BSOD - can't take the few steps requested before posting

L

lynnalexandra

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Posts
18
I am not sure how much info to provide yet. I have a long narrative I can include of what I've tried and observed in my laptop this week. I can include that later if anyone thinks I've left something important out. For now, I'll just include what may be most relevant here.

Dell 14R Windows 7 64-bit laptop. Laptop is 2 years old. Blue screen of death started appearing on Thursday. (Only changes I can recall were new router 3 weeks ago - and trying to enable the wireless adapter when I saw that it was disabled. Went to network connections - tried to enable a few times - did not work). Also noticed in the past week that one of my programs (think or swim by Ameritrade - streaming stock charts) was failing to open or close properly. Not sure if the open windows (which were stuck on loading the program) were from failed attempts to open it - or failed attempts to close it that I hadn't realized for 3 days had not shut down properly. The program didn't open from one spot - perhaps the start menu - but did from another location - perhaps the desktop icon or all programs list).

Tried booting into safe mode on Thursday. Succeeded - and did system restore to a point one week prior to any issues. System was restored - but did not fix problem. On Thursday, the cursor was frozen - which is what prompted me to reboot and got BSOD.

I have the computer wired with ethernet cable to my router at home. But I can't get to safe mode with networking - in order to download the two diagnostic programs you want us to run before reporting our BSOD.

Someone suggested it might be a boot sector and to try to boot from the system repair disc. I was able to get to safe mode and change the boot order so it boots from dvd drive first. But when I try to boot, I get an error message:
Status: 0xc00000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occurred.
Faulty hardware or failing cd drive.

So I am stuck - unable to boot all the way into windows. Unable to get the diagnostic programs on to my computer.



I never tested this repair disc. I don't know if I've ever used the optical drive as I primarily use this laptop at work - and had no occasion to run any programs or video off of a disk. If it's a bad drive, I may have never come across the failure before. But I'm guessing that this is not what's causing the BSOD.

When I try to boot into windows without safe mode, I get to the log in screen. I can enter my password. Then the little blue circle appears - spins a bit, freezes. And then I get the BSOD. Here's what I've typed of that message:


IRQL-NOT-LESS-OR-EQUAL

If this the first time you’ve seen this Stop error scree, restart your computer……

If problems continue, disable to remove 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 startup Options, and then select safe Mode.


TECHNICAL INFORMATION
888 STOP: 0x0000000A (0x0000000000000000,0x0000000000000002,0x0000000000000001,0xFFFFF80002CE6d6C)

Collecting data from crash dump…
it does get to 100% dumped.

Any help as to what I should try next would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Lynn.
 
More Info:
I thought that while I awaited direction, I would take my repair disk - copy the contents on to my desktop - and then from there copy it onto a flash drive (in case the optical drive is bad). I loaded it onto my desktop - and it does seem to have the needed contents. But I ran into a couple of problems:
1 - I tried to copy and paste the contents - clicked copy - but could not find the flash drive to paste to.
2 - so I tried to copy to my desktop - in documents - and it ran forever (it's only about 183 MB?) - and didn't complete
---------------------
In the meantime, I kept trying to boot into safe mode. This time I got the option to boot into safemode with networking. So I have downloaded the two diagnostic programs you suggest. I am running them now. Not sure what
"Output = new folder Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2 in Documents" means but i am hoping that when the program finishes, that will be more obvious. If not, I'll come back and ask.

Not sure I know how to save as a html file - but hopefully that too will be obvious when I get to that point
"START | type perfmon /report | save as HTML file"

Lastly, I don't know what this means:
START | type perfmon /report | save as HTML file
but will hopefully understand when i get that far.

Right now it's running the first program and says waiting for tasks to complete.

I posted this now to save someone the trouble of answering my initial post - since it looks like I can run your diagnostics.

Thanks. I'll post results when i get them.
Lynn.
 
Hi Lynn. . .

You're doing fine. Let the app run -- if it goes past 20 minutes, zip up the Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2 folder in Documents & attach to your next post.

