HELP! BLUE SCREEN / BIOS UPDATE & CLEAN INSTALLS

[sirius999]

Hello.
Thank you for your time.

Can anyone advise as to whether this is the correct BIOS update download and WIN XP Pro install procedure?

My IBM ThinkPad A22m-2628-PTU has been crashing/restarting lately.
I get all kinds of messages (drivers, hardware, memory checks/minidumps) on BLUE SCREEN(S). DVDs will play, but don’t display properly.

To correct these problems I plan to “start over” by installing a new (updated) BIOS and reinstalling WIN XP Pro.

Currently this BIOS version is installed:
1.03d (KXET29WW)

I have downloaded (to a floppy disc) this updated BIOS version from the IBM website:
spsdkx36-BIOS Ver. 1.09

I plan to:
Boot up with the BIOS UPDATE floppy disc.
Install the BIOS update Ver. 1.09.
Install WIN XP Pro and FORMAT the hard drive during this install.

Is the correct procedure to realize this goal?

Let me know if you need more details.

Thank you.
Sirius999

[friedrich-eugen]

Hello Sirius999,

as far as one can tell from Your system-typ-info, You are right:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-4PJMXK

(1) Before doing a clean install, You should try to note down as many of Your blue screens as You can. You ought to find info on most of them in the web. Thus You may make sure it is not a hardware-related problem.

(2) Do a thorough scan of Your machine to make sure You did not catch a virus ...

(3) DO download all necessary drivers (& updates to these!) for Your machine from IBM's website (to an external drive) before You start rebuilding. Take care You have all hardware related ones !

If You plan to do a clean install, make sure, You do not overwrite an existing hidden partition (containing the original software inage) and do copy IBM's tools & drivers directories to a different partition, so You keep Your chance to install the software-add-ons, that came with Your TP.

Happy trails...

[egibbs]

Backup the i386 and IBM Tools directories to CD or DVD before you format! Some of the bundled apps such as the DVD player are not available for download - only from the IBM Tools folder.

Also, if you don't have recovery CDs download the latest Rescue andRecovery and use it to burn a set before formatting (I think R&R will be able to do that on an A22 but I could be wrong - try it and see).

If it was my machine I would fix it rather than wiping it, but it's your choice.

Be aware that if the problem is worms, virii, or spyware and you do wipe it, you will get re-infected before you finish downloading the Windows patches (unless you are behind a firewall). Last test I saw an unpatched machine exposed to the net was compromised in minutes.

Ed Gibbs

[sirius999]

Hello again,
Thanks for the replies. I have to be quick.
My computer still shuts down after a few minutes of being on-line or after a while of inactivity. No way to predict how long it will stay running.

Perhaps my problem is that XP was installed over NT (2000?) incorrectly.
I may have a virus or something, too.
Maybe it is just old BIOS and/or video drivers.

I am still wondering:
Is there any way to completely start over?
Also,
Please tell me more about i386, IBM TOOLS, and the R&R disc procedure.

Here are some more FACTS and information regarding my situation:

This computer was purchased USED and everything is LEGITIMATE.
There is a Windows 2000 Pro sticker on the bottom.
Windows XP Pro was probably installed without any BIOS upgrade or preparation.
Windows XP Pro was installed on a clean (new) HD.

I’m still stumped and scared to proceed.
Thanks for your help.
Sirius999

ERROR MESSAGES

A problem has been detected and Windows has shut down to prevent…
If this is the first time…

Run a system diagnostic utility supplied by hardware manufacturer…
Run memory check for faulty or mis-matched memory
Try changing Video adapters

STOP: 0x000007F (0x0000000D, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)
Beginning dump of physical memory…

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Windows NT has not found enough Extended Memory. 7mb of extended memory is required to run Windows NT.
You may need to upgrade your computer or run a configuration program provided by the manufacturer.

MEMORY MAP:
0000 0000 – 000B F800
0010 0000 – 001B 0000

Check hardware…
Run driver verifier – Special pool

STOP: 0x000000C5 (0x00000004, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x8053D5AF)

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
STOP: 0x0000000A (0x00000063, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x8050B713)
Windows has shut down…
Disable anti-virus
Check HD config.
Updated drivers
Run CHKDSK /F

Tech info:
STOP: 0x00000024 (0x001902FA, 0xFC90793C, 0xFC90763C, 0xFC7444D3)
Part Mgr. Sys address FC7444D3, base at FC744000, datestamp 3b7dc5a7
Beginning dump of physical memory…

STOP: 0x0000000A (0x00000AC2, 0x000000FF, 0x00000000, 0x804ECBC1)

PFN_LIST_CORRUPT

STOP: 0x70000004E (0x0000008F, 0x0000145B, 0x000026FB, 0x00000000)

[d lehmann]

First of all if your machine came with nt then I hope you have a xin xp cd from which to install.
If it was a new hard drive find out if it has the ibm hidden partition.
If it does, you can easily restore the factory setup.
Nonetheless, backup your drivers etc as mentioned before.
It sounds like you are just getting a lot of memory dumps and is probably due to virus, worms or malware of some sort. Are you running virus protection? You didn't say.
Install, adaware, spybot, virus program and lastly if necessary run Hijack this and post your log. This should probably repair your system.
Running ibm r&r at this point will only save your existing problems.
A bios upgrade is a good idea, but be sure the floppy is virus free.
Disconnect your cable from the internet while doing any reinstall and have all your windows updates etc on cd so you will be protected as much as possible before you plug in.

[egibbs]

Based on the errors you are seeing you may either have a bad driver or hardware that is starting to fail. Your Hard Disk may also be heavily fragmented (I'm betting it is) which won't help matters and may be responsible for some of the problems.

1. BACKUP your data NOW.
2. Download the IBM PC Doctor files for your machine, make the 3 floppies, boot from them and run all tests. Report any errors found.
3. Download and apply the latest BIOS update. Follow the instructions EXACTLY. I recommend using the floppy version rather then the flash from OS because of the Windows errors.
4. Assuming PC Doctor runs clean, at this point you have a choice - wipe the drive and start over (probably faster and easier) or try to fix the problem (more challenging and time consuming but you may learn something). Decide what you want to do and post back.

Ed Gibbs

[sirius999]

Hey-
Thanks for the help.
I am still crashing.
I will try the procedures mentioned.
I will post back as soon as I can.
Thanks very much again.
Sirius999
*********

[sirius999]

Hello-
I went to IBM and downloaded the 3 discs of files. Followed instructions.
When I tried to "RUN" them I got this message on top of a DOS screen.

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT.
The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications.
Choose CLOSE to terminated this application.

I did chose CLOSE and did not choose IGNORE.

I did defrag and I also downloaded a driver update program from IBM but can't get anywhere with that, either.

Any thoughts on SYSTEM RESTORE?

Thanks again.
I better post before it crashes again.

Thanks.
Sirius999
*********

[egibbs]

Did you run them from in Windows (sounds like it). You need to make 3 floppies and then boot with the first floppy and follow the instructions.

Ed Gibbs

[ksaisjja]

The stop errors you have posted are hardware related. When I have encountered these errors before it was usually bad RAM or a dying hard drive.

I would swap hard drives for testing if I were you especially if you have critical data you need to preserve. Get a small drive you can play with for testing. If you have more than 1 stick of ram try removing one or the other also to see if the problem goes away.

--Henry