PC is turning blue, life support please.

whatatwit · 11 April 2008 at 4:09PM

Hi, I usually hang out on the OS board, but a problem on my daughter's PC has sent me running to you :rolleyes:

Her PC is running Windows XP, and when we start the PC, she is getting all sorts of messages....we did have AVG running, but either I put the wrong version on, or she has managed to corrupt it. The AVG on mine and OH's lappies is fine so who knows

Her Pc was showing all these messages, in effect, buy now and we will remove all this junk/adware/popups etc. Upshot being that when I tried to install a new AVG, I couldn't, so I tried to uninstall all these little icons that had appeared. (this was obviously blunder No1)

After a few minutes, the screen goes blank and then turns blue with a message....

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
A driver has overrun a stack-based buffer. This overrun could potentially allow a malicious user to gain control of this machine.
If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps.
Check to make sure any new hardware/software is correctly installed. If this is an new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you might need.
If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select advanced start up options, and then select safe mode.
Technical Information ***STOP: 0x000000F7 (0x00000000, 0x00008631, 0xFFFF79CE, 0x00000000)

Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further assistance.

So, in a nutshell, what do I need to do to solve this pesky problem and rid the PC of the pesky gremlins that have moved in.
Sorry for the lack of understanding, and if this has been covered before I can only apologise and ask to be pointed in the right direction, I am now at the stage of thinking that I don't want to do any more harm

Thanks for getting this far.
The Twit

TonyLisaP · 11 April 2008 at 4:26PM

This is a hardware problem by the looks of it. Please check out http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;137539 for more info.

Is the machine overclocked? Have you added any new hardware to the machine, i.e RAM?

Conor_3 · 11 April 2008 at 4:28PM

Wipe the hard drive and re-install Windows. Looks like she got some malware on a her PC and trying to remove it has cocked up Windows big style.

TonyLisaP · 11 April 2008 at 4:29PM

Conor wrote: »

Wipe the hard drive and re-install Windows. Looks like she got some malware on a her PC and trying to remove it has cocked up Windows big style.

Conor, that is a hardware BSOD message, wiping the hard disk and restarting at this point would be counter productive. Check http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;137539

albertross_2 · 11 April 2008 at 4:30PM

Try safe mode, F8 at bootup, system restore, under help, put if back to a working state, then download a good virus/malware scanner (if it will let you), and do a scan

http://www.kaspersky.com/trials

"A driver has overrun a stack-based buffer", is software.

TonyLisaP · 11 April 2008 at 4:33PM

Not according to Microsofts article on this particular stop code. I would suggest that the driver is overrun the stack as the module is faulty.

DatabaseError · 11 April 2008 at 4:35PM

if the pc is seriously infected (which you suggest) then i'd be inclined to reinstall XP, deleting and recreating/formatting the disc partition as i did so. Luckily I'm sure your daughter has all her work backed up!

if she hasn't (as expected) then i'd slave her hard drive to another pc and backup onto that, then return to her pc for the reinstall, this is REALLY EASY to do and will allow her to save the contents of /my documents at least

albertross_2 · 11 April 2008 at 4:35PM

If I had a penny for every time I read a Microsoft article that was nothing to do with the problem.. Any problem could be related to hardware, but 99/100 times, it's software/drivers/registry/malware.

whatatwit · 11 April 2008 at 4:36PM

Thanks for the ideas so far, i've got to go to work for a couple of hours now, so upon my return, I'll log back in and try the ideas....i will keep you posted as to my progress and no doubt ask some more numpty questions.

DatabaseError · 11 April 2008 at 4:38PM

linky not always a hardware error code, with lots of malware confirmed it seems more likely

TonyLisaP · 11 April 2008 at 4:39PM

I have said it before and I will say it again, if microsoft ever makes a product that doesn't suck, it will be a vacuum cleaner.

PC is turning blue, life support please.

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