Save my T43 : (Windows Blue Screen Errors)

[Cohiba]

First off,i'm starting to wish i never got this machine.would have been better off getting that Dell or Gateway ..OK,enough of my rambling and straight to the point.

I recently had a windows error while playing some old time CD collection on my laptop.this error actually did count down to 60secs before shutting down windows.i tried rebooting my laptop but couldn't get it up,but still had another series of windows (Blue Screen)errors showing up.this error kept complaining about the following :

DRIVERIQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUALTO_

Now,i've never seen these kind of error in my 5 years as a windows user.to complicate issues,i tried reloading XP,but mistakenly deleted the IBM partition while formating (Double trouble!!!)

So,i had to go buy a new window XP cd off Yahoo! auction only to find out this was a copied and pirated copy.I reported this to Yahoo and only got half my money refunded with the seller still selling off Yahoo!.I took that in strides and thought i might as well try using it anyway.

Tried installing this same XP on my thinkpad and got still another kind of error report.saying something about APCI.sys and USBPORT.SYS file causing the blue screen errors.

Tried running XP again and got an error saying :

PAGEDFAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA (Not sure,but something similar).

I also got errors about dumping physical memory,where it also gets to count down before shutting down windows.All these get to happen in a Blue screen environment.

Right now,I've got my thinkpad all packed in it's original IBM box pending when i get to work this out.

However,i'm guess either IBM shipped me a faulty motherboard,RAM or the Pirated OS is what's messing things up.

Please any inputs would be appreciated.doesn't matter how crazy you think it might seem.it just might help out someway.

Thanks in Anticipation

David

[smugiri]

You are probably using a non IBM OEM (the seller may have been selling an OEM version marked as original ) disk to install the OS -this leads to driver conflicts/issues that lead to bluescreens.

Get a set of IBM recovery disks and use them. Many people on this site will send you a set for postage only.

[JHEM]

David,

First, welcome to the Forum, although I'm sorry you're here in desperation.

Second, depending on your machine's configuration, download the Drive Fitness Test from the HD manufacturer's website and run it. Sounds like you might have a HD problem as well.

Regards,

James

[GomJabbar]

I believe you misstated the error message. If I'm not mistaken it should be: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. I have seen this before. It is usually caused by a bad driver. In my case, it was caused by the Nero INCD packet writing driver (similar to DLA). I had just installed Nero burning software to my desktop PC, and began getting the above error. After uninstalling just the Nero INCD driver, the problem went away.

I do not think the problem is with your ThinkPad. I even doubt if your problem is strictly a Windows problem. I think you have a problem with one of your drivers. Google IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL to read more on this error. I found the following thread. Read RedStar's response at the bottom.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthr ... 18&page=75

[davidspalding]

Cohiba, you clearly had one problem compounded by another, then another, then another.... Very frustrating, I know.

FWIW, buying an XP disc off an auction was a mistake. Caveat emptor goes double online. Yahoo really should've booted a vendor if the product was pirated (can you say COPYRIGHT VIOLATION?).

I think the solution to your problem will be the proper recovery discs for your laptop, either from IBM, or a helpful user here. If your own recovery discs don't work, call IBM and see if a sympathetic support rep will send them to you gratis. I doesn't hurt to ask.

And oh by the way ... you will get MUCH better support for your T43 than if you'd bought a Gateway or Dell. Just IMHO.

[Cohiba]

Jeez!!!...Thanks to everyone who responded to this SOS call of mine ..Also,a big Thank You to JHEM
for the warm welcome ..sure made me feel special:D

Now i see it all crystal clear.i suppose i'm having these issues cos' i'm running a pirated XP copy (makes me feel real bad).

First off,smugiri,my thoughts actually.i was also thinking along that line.

Gomjabber,you are right on point with the error wordings,i was actually going to have that spelt properly,but had to get the SOS call out real quick,hence making a mistake there.also thanks for your inputs.that link sure went along way in helping out.

