat crippled, and may not burn an ISO file
correctly, so that the CD boots. As very servicable alternatives, I
recommend CDBurnerXP (works with Win 2000 and Vista, too) and ImgBurn,
both free downloads. CDBurnerXP requires .NET 2.0 to install and run.

.... Ben Myers
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