Vista Home Premium, Inspiron 531

[jefbunch]

Gave my son a Dell Inspiron 531 w/Vista Home Premium for Xmas 2 yrs. ago. He let the computer sit around for a long while but when he started using the unit it would freeze up on him and go to a "blue-screen." This screen has information about "preparing for mini-dump," "gathering information." The only way to get the computer to restart is to unplug it from the wall and start over. He has never had the computer hooked to the internet but is trying to now and still encounters the same problem. Looks like a lot of users out here are experiencing the same thing. How do you fix this problem? The best answer I have read so far is that this is a memory problem? Below is a report I copied describing the problem.

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name Blue Screen
OS Version: 6.0.6000
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about problem:
BC Code:
BCP1 00000000
BCP2 00000009
BCP3 00000008
BCP4 00000000
OS Version: 6_0_6000
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1

Then it goes on to describe files about the problem which of course, you cannot open.
Thank you for your time and any info.
Jefbunch

 

[LookinAround]

My first guess.... the computer is not running with the most up-to-date Vista software.... It should be showing Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) (click here)

The should be running Windows Update repeatedly until it say no more updates. (They either allow Windows update ro run automatically or doing so manually once a week)