David,your inputs were also most rewarding and i bet you know how frustrated i'm right now.invested $2300 on this machine and not have it do what i bought it for.I did call up IBM and had an even more shocking news.They got just the chinese version of the recovery disk:(..Talking about "My Recovery discs",i was way too excited to back up before these happened.Just got my IBM from the FedEx delievery guy,rushed into my sitting room to test it out (Playing my favorite CD) then BOOM!!,windows was shutting down for no just reason.

So,i'd like to throw this out there hoping someone can help out somehow.Is anyone willing to burn me a copy of their own recovery disc.i get to handle postage with no expense on you.

Hope someone gets to help out..Tried re-installing the crappy XP early this morning then got some really scary errors again - This was with the windows blue screen error and something about "Dumping physical memory" then "Physical memory dump complete".I just stopped the re-install then threw the CD out the window before it complicates issues further.

Hope i get this resolved pretty soon.

David.

[Cohiba]

JHEM,any idea where i can get that HDD firmware?...I got a Hitachi 60GB HDD from IBM with my Thinkpad.

David.

[GomJabbar]

Hitachi Drive Fitness Test

http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

[davidspalding]

[edit]

You need to cool down, before you have a nuclear meltdown there. Take care of one problem at a time. Get some recovery discs, even if you have to order them from IBM. Restore the TP to the factory shipped state. Run the installed PC-DOCTOR to see if you have motherboard or RAM issues. Play that CD again, all the way through.

OR -- send it back for a refund, and buy a Dell.

Just my two cents....

[christopher_wolf]

[edit]

OR -- send it back for a refund, and buy a Dell.

Just my two cents....

That had better have been a joke...

I can't see a way for one to delete the RnR partition whilst trying to re-install Windows unless one is trying to do a full reformat of the drive (Why?!)

Just get the correct RnR set from IBM, *not* from eBay or the like, follow the instructions and then do a test of your system , just as David said.

[davidspalding]

I can't see a way for one to delete the RnR partition whilst trying to re-install Windows unless one is trying to do a full reformat of the drive (Why?!)

Bingo. "Why?!"

[GomJabbar]

I believe I've read where some users here have damaged the MBR for the recovery partition when trying to do a clean install of Windows. It's possible that the OP may have thought the recovery partition was deleted, when in fact it is still there, but not bootable.

One way I know of to check for sure is to go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Storage > Disk Management. From there you will see the partitions that are on the hard disk, as well as the file system in use by each partition. The IBM_SERVICE partition should be FAT32. Windows XP is normally NTFS.

[Cohiba]

Gomjabber,thanks for bailing me out there whilst the others were trying to eat me up:)

You were right on point with conclusions.Ive tried checking the disk space on my HD and keep seeing 5723MB when formated.However,getting into the BIOS and checking the data on the IBM Predesktop Parameters,its still set at Normal.tried deleting it then got a warning message asking me if i was sure i would like to delete that partition.- For some strange reasons,that partition isnt showing up after formating.

David.

[christopher_wolf]

I believe I've read where some users here have damaged the MBR for the recovery partition when trying to do a clean install of Windows. It's possible that the OP may have thought the recovery partition was deleted, when in fact it is still there, but not bootable.

One way I know of to check for sure is to go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Storage > Disk Management. From there you will see the partitions that are on the hard disk, as well as the file system in use by each partition. The IBM_SERVICE partition should be FAT32. Windows XP is normally NTFS.

If the MBR is damaged, IBM has a downloadable tool to fix it. That should be attempted first if indeed the Predesktop area is intact but doesn't work. It requires that that it be right up against the MBR on the HDD and that the MBR be intact exactly as it should expect.

If that doesn't work, an RnR disk set should be obtained and the entire system re-imaged with the factory preload from those disks. This will restore the Predekstop area with the ability to restore Windows as well.

I really fail to see what is amazingly difficult about this entire thing; restore windows with the disk (the Predesktop area if you can get it working again with the IBM MBR fix), then go through the PC-DOCTOR tests to see if it is a hardware issue. If it is, take it to IBM.