Dreaded Blue Screen

DePippo79 · Post by **DePippo79** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 3:34 pm

Maybe the tech savoy members can give thier opinion. Starting to get the dreaded blue screen. Computer shuts down and restarts. Really getting bad last couple of days. Sometimes I have to leave it unplugged for a minute. At least once per session. Seams to happen more when I click a news article on my homepage. Sometimes just going online does it. I have Comcast Xfinity for service. I do have Norton antivirus. I've tried multiple scans. Could this be a really bad virus that Norton can't detect? System operation seams ok. I do keep the computer on sleep alot could this do it. I know computers like to be completely shutdown every now and again. My opinion it's my wife going on Facebook, but she says no. I did have the harddrive replaced a couple years ago. Should I take it back to the guy and have him clean everything up? Operating system is Windows Vista. I like the computer still real fast, HP Pavilion, but it's starting to get annoying. Going on 6-7 years old. Thanks. Matt

Post by **Richard S.** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 3:40 pm

When is the last time you cleaned it?

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 3:56 pm

If you get it cleaned----tell him to LOSE VISTA--it SUX--just an old farmers thoughts

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 3:58 pm

Richard beat me to it.... vacuum it out. It sounds like it's overheating.

Then... go download "CC Cleaner". It's a free thingy that helps get things back in ship shape. Download it, run it. It's not a anti virus, it's just a helper that makes things "normal" again.

mozz · Post by **mozz** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 4:09 pm

First thought was dust, clean it real good inside. Compressed air does wonders. Blow out the power supply, memory area, cpu area with heatsink and fan, be sure to check all fans are running also.
Nothing wrong with Vista, make sure you are up to date.

coalvet · Post by **coalvet** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 5:02 pm

Don't like to be the bearer of bad news but it sounds like the hard drive starting to fail. Back up everything you can asap!

grumpy · Post by **grumpy** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 5:12 pm

Thats an easy fix, I have done it a few times and if my computer fails I always hope it's the HDD..

DePippo79 · Post by **DePippo79** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 5:48 pm

When I said clean I mean't have a computer guy go thru all the files and check for anything funny. Cleaned electronically if you will. Although it doesn't matter if I just turned it on or if it's been on for a while. Been doing some research on some of my other hobbies for the past half hour and it's behaving. Although I'm sure it's loaded with pet fur/dander. Guess I'll go fire up the air compressor. Thanks for the quick responses. Matt

DePippo79 · Post by **DePippo79** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 6:15 pm

Wow, you guys should have seen the dust fly. Glad I did it in the barn. It already seams faster and sounds better. Sychological I don't know. Kind of like a clean car runs better. We'll see what happens. You guys are great. Matt

Post by **Richard S.** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 8:44 pm

Freddy wrote:Richard beat me to it.... vacuum it out. It sounds like it's overheating.

Other than the outside you shouldn't use a vacuum cleaner in a computer because of the potential for static build up. "Air in a can" or compressed air, just be careful with the compressed air because of moisture.

Here's the tip of the day, any time you are ever going to open the case on computer and start playing with stuff be sure to touch a metal part of the case before putting your fingers in there. That will discharge any static build up.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 8:45 pm

REALLY??? Cool Richard--thanx:)

Post by **Richard S.** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 8:49 pm

coalvet wrote:Don't like to be the bearer of bad news but it sounds like the hard drive starting to fail. Back up everything you can asap!

Might be but I've had this happen with dust before, specifically the blue screen. The PSU you was apparently tight on the edge of making enough of enough power and the dust build would put it over the edge.

Post by **Richard S.** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 8:54 pm

DePippo79 wrote:Wow, you guys should have seen the dust fly. Glad I did it in the barn. It already seams faster and sounds better. Sychological I don't know. Kind of like a clean car runs better. We'll see what happens. You guys are great. Matt

You opened the case? You're going to have at least one heat sink on the CPU and that is going to be caked with dust. It's going to have it's own fan, mounted on a bunch of fins(the heat sink). If you have a graphics card there will probably be dust on on that.

One other thing, whenever I do this I always use a pencil or something else to stop the fans from spinning while blowing dust through them.

Before putting the case lid back together plug it in and check that all the fans are spinning. There is going to be at least two of them, one on the CPU and one on the case itself.

Post by **Richard S.** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 8:56 pm

freetown fred wrote:REALLY??? Cool Richard--thanx:)

As far as the vacuum goes that's like playing Russian Roulette, you're going to get the bullet eventually.

DePippo79 · Post by **DePippo79** » Wed. Mar. 12, 2014 9:51 pm

Yup, opened the case and blew out everything with compressed air. Yes the fans were caked with dust. The vent holes on the case face the wall so I didn't realize how clogged with dust they were. Put the kids to bed and just got back online, still no problems. Matt