X200s BSOD issues - looking for any help I can get!

[Atreides]

Usually I'm pretty lucky with technical issues, but this has been giving me a headache all day. Yesterday I finally got the X200s I'd always wanted to replace my X60s, and after spending most of the day installing Windows, updates, drivers, software, and transferring over my data I finally settled down and got some work done. After a few hours of working, seemingly without any prompting the machine BSODs. In my dismay (it was also very late) I just watched it happen and didn't think to write down the error. Honestly I don't think I've had a computer BSOD on me since the 90s, so I come looking for help.

Basic specs:
Core 2 Duo 2.13ghz
4gb DDR3
320gb Hitatchi HDD
OS= 7 Ultimate x64

Right now the machine boots up, goes to 7 startup repair, startup repair fails, laptop turns off. It's just looping.

Things I've tried:

-Tested RAM, passed. Replaced with RAM I know is good just to be sure.
-HDD was tested prior and is working fine.
-Updated BIOS, reset to default settings.
-Put 7 install disc and selected repair, then system restore. Tried a few restore points, but each fails with an error.
-I don't know how I did it, but booting up once I got it to BSOD again. "c000021a" error which seems to be a pretty general failure.
-I can't get it to go into safe mode (holding F8 doesn't do anything for me)
-Booted partition management software, detected an error, said it repaired it, nothing changed.

Now I'm at a loss. Should I reinstall and update windows and just wait for it to happen again? I had counted on this becoming my main computer, so I've really had my confidence shaken and am terrified of any future system instability.

[ausmike]

hi Atr;
Not really sure what you got as an "error", but if you find that EXECT error , usually you can Google it (thatever number yout got)

However , I am guessing - from what u described its usually due to FAILED UPADATE ( ms updates intall process suck IMHO)..... and i suspect its the Windows SP1/ SInce you jhave Win7X64 - which is NON STANDARd for that machine - I am pretty sure there is a LENOVO 'patch' that needed to be installed BEFORE you applied the SP1 of win7........ blah blah

So I would look at this page.....and am pretty sure you can fix it via one of two ways:
a) backout the updates (suspect the win7sp1)
b) REINSTALL win7 and it will fix it ( as repair wont do anything - the REPAIER fuctions (logic built it) assumed its a non windows OS if u corrupted winlogin.exe etc etc ,,,,)

Sorry , know it sucks but ,,,, S*** happens @the worst time!!
me I would go kick MURPHY LOLCheers

[Atreides]

hi Atr;
Not really sure what you got as an "error", but if you find that EXECT error , usually you can Google it (thatever number yout got)

However , I am guessing - from what u described its usually due to FAILED UPADATE ( ms updates intall process suck IMHO)..... and i suspect its the Windows SP1/ SInce you jhave Win7X64 - which is NON STANDARd for that machine - I am pretty sure there is a LENOVO 'patch' that needed to be installed BEFORE you applied the SP1 of win7........ blah blah

So I would look at this page.....and am pretty sure you can fix it via one of two ways:
a) backout the updates (suspect the win7sp1)
b) REINSTALL win7 and it will fix it ( as repair wont do anything - the REPAIER fuctions (logic built it) assumed its a non windows OS if u corrupted winlogin.exe etc etc ,,,,)

Sorry , know it sucks but ,,,, S*** happens @the worst time!!
me I would go kick MURPHY LOLCheers

Thanks for input, I hadn't considered that (7 x64 not being standard). I've been running a whole array of hardware tests on the machine almost constantly since yesterday, and I think I can say with certainty now that the hardware is fine. I'm pretty sure then that somewhere in my reckless install of updates/drivers/SP1 (sometimes at the same time) I managed to put myself in a hole.

I'll follow your advice then and reinstall 7, this time being much more careful about my installation procedures. I'll do all Windows updates, then everything from Lenovo, and SP1 last when I'm certain I have everything else.

[ausmike]

[...........I'll follow your advice then and reinstall 7, this time being much more careful about my installation procedures. I'll do all Windows updates, then everything from Lenovo, and SP1 last when I'm certain I have everything else.

I have some foloow up suggestions'
after .... format HD (since you have win7 dvds)
a) install windows (reboot etc as neceaasry to complete install with USER & passwords etd )
b) install lenovo SYSTEM UPDATE ps read 'requirements and ONLY ADD THOSE so that Lenovo system update works ( leave out any other windows updates.....
c) install ALL lenovo UPDATES - first especially onces relating to WINDOWS UPDATE and X64 bit ones
d) run WINDOWS UPDATE ( i would leave out IE9.0 and Windows Sp1) at this step
e) run SYSTEM UPDATE aagain , ... install
f) install rest of updates , include IE9.0 if you need to and SP1
g) final system update ,,,,,

and you sould be set
generally this is what I do ,,, even with Lenovo;s version of WINDOWS
( but then I am not a big user of win , even in x64 bit versions)..... and I have never used x32 in any IBM/LENOVO laptops yet!!

Cheers

[EOMtp]

Note: "Lenovo's version of WINDOWS" is nothing more than Windows; it is not some "special" Lenovo flavor ...

[Harryc]

Note: "Lenovo's version of WINDOWS" is nothing more than Windows; it is not some "special" Lenovo flavor ...

Is that true? What about the 'Rapidboot' tweaks, or whatever they are calling the boot speed-em-up tweaks these days on their factory builds. I would agree that W7 is W7, but I'd also say that a Lenovo factory build is very different from a vanilla W7 install.

[vinuneuro]

Note: "Lenovo's version of WINDOWS" is nothing more than Windows; it is not some "special" Lenovo flavor ...

Regardless of what tweaks you do yourself, Lenovo's Windows image always produces 1-1.5W less power consumption. That's 1-2hrs extra battery life in the X220.

[EOMtp]

It is reasonable to hold that factory images of Windows have enough tweaks and add-ons that they are different species. Perhaps, but given this OP's issue, if the problem is software, then most likely a fresh install of the same Windows will solve the problem just as surely as a "different version" of it will ... that's the point I wanted to make for the OP.

By definition, enough tweaks will get one precisely to Lenovo's Windows. It's all tweaks -- that's the whole point! It's not something other than tweaks. Yet the point is valid that "tweaks" can be many, and in that sense, quantity has a quality all of its own.

[Atreides]

Thanks for the help ausmike, I reinstalled Windows and haven't had any system instability as of yet (knock on wood), but if I do again I will definitely try the steps you've outlined. I didn't see your post when I went to reinstall, but I used the following process.

-Install ALL Windows updates
-Install SP1
-Install post-SP1 updates (only a few)
-Install chipset driver
-Install all other drivers

I had read that windows updates (and SP1) can sometimes break drivers, so I tried this setup and haven't had the slightest issue thus far.

Now I can update my signature with my new baby


And to those debating Windows variations: I don't know! But as EOMtp said a fresh install seems to have fixed my woes.