BSOD help appreciated

[nearthebeach]

Recently I reinstalled windows vista after getting some bluescreens. after this reinstall I have still been getting errors such as:

driver_irql_not_less_not_equal
ntfs.sys bluescreen
special pool detected memory corruption

I re-seated memory, and unplugged other USB devices.

crash happens kind of randomly, I.e. when im browsing web, or not using computer.

I have run windows repair, and rolled back to "previously working point", run memory checker, checked hard drive, etc.

computer sometimes wont boot, and freezes at blinking cursor.
sometimes freezes during "windows is loading files" for windows repair tool.
sometimes freezes during sleep mode.

I took out one ram card and hoping that one is the cause...

can anybody take a look at minidump data and let me know if there is anything obvious there about driver problems, etc? I havent studied about how to read them.

thanks

here are a few minidump files, zipped up

 

[Cobalt006]

Looks like your hard drive maybe going bad. I am sure someone here will have a few more suggestions.

 

[Tmagic650]

Run CHKDSK on the hard drive by going to computer, right-click on the C drive, select properties, tools, check now. Select both check boxes to run a disk check on the next start up. Any errors or attempts at fixing files, mean trouble. Also, check the memory using MEMTEST86, download version 4.20 pre-compiled .iso (zip) bootable file and burn it to a CD or DVD. Run the memory test for at least 7 passes. Boot the computer using this disc...
http://www.memtest.org/

 

[nearthebeach]

thanks for the advice.

as mentioned, I removed the 2nd memory module, and am running on 1 GB ram with no startup or stop errors after multiple restarts and testing. so I think I found the culprit.

I guess ill try cleaning the bad module and put it back in to see what happens. eraser? solvent?

 

[Tmagic650]

A pencil eraser would work... but replacement might be best

 

[nearthebeach]

cleaning didnt seem to work, so I got a replacement as you recommended, for 25 dollars at frys, in store. http;//frys.com

popped in the new one in the 2nd slot, but got some odd behavior, so I put in just the new one in the 1st slot, and that worked fine. then I added the old (good) 1 GB module in slot 2, and that is working fine. so basically reversed the position.

so far no BSODs, starts up each time, and im happy.

next project is to look into creating a backup image of my c drive so I can reinstall the OS plus applications in one shot rather than piecemeal as I did this week (not that the OS was the problem, as I found out).

 

[Tmagic650]

Good work. Hopefully all goes well