Thinkpads Forum

I figured it for software/driver issue, so yesterday I restored from a primitive Win7 32bit Home Premium image I made in March. 2014, shortly after installing Win7. It had several of my programs installed, Windows Updates to that point. Most of what I use hadn't yet been installed. I tried restoring from an image I made a couple of weeks later first, but that failed. The image that would install (as was the other) was unfortunately on a dieing external HD, but it was the only one I had, so I used it. I don't know if that's an issue, I could do a fresh install from disk. However, I was getting blue screens before AND after restoring the image, so I have to assume that something else is going on. Also, the system gets spinning cursors for up to two minutes, maybe more. This was happening before and after restoring from the March 2014 image. I've taken to hitting control+alt+delete because I only know what the system regains control when something obvious changes, and the offer of task manager makes that obvious.

So, I'm thinking it's a hardware issue. I called MS because my restore from March 2014 was asking me to authenticate my Windows and I wasn't able to do so. They walked me through that, and sent to to tech support to help me with the blue screens and was told that my OEM version of Win7 meant that I should call Lenovo and they would help me. I bought the laptop in Nov. 2006, so it's out of warranty and don't expect that Lenovo will help me.

I've already gotten at least 1/2 dozen BSOD's today. Windows Update says I have 80 critical or recommended (not optional) updates but although I've tried downloaded and installing them multiple times, none have succeeded. What can I do?

I would start by testing the memory with memtest86+. Then testing the hard drive with HDAT2. Download both utilities and put them each on a CD, DVD, USB flash drive or floppy disk, then boot from the discs. Memtest86+ will run its test and show errors (if any) automatically, HDAT2 will require that you start the test yourself.

Does your T60 have dedicated graphics?

I had a curious problem with Memtest86 on a bunch of X61s. When two cores were selected to run the test, all of the machines showed massive errors. With one core running Memtest, they are fine. But the machines all work fine, except for an infrequent Intel wireless glitch. I think this is a CPU bug.

The 60's and the 61's use different chipsets. Does the T60/X60 show this buig?

I put in my memtest CD and within a few minutes I had a screen that suggests to me (I am not familiar with it) but I guess this means the memory is showing errors? How can I figure out which of my two memory sticks this is? I have a 2GB and a 1GB stick in the T60:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vca3 ... emtest.jpg

Adming edit: Removed large inline image. Please keep them to <50KB.

Shown here are two of the BSOD's I've gotten this morning:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LKHd ... /BSOD2.jpg
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https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QWPr ... /BSOD1.jpg

Admin edit: Removed large inline images.

MrMaguire wrote:I would start by testing the memory with memtest86+. Then testing the hard drive with HDAT2. Download both utilities and put them each on a CD, DVD, USB flash drive or floppy disk, then boot from the discs. Memtest86+ will run its test and show errors (if any) automatically, HDAT2 will require that you start the test yourself.

Does your T60 have dedicated graphics?

I already started running memtest, I got the idea. The HD is an Intel 180GB SSD. Can I use HDAT2 on it? Maybe I should assume the problem is the memory at this point based on the image shown above?

I made a mistake not imaging the SSD's boot partition as it was before restoring the primitive one from March 2014. Now it appears that maybe the problem is memory. In that case I've made a lot more work for myself installing and configuring all my programs.

Muse wrote:How can I figure out which of my two memory sticks this is?

Simple answer: install only ONE module, run memtest86+. If any errors, that module (or memory slot) is bad.

rkawakami wrote:

Muse wrote:How can I figure out which of my two memory sticks this is?

Simple answer: install only ONE module, run memtest86+. If any errors, that module (or memory slot) is bad.

OK, thanks. I'll do this process of elimination series of tests for each stick, to be sure. I saw around 600,000 errors after memtest had run for about an hour.

There's really no use to letting memtest86+ run any length of time after getting the FIRST error. If the module lists one error, it's good enough to declare the module bad and it should be removed from usage. As you posted in your earlier photo, errors discovered by memtest86+ will be shown with a red background in the lower half of the screen.

There's one case where you might be able to use a module that has a single-bit failure: I understand that it is possible to re-compile a Linux kernel to avoid usage of a specific memory address range.

Also in case of unusual things happening. If both of them fail, it could mean the slots are damaged. In that case take special care to ensure that each module sits tightly and test them in both slots(one module to 1st and 2nd slot).

eru3 wrote:Also in case of unusual things happening. If both of them fail, it could mean the slots are damaged. In that case take special care to ensure that each module sits tightly and test them in both slots(one module to 1st and 2nd slot).

I just tested both modules solo in each slot. The 2GB Crucial Samsung showed thousands of errors in seconds in both slots. The 1GB Crucial (don't know the manufacturer) wasn't showing errors in either slot. Now, this machine is freezing for minutes at a time now, I wonder if it's that it's running on 1GB? CPU is showing 55% usage but I see no app using more than 2%, what's up with that? 830MB RAM being used now, maybe that's why it froze? This happened twice in less than 5 minutes, the freeze.

Is Crucial RAM warranted for a long time?

I'm on the phone right now (hold) with Crucial doing an advanced replacement for the module, should have it by Friday. Meantime I'm running on 1GB... Will a T60 running Win7 32 bit do OK on 1GB?

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/company-warranty

That is for Crucial. Just make sure it is Crucial as you wrote Crucial Samsung(two different companies)

Check its warranty status and make the claim, I guess. Machine could be freezing due to only 1GB RAM and a lot of programs starting with system, yes.

Novadays you could buy 1GB Samsung stick for 3 pounds. Could be temporary solution for you.

eru3 wrote:http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/company-warranty

That is for Crucial. Just make sure it is Crucial as you wrote Crucial Samsung(two different companies)

Check its warranty status and make the claim, I guess. Machine could be freezing due to only 1GB RAM and a lot of programs starting with system, yes.

Novadays you could buy 1GB Samsung stick for 3 pounds. Could be temporary solution for you.

Well, I just got off the phone with Crucial. Presumably they are sending me Crucial replacement, should have by Friday, meantime am running on 1GB! I do have other machines, although this one is the one I do 90% of my usual computing on. Maybe I can do some light stuff, email, some browsing. Haven't had a lockup in ~15 minutes!

Maybe in the interim the memory I have in my T61 would work in this T60, I don't use the T61 much, it has 2x 2GB modules.

Looking around for an anti-static sleeve in which to ship back the bad module I found the modules that came with the T60, both Crucial, one 1GB, the other 500MB. I can slip the 1GB in the machine now and go with 2GB until Friday, that shouldn't be too bad, a lot better than 1GB!

Glad it worked for you, Crucial gained in my eyes too