Perfmon - if you can bring up a CMD screen - type perfmon /report - 60 secs it should finish. SAVE as an HTML file (HTML is the file extension). Include it in the zip or make it zip file #2.

The BSOD bugcheck 0xa - it could be a 3rd party driver, but given the exception I/O error +_ your description -
lynnalexandra said:
When I try to boot into windows without safe mode, I get to the log in screen. I can enter my password. Then the little blue circle appears - spins a bit, freezes. And then I get the BSOD.
Click to expand...
Seems like HDD or RAM failure is likely.

Do/did you have any USB sticks or external USB HDDs plugged in?

Let's take a look at the system files the app is producing first -- before starting hardware diagnostics.

Regards. . .

John
 
I ran both programs. But I don't know how to zip them. I tried to just attach them and only eight files attached.

The rest just show an exclamation mark in a red circle. I tried a few times. So I am sending this with the 8 files that would upload.

Can somebody help me figure out how to create a zip file?
If I create one, will that enable me to upload them all?

What does the red exclamation mark mean?

I did save the files - but can't get them attached. I'll await directions.

Thanks.
Lynn.
 

Attachments

HI, John,

Thanks for your help. I was busy working on my post just above and had not seen yours. You see I did get stuck. I don't know how to create a zip file.

I did not have any external devices attached. (only exception is that I had my ethernet cable attached to my laptop - and didn't notice at first that it was not plugged into the router. I plugged it in and connected in safe mode. I don't think that's the problem though.

I clicked the start menu, typed cmd and got a command line. I typed perfmon /report - and it said path not found - or something like that. I tried several iterations. One with a space after perfmon and before/. Another with no space. Just didn't work. I think I did save the file at an html file though. When I went to save in document, it let me type in autorun.html - and I see that in my documents. Now I just have to get it to you.

I just tried attaching the html file - and a few others. It looked like the html and few others uploaded - but I don't see them yet. If they come through, I'm sorry they are piecemeal. Hopefully the html file went through.

I'm going to try to send the rest piecemeal if one more post does it. that is, if I see that the autorun.html got through.

Thanks.
Lynn.
 

Attachments

I think I've attached 8 more.

The two dump files seem to big to upload. So I'll probably have to wait until somebody tells me how to zip them.

Thank you.
Lynn.
 

Attachments

It just dawned on me to google how to zip a file. So I got it. And I've zipped the file from the first program. I'm attaching here - where it's all together. Sorry for the piecemeal attachments before. It's a learning curve.

I thought I should attach the auto run zip file here as well so that if anybody who helps me doesn't have to look through multiple posts. It should all be here.

Thank you.
Lynn.
 

Attachments

Here's more information:
Dell Inspiron N4010
Windows 7 Home premium 64-bit
came pre-installed on the laptop, which is 2 years old.
intel core i3 CPU M380@2.53 GHZ
RAM: 4GB (3.8 gb usable)
64 bit operating system

Intel(R) Wifi Link 1000 BGN (this wasn't asked for, but since the wireless isn't working, I thought I'd put it in).

I'll download and run the programs listed in step six. Just to report, that earlier when in safe mode, I hit advanced boot options. Selected repair start up. It said there was no problem found (except it said that it seemed as though I had disconnected a device - usb device, ext hd, optical drive, etc, while it was still in use - and that seemed to be stopping? a full test with start up repair?).

I also ran the memory test and it was fine. Will still run the ones you suggested.

Thanks.
Lynn.
 
Hi,

It appears that avast! antivirus is the cause of your blue screens. One of its driver was blamed in all the four dumps from your reports. As a test, please uninstall it with its removal tool and see if that helps.

