Computer boot windows, blue screens

[Panzerwarrior]

Alright guys, I've got a tough one for you. I'm trying to help out family with their computer, but I can't seem to figure anything out. I've been scouring the internet and can't come up with anything.

Its an older computer, probably about three or four years old, running windows 7.

The Symptoms: Repeated BOSD, Very Slow Operating, Won't allow for a Windows Back-Up to be made, has trouble booting into Windows.

A while back before everything started, I had been using it and noticed that it had been running very slowly. It would operate fine for a while, before just seizing up almost completely. That went on for quite a long while, possible four or five months. Then things got worse.

A few days ago, I noticed that it said that it had a hard-drive malfunction upon start-up, so it wouldn't let me boot the machine. So, I created a windows recovery disk off of another computer and tried that. That allowed access to the Windows Log-in screen and once beyond that, windows would operate as usual.

But some of the times not even the start-up disk will get you in the front door it seems. They've tried to create a windows back-up file on an old external drive we had around, but it said there wasn't enough room. So after purchasing a brand new external hard-drive, they instead got the message "could not complete", again, sadly I wasn't there to see if there was more to it than that.

But now I don't even think that the recovery disk is helping them. So this begs the question, what exactly is wrong here - and more so, can it be fixed?

I don't mind spending some time on it, I don't. I just need to know what to do really. I'm not sure if it is a virus that has gotten in so deeply or possibly malware that has corrupted windows itself. It could be bad memory, a HDD malfunction. Possibly Software or Hardware issues. I'm not really sure here at all. I've tried what I know and that apparently hasn't been enough.

So, if any of you have any ideas, I'd greatly appreciate it. If the only thing that you'd suggest is taking it out behind the shed and helping it pass to the next life, that would even be a welcome sound

 

[zdbc13]

Try the Hirens boot cd and run diagnostics.

 

[smorizio]

i would start by making a hirem boot cd and run hdtune or read the drive smart info see if there any warning or failures. then i would run wd/seagate drive tools see if the drive passes vendor fitness test. I would also run memtest on the ram to see if the ram is fine. with old pc also open the case and kill the dust bunnies and make sure the cpu and gpu fan are moving. over time they can slow down or stop working or fall off the cpu/gpu if the glue/heat sink paste dries out. also want make sure with the pc unplugged from the wall that the ram and video cards are seated. with the hirem boot cd run an anti virus scan and on the cd is a mini xp boot. try booting from the mini xp and see if you still see the hard drive and it data...if the data there you may be able to back it up for them.

 

[Nedal0]

What is the PC Brand and Specs ? Was Win 7 pre installed when it was purchased ?
Windows COA Certificate somewhere on the Pc should give you that info.

My guess is the PC was infected and left to go on for a long time. Is there any important data on the PC you need to recover ?

 

[HEXiT]

if you already have it. boot into safe mode (f8 after the first splash screen) and use hijack this and ccleaner to uninstall any toolbars browser helper objects other than windows live id helper and adobe updater.
everything else with a BHO designation in hijack this can be removed. then using ccleaner uninstal any associated toolbars and any software you installed recently. then check the startup entries remove anything that isnt gfx driver, audio, keyboard ,mouse and antivirus related.
run the reg cleaner repeatedly till you get no more errors. reboot and see if your issues are fixed. finally remove any restore points as there likely to be corrupted.
reboot and see if you can get into windows quickly. if not but windows is working download malwarebytes and avira antivirus. disable your current protection and install anr run them both. malware bytes first, its quicker.

 

[hedwar2011]

Alright guys, I've got a tough one for you. I'm trying to help out family with their computer, but I can't seem to figure anything out. I've been scouring the internet and can't come up with anything.

Its an older computer, probably about three or four years old, running windows 7.

The Symptoms: Repeated BOSD, Very Slow Operating, Won't allow for a Windows Back-Up to be made, has trouble booting into Windows.

A while back before everything started, I had been using it and noticed that it had been running very slowly. It would operate fine for a while, before just seizing up almost completely. That went on for quite a long while, possible four or five months. Then things got worse.

A few days ago, I noticed that it said that it had a hard-drive malfunction upon start-up, so it wouldn't let me boot the machine. So, I created a windows recovery disk off of another computer and tried that. That allowed access to the Windows Log-in screen and once beyond that, windows would operate as usual.

But some of the times not even the start-up disk will get you in the front door it seems. They've tried to create a windows back-up file on an old external drive we had around, but it said there wasn't enough room. So after purchasing a brand new external hard-drive, they instead got the message "could not complete", again, sadly I wasn't there to see if there was more to it than that.

But now I don't even think that the recovery disk is helping them. So this begs the question, what exactly is wrong here - and more so, can it be fixed?

I don't mind spending some time on it, I don't. I just need to know what to do really. I'm not sure if it is a virus that has gotten in so deeply or possibly malware that has corrupted windows itself. It could be bad memory, a HDD malfunction. Possibly Software or Hardware issues. I'm not really sure here at all. I've tried what I know and that apparently hasn't been enough.

So, if any of you have any ideas, I'd greatly appreciate it. If the only thing that you'd suggest is taking it out behind the shed and helping it pass to the next life, that would even be a welcome sound

Three or four years old? It's likely the computer didn't come pre-loaded with 7 and someone upgraded it for them. My point is the system may simply be choking on itself as far as performance means.

What is the make/model # of your computer? (I know Nedal0 already mentioned it)
Get us this and maybe we can start isolating issue causes. I wouldn't choke it up right yet as things like this happen ALOT actually.

You can use either CPU-Z or Speccyhttp://www.piriform.com/speccyhttp://www.piriform.com/speccy to take the guess work out for you.