It started back recently after I'd first gotten the computer from my friends father. He works with computers and had wiped it clean beforehand, so I can conclude that whatever is happening is my own doing. I would start up my computer and randomly get blue screens shortly after startup. I conjectured that it had something to do with my MP3 player, as the trouble began shortly after I detached it from my computer. It was the first time the MP3 player had been charged in that computer, and it was therefore the only cause I could think of. So I began scouring the Dell website for answers. I found some, but nothing seemed to help. So I then turned to searching tech support forums. Eventually, I found solutions that worked and my computer's health seemed to return to solid ground and remained that way for several months.
Until yesterday...
I was talking to my friend online, and she started to complain of computer problems. I told her about my previous scarring BSOD episode and thanked God that I probably didn't have to deal with computer problems for awhile. Then she began saying "Knock on wood, Tiff! Knock on wood!"... and I did... but maybe I should have knocked harder...
My MSN had been acting up... randomly not letting me see one of my friends online. So I thought that maybe it would be wise to install an update. After the update, MSN wouldn't even let me sign on. Instead, it spent an hour saying "Signing In" with no end in sight. I decided to restart my computer in hopes that it would help... but upon start-up I was faced with a chilling reminder of computer problems past, for my screen was very much blue and very much indicating death. So I restarted my computer, and it didn't give me an error screen... but it bore the sense of a calm before a storm. Everything was running slowly and acting up slightly... and MSN still wouldn't sign in. When a message at the corner of my screen told me I had updates to install, I urged my computer to get them installed in hopes that it would stave off the impending BSOD attack. But the last I saw of my windows was a message telling me that the updates had finished and the computer needed to restart. And so I did... and I haven't seen Windows since.
Now, my computer boots up... but windows can't. Whenever the windows loading screen appears, a blue screen shortly follows.
"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:
Disable or uninstall any anti-virus, disk defragmentation or backup utilities. Check your hard drive configuration, and check for any updated drivers. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.
Technical information:
*** STOP: 0x00000024 (0x001902FE, 0xF896C80C, 0xF896C508, 0xF83BD1FC)
*** Ntfs.sys - Address F83BD1FC base at F83B0000, DateStamp 41107eea"
And before this message -- while booting up the computer -- a screen comes up saying that the amount of physical memory has been changed, and then it gives me various windows start-up options.
I've tried to get into my computer via safe mode, but the same thing occurs.
I run Windows XP Home Edition on a Dell Dimension Desktop. Either Dimension 8770, or 8110. I'm not sure of the numbers...
If there's any other helpful specfications I can give, just please let me know and let me know how to find that information without having to enter Windows.
And my apologies for how lengthy this is. I'm prone to rambling...
Thank you in advance,
Tiffany