Microsoft Security Essentials & the Free version of Malwarebytes:
  • :lightbulb: Do not start the trial version of MalwareBytes
    picture.php
Perform a clean boot:

Use the System File Checker tool and Run Disk Check:

Additional Tests: Run RAM and Hard Drive Diagnostics

BSOD SUMMARY:
Code: 
[FONT=Lucida Console][C:\Users\USER\Downloads\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2 from Lynn\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2\080413-21091-01.dmp]
Probably caused by : aswSP.SYS ( aswSP+4133e )
Debug session time: Mon Aug  5 04:18:38.318 2013 (UTC + 6:00)
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
[C:\Users\USER\Downloads\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2 from Lynn\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2\080413-21340-01.dmp]
Probably caused by : aswSP.SYS ( aswSP+4133e )
Debug session time: Mon Aug  5 03:33:50.862 2013 (UTC + 6:00)
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
[C:\Users\USER\Downloads\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2 from Lynn\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2\080413-21418-01.dmp]
Probably caused by : aswSP.SYS ( aswSP+4133e )
Debug session time: Mon Aug  5 02:58:12.818 2013 (UTC + 6:00)
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
[C:\Users\USER\Downloads\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2 from Lynn\Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2\080413-22152-01.dmp]
Probably caused by : aswSP.SYS ( aswSP+4133e )
Debug session time: Mon Aug  5 00:30:46.713 2013 (UTC + 6:00)[/FONT]

PS: Please post if I've missed something.
 
Hi, Koolkat,

thank you. I have a few follow up questions.

I can uninstall AVAST. Should I just not use it any more? I have it on all our computers are home. Will I be able to install a fresh download - or should I look for another antivirus?

Also - you posted Microsoft Security Essentials & the Free version of Malwarebytes
I already have malwarebytes on this computer. Are you suggesting I use the MSE's now. Should I perform the other tests you mention (clean boot, repair files, check disk, ram test and hdd test). Should I do those now - or are those steps to explore if removing Avast doesn't help.

I'll remove Avast now and check if back if I should perform those other steps now - later? all at once? or one at a time?

Is the clean boot something I should do after removing Avast.

Thanks.
Lynn.
 
Uninstall avast for the time being, you can put a fresh copy back if it wasn't the cause of your bsods.

Clean boot, SFC and disk check after you've uninstalled Avast. Keep RAM and HDD Diag for later.
 
I removed Avast. It had to restart to finish uninstall. The restart was fine. Then I did a clean boot - and it booted fine. So I resumed normal boot.

Now I will do SFC and disk check. So far I'm having no trouble booting or using the computer.

Thanks.
Lynn.
 
Hi Lynn. . .

Run Avast Removal Tool - http://www.avast.com/en-us/uninstall-utility

Reboot upon completion.

Update your networking drivers -

Intel WiFi Link 1000 BGN -
Code: 
[font=lucida console]NETw5s64.sys   Thu Mar 18 01:21:53 2010 (4BA1B871)[/font]
http://sysnative.com/drivers/driver.php?id=NETw5s64.sys

Atheros AR8152 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller -
Code: 
[font=lucida console]L1C62x64.sys   Sun Dec 20 22:46:06 2009 (4B2EEF7E)[/font]
http://sysnative.com/drivers/driver.php?id=L1C62x64.sys

Dell Support has the same 2009/2010 drivers that you currently have.

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/Product/inspiron-14r

Regards. . .

jcgriff2
 
SFC was all normal.

Disk check ran overnight. The first 3 of 5 steps were all fine. I did see that there was one bad sector in 39 that it repaired. Then it finished overnight and restarted itself. I don't see any results displayed - or any problems.

So now it's on to the other issues. I'll be out for a few hours. Later I'll update drivers - for Intel and Atheros.

JCGriff - are you just telling me about the Dell drivers to say I'm up to date on those? or hopelessly behind?

Thanks.
Lynn.
 
I was able to uopdate the Intel drivers - because I had the site scan my computer and install appropriate one.

But when I go to the Atheros site, I see a list of network drivers for windows. I think you're saying I need AR8158 - which is listed in the table - but I don't see anything to click and install. Can you give me more pointers?

So far, no blue screens of death. And I can connect to my wireless home network. (so that's working - but I think I should update the Atheros driver also.

There's also the issue that arose with not being able to boot from the optical drive when trying to run system repair disk. Is that something to still explore? or was it an artifact of the bad Avast drivers.

