Windows 7 Pro Blue Screen Error, what is the fix?

[JohnC]

I'm looking in to this pcdrcui.exe and I'm not sure of that is crashing or it is logging the crashes at this point.

But I just uninstalled it. :up: Edited January 20, 2014 by JohnC

[JohnC]

Replaced screen with new 27in Dell, replaced video card, replaced HD.

Still having the same issues.

WTF can it be? Not much else left to replace other than the motherboard! :meh:

[viscero]

Well, you can also backup your stuff and reinstall windows as well.  Probably what I would do before shelling out more money on hardware.

[JohnC]

Just made a discovery....

It's acting like something is loose.

I went to shut the case and it crashed and recovered. When I jarred the case with the palm of my hand, it crashed again.

Not what the heck could be loose!

[NoBanStan]

Just made a discovery....

It's acting like something is loose.

I went to shut the case and it crashed and recovered. When I jarred the case with the palm of my hand, it crashed again.

Not what the heck could be loose!

 

Don't do that, you could be jarring the hard drive (presuming it's plattered and not SS). Would be an easy way to lose your data.

 

Speaking of harddrive, i've skimmed over this post lightly, but so far i've seen video card errors, system errors, application errors, etc.... Personally, i would suggest running some hardware diags. Dying hard drives sometimes give off a lot of "strange" issues. 

[Guest Lester Weevils]

After you replaced the hard drive-- Did you copy an image of the old HD to the new one, or did you format and install from a winders install disc?

If you imaged the old HD, then POSSIBLY the new HD could have inherited problems from the old one. In which case some possibility of success might come from right-click on the new HD, select properties, select tools, select error check hard drive and click all the checkboxes. Then click OK, and then reboot to let winders scan the drive for inherited errors.

In case of mechanical intermittency-- I think you already reseated your cards, but did you reseat the memory? Because it wouldn't take much time to do, you could pull every card and every ram stick, one at a time. Lightly clean the contacts with a pencil eraser, clean off all eraser crumbles, then firmly reinsert each card and ram stick.

Similarly you could pull every cable, one at a time, both ends, and then firmly reinsert. I wouldn't worry about cleaning cable contacts unless they look corroded. Ususlly just working a connection is good enough to knock off the oxide.

After that, you could boot with the puter open and use some small plastic instrument, or wood tongue depressor or whatever, to lightly tap around the cards and connections to see if there is one special place which is vibration sensitive.

If none of that helps, a friend's grampa had lots of wise sayings. One of them was-- "Son, if you keep picking at that it ain't ever gonna heal up." :)

Another of his sayings which might be even more relevant (he lived out in the country and would burn his trash)-- "If ya can't fix it, burn it!"

[JohnC]

Don't do that, you could be jarring the hard drive (presuming it's plattered and not SS). Would be an easy way to lose your data.
 
Speaking of harddrive, i've skimmed over this post lightly, but so far i've seen video card errors, system errors, application errors, etc.... Personally, i would suggest running some hardware diags. Dying hard drives sometimes give off a lot of "strange" issues.

I replaced the HD a week ago. Has a new Segate 3TB. The old was a Segate 2TB. They're 7,200 rpm and all that jazz.

I used the built in Acronis software to copy the image from the old drive to the new drive.

And as I typed this, just got home, put it on youtube to play a music video and it froze up! :wall:

[hkusp40cal]

Since it hasn't  been asked, what power supply are you using and how old is it?   A failing power supply can imitate ban RAM, bad vid card and just about anything else.  One of my gaming PCs was having strange issue.  Games would stutter or crash and whenever I tried to run 3Dmark it would crash and lock the system.  I did all the normal troubleshooting tips and finally checked the PS.  The voltages were fluctuating well out of spec.  Replaced the power supply and haven't had an issue since.

Edited February 23, 2014 by hkusp40cal

[JohnC]

After you replaced the hard drive-- Did you copy an image of the old HD to the new one, or did you format and install from a winders install disc?

If you imaged the old HD, then POSSIBLY the new HD could have inherited problems from the old one. In which case some possibility of success might come from right-click on the new HD, select properties, select tools, select error check hard drive and click all the checkboxes. Then click OK, and then reboot to let winders scan the drive for inherited errors.

In case of mechanical intermittency-- I think you already reseated your cards, but did you reseat the memory? Because it wouldn't take much time to do, you could pull every card and every ram stick, one at a time. Lightly clean the contacts with a pencil eraser, clean off all eraser crumbles, then firmly reinsert each card and ram stick.

Similarly you could pull every cable, one at a time, both ends, and then firmly reinsert. I wouldn't worry about cleaning cable contacts unless they look corroded. Ususlly just working a connection is good enough to knock off the oxide.

After that, you could boot with the puter open and use some small plastic instrument, or wood tongue depressor or whatever, to lightly tap around the cards and connections to see if there is one special place which is vibration sensitive.

If none of that helps, a friend's grampa had lots of wise sayings. One of them was-- "Son, if you keep picking at that it ain't ever gonna heal up." :)

Another of his sayings which might be even more relevant (he lived out in the country and would burn his trash)-- "If ya can't fix it, burn it!"

