Windows Crashing a lot

[dgood]

Ok, This computer has been running great for a while. All of the sudden today it started crashing a lot apparently. I booted it up and it had bunch of sytem errors. I checked msconfig for what processes were starting I could turn off and saw a dump reg -k some sort of memory dump or registry dump. So I decided to uncheck it to see what would happen. It of course proceeded crash every time it booted into windows when I did that. I'm assuming that was windows half fix for the problem. Anyone seen this before? is this a Memory issue? A windows currupt issue? I'm stumped currently. when I get get back into windows via safemode I can check the error code.

[DMB2000uk]

Try running a pass or two of memtest86+ to rule out your memory as being the problem, then run a diskcheck from safemode or something to make sure the HDD is error free.

After that you/we can start looking at software things to sort out.

Dan

[dgood]

Alright, In the middle of check disk /f/r so we can get a full scan and repair of files, and then if that doesn't fix it, i'll pop in a memtest 86disk if I can find one or i'll download one. those were what I was thinking, but wanted to know if you've seen it before.

[DMB2000uk]

Not seen anything like it before myself, but I don't really work fixing computers.

Dan

[dgood]

Well the Chkdsk found no errors to repair and the memtest will have to wait until monday. This is the second time I've seen it recently, but the first time it didn't fix itself. To be Continued...

[dgood]

Ok so Memtest 86+ threw me two errors so apparently the memory went bad. it had 2gb of dual channel that never showed any problems at all during the first 5 months of operation. Odd that it would just go bad overnight, usually I just have memory problems right off the bat. Guess the next step is to get dell to honor their warranty and send me new memory. need to find out if one or both the sticks give me errors now. Good call Dan with the Memtest.

EDIT: Reran memory test in the different dim slots to make sure as I only got a few errors now one of the two sticks is trowing errors. which is good first I couldn't get any errors from each still by themselves. found the bad one, now for a replacement. The memory is hynix 1gb pc2-5300u

[martini161]

what test were the two errors on? if it only threw two errors your fine.

[dgood]

Haha forgot to fix what I was saying earlier. I did get two errors one time and that led me to believe one was bad. after stressing it a bit longer I foudn one stick giving me thousands of errors. definitely a bad stick. I don't know what test it was on when I only got the two though. The other stick is 100% solid though.