Lastly - what can I do about antivirus? Is a fresh install of Avast an option? I am very familiar with Avast and have it running on the entire family's laptops and desktops. I'd rather not change - unless there's a good reason to do so. I don't know if this means Avast is questionable in general - or was this a fluke with a particular corrupt? download?

Thanks.
Lynn.
 
Hi Lynn,

In regards to your Atheros drivers, here's the direct link to what you want - Drivers for Atheros AR8152 and Windows 7

Once you get to that page, click 'click for download', and after a few seconds, a download prompt will popup.

There's also the issue that arose with not being able to boot from the optical drive when trying to run system repair disk.
Click to expand...

Have you tried changing the boot priority to make the optical drive #1? If so, check all physical connections to the optical drive itself.

Lastly - what can I do about antivirus?
Click to expand...

Since this is still an analysis in progress, I would hold off on 3rd party antivirus software until we are sure your original issues are all solved. In the meantime, install Microsoft Security Essentials for an antivirus - Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

Regards,

Patrick
 
Hi, Patrick,

Thanks for the link - but I must be very challenged today. I click the link and the page that comes up offers three different download links. I clicked the top one. It's a zip file with 6 files. I unzip. But none of the 6 files seems to be an installable driver. I double clicked each one -

lic62x64 - has three files - security catalog, set up information, system file.
lic62x86 - has three files, security catalog, set up information, system file.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
-------------------------------
As for the optical drive, I had changed boot order so it booted from the drive first. And when I then tried to boot from the disk, it said:
Status: 0xc00000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occurred.
Faulty hardware or failing cd drive

I did open and close it again - and made sure the disk was inserted properly. Not sure if there's any other way to test the physical connection.
I also have not tried out the optical drive since removing avast and getting the laptop up and running.

Thanks.
Lynn.
 
Once you click the Atheros link I provided, don't click anything but 'click here to download'. Once you have downloaded that, it will redirect you to a page that says '
Searching file, please wait ...'. Wait a few seconds and then it will prompt you to download 'win7-l1c-1.0.0.36-whql.zip'.

As Atheros drivers do not contain a setup, you will have to install manually:

1. Extract the contents of the .zip

2. Once extracted, follow this link - You cannot install a device driver by using its installation program in Windows Vista

Scroll down to where it says - Step 2: Manually install the driver, and follow those steps listed.

For reference, this is the file you want to select manually (picture):

4 reference.png

Regards,

Patrick
​
 
Hi, Patrick,

That is what I did the first time. Clicked the box that said "click for download". But there are three boxes like that. I only clicked the top one.

I extracted the files - and do have a file called L1C62x64 - but it's only 24 kb.

The link you provided for manually installing the drive. Of course, I hit snags with this too.

The link you provided was for Vista instructions - but I decided to give it a try anyway. These were the instructions:

  1. Click Start
    VistaStartButton.jpg

    , right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
  2. In the Tasks pane, click Device Manager.

    SecurityShield.jpg

    If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.
  3. In Device Manager, locate the device for which you want to install the driver.

    Note To display hidden devices, click Show hidden devices on the View menu.
  4. Right-click the device, and then click Update Driver Software.
  5. Click Browse my computer for driver software, click Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer, and then click Have Disk. (I got this far. I did not click have disk. I did click let me pick form a list. Then the next thing I knew, it said the driver had been updated. Those might not have been the exact words. The screen suggested closing the box. I did. It didn't really say what had happened - or how?
I never got to steps 6 and 7 below. Is there a way to check if I got the updated driver?


  1. In the Install From Disk dialog box, click Browse, locate an .inf file for the device driver that you want to install, and then click Open.
  2. Follow the steps in the Update Driver Software DeviceName dialog box to update the driver.

Thanks again.
Lynn.
 
Right, the Vista instructions work just fine for 7.

To see if the version installed properly, restart, and then go to Device Manager. Once in Device Manager, navigate to Network Adapters, click the drop-down, right click your Atheros network device > properties > Driver tab > see if the version is 1.0.0.36. If it is not, it did not install properly and we will have to walk you through it.

Regards,

Patrick
 

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