Yeah, I copied it with the built in Segate software which was Acronis. Copied the image right on to the new 3tb HD.

Burning it is not an option.

But when the end comes, if I can't do anything else, I'll salvage what I can and send some 50 BMG API's in to it with some tannerite and video it.

[NoBanStan]

[quote name="JohnC" post="1115527" timestamp="1393186759"]I replaced the HD a week ago. Has a new Segate 3TB. The old was a Segate 2TB. They're 7,200 rpm and all that jazz. I used the built in Acronis software to copy the image from the old drive to the new drive. And as I typed this, just got home, put it on youtube to play a music video and it froze up! :wall:[/quote] Unfortunately "new" doesn't "working". Were you having problems before the drive replacement? If its a corrupted OS or driver, etc, imaging it brings over the problem. Tried a fresh install to see if the issues go away?

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Yep, power supply is a good idea to check. If could borrow one with the correct connectors for a substitution test, would be cheaper.

When I'd build my own, wouldn't trust power supplies past about 3 years because the ps can fry every thing in the box if it fails the wrong way, but nowadays I just buy factory built and run em till they drop.

If it twere mine I'd reseat all the connectors and ram, run a win7 HD error check (which manages to fix a lot of errors on good drives), and tap around on the thang to look for intermittencies.

Some of the bios' have windows that will tell you various voltages and temps, which is maybe not as fancy as probing with a voltmeter, but lots more convenient. You would boot holding whatever key enters the bios, then poke around to see if there is a screen that will tell you the voltages. The mass market puter bios are often less likely to have voltage/temp readouts, than the "build it yerself" mobos.

[JohnC]

Unfortunately "new" doesn't "working". Were you having problems before the drive replacement? If its a corrupted OS or driver, etc, imaging it brings over the problem. Tried a fresh install to see if the issues go away?

Problems happened before the new HD. I got the new HD trying to see if that would fix the issues.

New 27in screen
New Video Card.
New Hard Drive.

[JohnC]

Yep, power supply is a good idea to check. If could borrow one with the correct connectors for a substitution test, would be cheaper.

When I'd build my own, wouldn't trust power supplies past about 3 years because the ps can fry every thing in the box if it fails the wrong way, but nowadays I just buy factory built and run em till they drop.

If it twere mine I'd reseat all the connectors and ram, run a win7 HD error check (which manages to fix a lot of errors on good drives), and tap around on the thang to look for intermittencies.

Some of the bios' have windows that will tell you various voltages and temps, which is maybe not as fancy as probing with a voltmeter, but lots more convenient. You would boot holding whatever key enters the bios, then poke around to see if there is a screen that will tell you the voltages. The mass market puter bios are often less likely to have voltage/temp readouts, than the "build it yerself" mobos.

This is a Dell Studio XPS Win 7 Pro machine, so all I see is Made In China on the PS. Don't even know how much power it puts out.

How do I look in to the bios for power/voltage readings?

[Oh Shoot]

This is a Dell Studio XPS Win 7 Pro machine, so all I see is Made In China on the PS. Don't even know how much power it puts out.

How do I look in to the bios for power/voltage readings?

 

Boot to BIOS and look around at options. Might or might not have that feature.

 

Should have a quick notice to enter "setup" when you first see Dell logo, likely F2.

 

- OS

[Guest Lester Weevils]

This is a Dell Studio XPS Win 7 Pro machine, so all I see is Made In China on the PS. Don't even know how much power it puts out.

How do I look in to the bios for power/voltage readings?

Hi JohnC

Here is a page, that down in the big list, has several entries for the keys to press on bootup to enter the bios setup screens. Those screens run from software on a chip on your mobo and don't depend on a boot drive. You navigate the screens with cursor keys and such, no mouse support.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

I kinda doubt that dell will have a voltage screen in the bios, but no way to know without looking.

As far as power supply, it might be easiest to take yer puter to a hole in the wall small neighborhood puter shop and get them to tell you what is a good replacement. Maybe they would charge little or nothing to temporarily substitute one and check thataway.

Or you could web search and find out.

The hardware folks keep changing the power requirements and pin configs on new computers, been doing it for decades. So they are unfortunately not a one size fits all item where you could just buy a fancy new PS from newegg, with racing stripes and gold plated connectors, and know for sure it would work with what ya got.

A lot of smaller mass market puters might have 300 watt or wimpier power supplies. And that isn't necessarily a bad thing if 300 watts is "enough". The factory PS will often be real ugly paint or galvanized steel, and thats not bad either as long as it is fit for purpose.

Real powerful puters and video cards need stronger PS, and some brands have the highest reputations for reliability. As long as you can get something basically reliable that will run yer puter, not worth fretting over.

