[reqviem]

Recently, my computer has been acting a little weird, but I assumed it was just hiccuping here and there. Little did I know, my computer was about to encounter the worst problems in the two years i've had it.

I have a Dell Latitude D520. I realize that it is pretty old (and has an integrated HDD, making this harder), but I would still at least like to get in to safe mode to recover the files.

Right now, right after the XP loading screen, the system hangs for ~10 seconds, then I get this Stop error w/ BSOD and physical mem. dump):

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
STOP: 0X00000050 (0X80087000, 0X00000000, 0X863969DC, 0X00000000)

Sometimes the two parameters that aren't all 0's are different, but it's always a 0X050 stop BSOD. And none of the safe mode options work. At all. They all result in the same thing.

Anyway, some background. Recently, before the impassable BSOD on XP boot, my computer would act weird. Sometimes I'd come back from leaving it on for a few hours and I would notice all my applications closed upon opening it up. I couldn't connect to the internet or shut down via the Start menu. Also, if I went into the Start menu and went to my Programs, it would just say (empty). After restarting, usually, my computer would be normal again; everything working fine, etc. I'm now thinking that this impassable error is the consolidation of all the problems that have been occuring with my laptop over the last 2 months.

Now, I DO have a legit XP disc. In-Place Repair Installs don't work; once it tries to get to the GUI part of the repair, it gives me the same BSOD + stop error combination. I've tried switching out RAM (as far as I can tell there's only one spot for RAM, under my keyboard) but both of my DIMMs (512 and 1 gig) result in the same exact error.

I've already used the Recovery Console to run chkdsk /p and a subsequent chkdsk /r. Both ran fine. The first time I ran /p it found errors, then I ran /r and left it on. When I came back it said nothing about fixing errors that I could see. I ran chkdsk /r again overnight...took around 4 hours and found nothing apparently.

I suspect motherboard failure, which is bad...lots of stuff on that drive that I would like to have such as graphic design project files (.PSDs) and whatnot. It's an integrated hard disk too, so it can't be slaved as far as I know (my knowledge here is limited though, admittedly).

Anyway, I've pretty much exhausted any possible way to diagnose and/or fix this problem. At the VERY least, I want to back up my old stuff and programs on another drive then throw this one out and get a new one with less problems. I realize that even if I fix this error, my computer is likely gone anyway...still want to recover the data. I have a 160 gig external WD HDD that has a lot of stuff on it (ripped music CDs and a lot of files I'm glad I put on it) but yeah there's still stuff on the internal HDD of my laptop that I would like the chance to get at. Once again, no safe mode access in any capacity, nor VGA mode. Help me out?

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I am experiencing a similar problem on a Dell Dimesion 9150. I can not get past the same blue screen error. I was thinking of upgrading to 2G DRR hoping that might be a solution. Any thoughts?
Thanks

[topedge]

I am experiencing a similar problem on a Dell Dimesion 9150. I can not get past the same blue screen error. I was thinking of upgrading to 2G DRR hoping that might be a solution. Any thoughts?
Thanks

[edge2022]

To topedge...
Please start a new topic in this forum and someone will get to you as soon as possible.

Click on Memtest Instructions in my sig, and follow the directions to check your RAM for errors. We should be able to recover your data.

[reqviem]

Alright, I ran Memtest overnight (and for a few hours before I went to sleep) and it's gone through a whopping 27 passes with no errors. We can probably rule out the RAM being the issue.

I noticed in your sig that you can use a Ubuntu boot CD to recover data from outside of Windows. I'm going to give this a shot as it's essentially exactly what I need. Can this be done more than once? Seems like it can. Reason being is that I am only going to get the absolutely necessary stuff back right now because of space issues and when I buy another bigger external probably in the near future, I'll retrieve the rest of my data.

Edited by reqviem, 29 June 2009 - 10:02 AM.

[rshaffer61]

To add another set of eyes guys.
I had the same problem back in February and determined it was a virus infection.


Was there any new software installed just prior to the problem starting?
Anything downloaded from the internet?
Any updates done to the system software or hardware wise prior?

