Pile of crap laptop

[Tools]

For the last few weeks my Acer Aspire 5100 (doesn't INspire me much at the moment) running XP, has been giving random BSOD's and just shutting down.

When trying to restart sometimes it's fine but others I get the message

cannot find windows/system/system32/autochk.exe

actually since I redid SP3 cant remember seeing this message.

Also, sometimes get "error reports" saying that it is down to the graphics card driver, checked and double checked and it is installed fine with no updated versions etc.

Sometimes runs hot, have it on a usb fan tray which seems to keep it cooler.

Just trying to think of more symptoms so bear with me......................

On the login screen, only my login is passworded to stop the kids etc ballsing things up and deleting important info, but sometimes it asks the other account users for a password and when I try entering mine it will not accept it asking if I have forgotten my password even though I am entering it correct.

Never get chance to screendump the BSOD's as the lappy shuts down immediately.

It has AVG, spybot, CCleaner installed and no threats are present (as far as it's showing) have run the lot in safe mode too.

Any suggestions from anyone more techy?

It's currently running 2nd system restore, first one was interrupted by it just dying on me. Has just finished actually so will see how long it lasts.

I have no chance of affording another laptop, would love to replace it for a better machine but not a hope in hell and it contains lots of vital info that I cannot afford to lose both personally and for the running of the site.

Any ideas...................purrrrrdy please.............as otherwise the ****ing thing is going to get a hammer to it as I'm losing my rag very quickly with it tonight.

[Curlyben]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Have you done the usual maintenance on it ?
Also have you blown the exhausts out with tinned air, it's amazing how much dust builds up.
If so I'd advise either a repair install or a complete rebuild.

[Mochamoo]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Get kiddies to spill stuff on it then claim on contents insurance or hit with a hammer and throw it out the window and get a shiney new one like I did (Dell buy now pay next year deal) Shiney shiny red laptop ...ooohhhh pretty no nasty bugs or clunkiness

[Tools]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Have you done the usual maintenance on it ?
Also have you blown the exhausts out with tinned air, it's amazing how much dust builds up.
If so I'd advise either a repair install or a complete rebuild.

Yep, run virus scan, CCleaner, spybot, defragged, removed lots of tripe I haven't used for months etc.

I can go better than tinned air, I have a compressor and an air blower (yes I know, not to ferocious with it). Nothing better than a good old blow job to get rid of the cobwebs

Repair install of XP you mean? As for rebuild, same problem as buying a new one, no shiny buttons to pay for it.

Get kiddies to spill stuff on it then claim on contents insurance or hit with a hammer and throw it out the window and get a shiney new one like I did (Dell buy now pay next year deal) Shiney shiny red laptop ...ooohhhh pretty no nasty bugs or clunkiness

Hammer and window was on the agenda last night, seriously! The insurance Co already get alarm bells ringing whenever I claim so not worth the risk lol.
Refuse to buy one on credit, no matter how deferred it is, not sure I would get the credit with my record anyway.

[Curlyben]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Tools, "rebuild" aka recovery
Out of the box fresh and the like, nothing to taxing other than backing everything up first.

Personally I'd try the repair install first, BUT you need a "normal" XP CD to do this. The supplied recovery disc will simply wipe the current installation and start over, see above.

[Tools]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Cheers Curly, last thing I want to do is lose any data from on it, there's years of collecting random useless information, reports, caselaw pictures of naked midget nuns mudwrestling etc etc. Never know when it might come in handy.

I think I might upload the contents of my drive to Servage Webdrive as well as create a backup disc.

Was also thinking of ditching XP on here and installing Vista.........any thoughts?

[Curlyben]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

DON'T even think about it, seriously.

[Tools]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

When I first bought the laptop it came "Windows Vista Premium Ready" and had the option of a free upgrade to Vista.

At that time Vista hadn't been released that long, I had used it on another system and didn't like it or feel it had been out long enough to have had all the bugs ironed out.

I do prefer XP as it doesn't warn you

You have pressed the spacebar, are you really sure you want to do that? Are you sure? Would you like to phone a friend? Sign this disclaimer form before we allow you to press the spacebar again.

Annoys the crap out of me, if I didn't want to open a program I wouldn't have clicked it in the first place.

Will stick with XP, since doing system restore it hasn't performed too bad, te odd freeze or two, but no BSOD so far touch wood.

Will get everything backed up while it's behaving.

[Curlyben]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

"Windows Vista Premium Ready" has got to be the biggest joke going.
Yes, it will run Vista, JUST, but this was a total marketing scam by both Intel and Mico$haft to sell more machine.

On the whole Vista has had a real beating from consumer with very low uptake.
It's buggy, slow and extremely hungry for resources.

BUT it looks like they have taken all this on board with Windows 7 which is so far shaping up to be a good XP replacement.

I've been running the Beta in a production environment, ie Live, for several months and I must say I'm quote impressed.
All of my vista machines have been down graded to XP as they were causing too many issues with compatibility.

Now the server product of Vista, Server 2008, is really good, probably it does have all the Bovine graphics crud that really bogs Vista down.

[LuggerBugs]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

At the risk of stating the obvious, get yer important stuff backed up NOW if you haven't already.

This sounds like a similar problem I had with my HP. The lappy whose hard drive went into meltdown literally seconds after I got everything saved for posterity.

[Tools]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Also have the error log if you get really bored.

[Curlyben]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Go on then I'm game, throw it over and I'll see what's really wrong with it

[Amy]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Is my illustrated book on your laptop per chance?

[Tools]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Well after taking the lappy into work and giving it a blow job (110psi and an air blower works wonders when shifting the dust) it now seems to be behaving itself.

I also banned the kids from using this one and it is solely for my use now.

I keep running the usual checks frequently but as yet have not backed up the files (will blow up now won`t it)

Thanks guys for your advice, I really couldn`t have afforded a new one so am glad this now seems to be sorted.

[Amethyst]

Re: Pile of crap laptop

Fantastic ! Tools has been down and given my lappys a blow job and they work perfectly now instead of overheating and shutting down every half hour

So if you have a lappy overheating problem, get down your local garage and ask them for a blow job (or to send some compressed air through the vents).