Little mom n pop puter stores, that sell boxes they put together, can probably get you something purt affordable and reliable. If they sell systems, they can't afford to put too crappy a PS in em, because they don't want angry customers bringing back fried puters. Edited February 23, 2014 by Lester Weevils

[NoBanStan]

[quote name="JohnC" post="1115545" timestamp="1393189478"]Problems happened before the new HD. I got the new HD trying to see if that would fix the issues. New 27in screen New Video Card. New Hard Drive.[/quote] Tried a fresh install of windows?

[JohnC]

Tried a fresh install of windows?

Not yet, but I'm damn near ready to do it. This issue is driving me nuts! :wall:

[DaveTN]

Tried a fresh install of windows?

This.

If you installed an image of a corrupt windows install with Acronis; that what you will get. But If you used an Acornis factory restore image (should be there if you imaged the drive with Acronis); its not a corrupt OS.

[NoBanStan]

[quote name="JohnC" post="1115565" timestamp="1393193011"]Not yet, but I'm damn near ready to do it. This issue is driving me nuts! :wall:[/quote] I would for sure, just backup off disk beforehand

[NoBanStan]

[quote name="DaveTN" post="1115566" timestamp="1393193544"]This. If you installed an image of a corrupt windows install with Acronis; that what you will get. But If you used an Acornis factory restore image (should be there if you imaged the drive with Acronis); its not a corrupt OS.[/quote] agreed.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

This.

If you installed an image of a corrupt windows install with Acronis; that what you will get. But If you used an Acornis factory restore image (should be there if you imaged the drive with Acronis); its not a corrupt OS.

I have a psychological blind spot about putting a fresh install high in the debug decision tree, simply because it takes me about a week to install and configure tools on a fresh system before I can get any work done. It is extremely annoying and boring work to be avoided at all costs. A last ditch effort.

But for a simple setup, installing fresh isn't much a PITA, maybe worth checking fairly early in the debug decision tree.

From the winders install disc and presumably with some of the factory recovery partitions, there is the repair option that will rewrite all the system files without wiping the data, though it might require some user programs to be reinstalled, and a few hours of retrieving years worth of updates via windows update.

But maybe backing up data then installing completely fresh would be "most reliable", dunno.

[Oh Shoot]

...., there is the repair option that will rewrite all the system files without wiping the data....

 

I've had great success with Win XP doing the Repair Option on several folks' problem boxes, though I've not done it on 7. Don't really remember having to do any more than run Win Update afterwards.

 

- OS

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I've done the repair option on win7 at least once, on dad's puter. It worked ok.

Perhaps the greatest danger of messing up installed programs might be any copy protected programs. Software from companies with real restrictive CP policies, such as "two installs then you are out of luck except for buying new again". It would be worth deauthorizing such before repair disk (or before install from scratch).

I personally hate CP with a passion and generally refuse to buy heavily protected software unless there are no other options, but in some situations there really are very few alternatives.

[DaveTN]

I have a psychological blind spot about putting a fresh install high in the debug decision tree, simply because it takes me about a week to install and configure tools on a fresh system before I can get any work done. It is extremely annoying and boring work to be avoided at all costs. A last ditch effort.

But for a simple setup, installing fresh isn't much a PITA, maybe worth checking fairly early in the debug decision tree.

From the winders install disc and presumably with some of the factory recovery partitions, there is the repair option that will rewrite all the system files without wiping the data, though it might require some user programs to be reinstalled, and a few hours of retrieving years worth of updates via windows update.

But maybe backing up data then installing completely fresh would be "most reliable", dunno.

That’s why you run a daily backup with Acronis; you don’t have to re-setup and install everything.

Also, after you set-up a new OS (or new computer), do all the updates, get everything set-up the way you want it, install your apps etc… you create an image of that and save it. Then when you have problems instead of using the factory install; you use that.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

That’s why you run a daily backup with Acronis; you don’t have to re-setup and install everything.

Also, after you set-up a new OS (or new computer), do all the updates, get everything set-up the way you want it, install your apps etc… you create an image of that and save it. Then when you have problems instead of using the factory install; you use that.

Agreed. I put off buying new puters as long as possible to avoid all the monkey work of setting a new one up with the "house of cards" of all the required tools.

Apparently there are several viable competitors in acronis market space nowadays. I had used the old Powerquest Drive Image in the old days, then Norton Ghost when Drive Image got flakey on newer systems, then acronis when Ghost started getting flakey on newer systems. But my version of acronis got flakey either on vista or win7 and they wanted me to buy new.

So I started using the backup facilities built-in to vista ultimate and then win7 ultimate. Maybe the windows backup features are the same in pro or the home versions, but ultimate is all I've ever used so dunno if they all have the same backup features.

Anyway recently tried on win7 a "free for noncommercial use" imaging program titled Macrium Reflect which seems to get the job done just fine, and runs faster than windows backup features, which have never been especially fast. About all I can compliment win 7 backup on, is apparent reliability, and it runs lots faster than macos Disk Utility in creating images. Mac Disk Utility is purt reliable but is just unbelievably incredibly slow.

I read one comparison article of several imaging softwares and macrium reflect got lower review scores than some others, but the negatives reported in the comparison were features I don't care about and would never use.