[reqviem]

It is likely not a virus I don't think...just a suspicion I have. I am pretty careful about browsing and stuff but I guess one could have slipped through because of how weird the comp had been acting. I don't remember downloading anything of note before the problem, no. It kind of started happening after I brought my computer to Maryland to a hotel there and wanted to hook it up to their in-suite Ethernet connection. It acted strange and nothing would work how it was supposed to even before I could get the connection working. When I got home I found that the problems were greatly exacerbated but fixable through careful restarting and diagnostic testing. This seemed to prolong the inevitable, however, as what I'm looking at now is probably a totally dead computer. Like I added to the previous post, I am going to use the bootable Ubuntu disc to try to recover my files on that comp.

Now that you mention it I was getting what I suspected to be fake automatic updates I think, if I recall right. Not sure if any downloaded but that could have been an issue to look into. I think my comp itself is just dead now and have wanted a newer better one for a while, so it's fine...long as I can get the files out. Hopefully they weren't erased somehow.

edit: I just tried starting the burn process for the Ubuntu ISO file downloaded at the link in edge's sig and CDDC said that the size of the file was not valid. What the heck? I followed the download and burn directions exactly. Downloading again.

Edited by reqviem, 29 June 2009 - 11:24 AM.

[edge2022]

Using the Ubuntu Live CD to recover your files should work. Keep in mind that sometimes a drive will be flagged as dirty and picked up by Ubuntu. This means that Ubuntu will not auto-mount the drive... you will have to do it manually.

There is a chance that it could be caused by a virus... you could try making a UBCD for Windows and running some virus scans from there.
http://www.ubcd4win.com/

You could also try running hard disk diagnostics... if you know the make of your hard drive, then choose the correct diagnostic utility from here: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
The diagnostic will usually come as an .iso file (disc image) burn it to a CD with BurnCDCC: http://www.terabyteu...ee-software.htm
If you don't know the make, then you can use the Seatools diagnostic from Seagate.

[reqviem]

Do you know why CDDC said that the file size of the Ubuntu ISO I downloaded was "invalid"?

[edge2022]

You might have a corrupted download... this happens sometimes when you are downloading large files.
Download WinMD5SUM from here: http://www.nullriver...ducts/winmd5sum
Then right click on the .iso file you downloaded and go to Send To... and then click on WinMD5Sum.
After a while a box will pop up. Go here: https://help.ubuntu....ty/UbuntuHashes
And copy the hash of the .iso file you downloaded. Paste in the compare box, and click on Compare. The hashes should be identical.

[reqviem]

Thanks a lot. I am trying a different, closer-to-me server for a new mirror right now. If that doesn't work, I'll try what you suggested. Thanks for all the help so far.

[edge2022]

Hopefully the mirror gets you a good download. Get back here if you have any questions.

[reqviem]

That worked! Saved everything I need and I'm ordering a new laptop from Dell tonight, which I overhauled to be much nicer than this one. Thanks a lot, I'll try to be really careful with this new one. Much appreciated.

[rshaffer61]

Just a FYI to help you keep your system safe from infections.
As a rule of thumb only have one of each of the following running on your system.

Antivirus
Spyware Protection
Malware protection
Firewall

Suggestions for the above:

Avira or Avast for virus protection
SuperAntiSpyware
Malwarebytes
Comodo for a great alternative to Windows firewall


All of the above can be found in my signature below or HERE

[edge2022]

Saved everything I need and I'm ordering a new laptop from Dell tonight, which I overhauled to be much nicer than this one.

Which one are you getting?
You can get your old laptop back to working condition with a reformat and reinstall with your XP disc.

[reqviem]

I need a new one anyway, and this seems like a good time to get one. I'm getting a custom Inspiron 13, seems like the best bang for my buck. 320 gig SATA drive, 4 gig RAM, a decent processor (Intel Core 2 Duo T6600) new speakers, and paying per month. Not a bad deal. Thanks for the protection suggestions, btw, rshaffer! I'll be more careful with the new one (especially since I'll probably be running 64-bit Windows 7 asap).

Edited by reqviem, 01 July 2009 - 04:24 PM.