Physical Memory Dump

[stacyface]

A few weeks ago I dropped my Gateway laptop...and ever since then, things have been going downhill. I'm currently running Windows XP. Everytime I run Avira Antivirus and begin scanning my computer, I get this blue screen...

KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR
STOP: 0x00000077.....

and so on. From the research I've done, I've realized that this is most likely a hardware error, I'm guessing from dropping the laptop in the first place.

I've had Avira for quite a while though, and haven't installed anything new recently.

That being said...is there a way to find out precisely what's causing this error message? Specific piece of hardware that needs to be replaced or such?

Could it be something as simple as the USB that doesn't work on the side that it was dropped on? Thanks in advance for any info.


PS...I don't know what kind of motherboard I have, and I did search the error that I'm receiving on here and the only post it returned wasn't relevant. Thanks again for any info.

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

Hi, and WELCOME TO TECHIMO - from the Folding@Home Team (#111)...!

Without looking into it any further than reading

Quote:

I dropped my Gateway laptop...

The first thing I would expect to be looking at would be a new hard drive.

When you drop a drive, when it gets to the point of the sudden stop is where it causes problems. This is when the heads that normally scan just above the surface of the 'platter' (the actual disk) knock against it.

[stacyface]

Okay, makes sense. Is there anyway to confirm it's the hard drive, that it's all I'll need to replace?

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

That's the most likely thing that would need fixing/replacing, but it is impossible for us to advise you of any other issue/s that would require replacemtent/s until after the HDD is replaced...

Unless you can see that something is broken, like the screen or any panels, we can't tell yet....


If you let us know how big the drive is, then we could suggest suitable replacements (you could even go with a larger HDD if you wanted to - this is the ideal time for that sort of change...!) but bear in mind that you would most likely require some type of re-install or re-image after swapping the HDD over...

[stacyface]

I know it's a Hitachi brand, 5400 RPM 160 GB drive...I guess I'll just look for the same to replace it. I found some on ebay for pretty cheap. Since I just use this computer for school work and research and stuff, would it be necessary to upgrade to 7200 RPM?

If I do continue with the same HD I have now, does it involve a lot more than just putting it in?

Haha, sorry so clueless! Thanks for all of your help though!!

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stacyface

I know it's a Hitachi brand, 5400 RPM 160 GB drive...I guess I'll just look for the same to replace it. I found some on ebay for pretty cheap. Since I just use this computer for school work and research and stuff, would it be necessary to upgrade to 7200 RPM?

If I do continue with the same HD I have now, does it involve a lot more than just putting it in?

Haha, sorry so clueless! Thanks for all of your help though!!

Hi,

I would suggest that you stick with the 5400 as these aren't as power hungry as the faster drives - hence the reason they're normally used for LTs... When I was talking about upgrading, I was predominantly thinking about going with a larger (capacity) drive...

Depending on whether you got instalation media (installation disks) or not, the next step/s would be different. Another way would be to use some software to take an 'image' of ypur computer as it is, then 'blow' that image back onto the replacement drive... (Sorry, couldn't help being lewd, and suggesting blowing something... but, then again, I am Nude_Lewd_Man )


Let us know whether you have the media or not, but bear in mind that if you do a re-installaion, you will lose all settings you had. It will also mean that any software you have would need to be installed again - and the same would be true of any updates too...

[stacyface]

Haha, nice post.

Any suggestions for a good imaging software?
And how picky is the fit for hard drives? For example, do I have to go with a certain brand, size, etc...
Obviously I'm going to want one for a laptop, 5400 RPM, etc...but I've seen ATA and some other kind...is there a major difference?

Thank you so very much for the assistance.

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

I personally use a Symantec product called DriveImage (the version I use is 7.0) which works fine on XP, but doesn't work on Fista - unless you cheat and use a 'dual- or multi-boot' with XP, then use the XP install to image the Fista drive/partition...

Another product is Acronis, which I know works on almost any (M$ at least) installation - but I don't know how much either of these products actually cost, as I use it with work...

With regards to the drive connection, this depends on your machine - I recently had two LTs go and FUBAR themselves, and they had two different types/styles of connection... Both had pins that poked out from the end of the drive, but while one had to have one screw undone, be levered out a bit at one end then slid backwards to release the pins from the block/connector; the other was held in with multiple screws and the pins were able to slide up 'through' the block without being pulled backwards first...

Both of those were pi$$ easy to release and put back in (or replace in your instance) and would have taken less than 5 minutes for my Mum to swap - presuming that she followed my instructions.........

[#43 fan]

I have heard that Clonezilla would work. I think anyways. And for free.
Clonezilla