Windows shutting down...

[Bluestone]

Every now and again, my screen will turn Blue, and I get a message that says something along the lines of Windows has encountered a problem and needs o shut down. There's a load of other writing, but I think it's just codes and numbers (can't remember)
It then has a little countdown thing, and shuts down.
This has happened at least five times this week.

Does anyone know what it is, or how I can stop it from happening?

Ta very muchly :-)

[Bluestone]

Lol. Oh that! Sorry, I thought she meant the start button as in the on/off button! Fail.

Right. It's a laptop. It does have a sticker on it, with the windows logo, but no numbers? Just says Windows 7. There's another sticker next to that, that says 'intel CORE i5 inside', and a sticker next to that one which says 'nvidia. Geforce with CUDA' - which I have absolutely no idea what they mean.
I don't use it for work, I have a separate one for that, it is just personal use. It has Microsoft Word on it, but not Excel.

Thanks for the help.

[Bluestone]

Just did it again. Will take to work with me, tomorrow, and ask IT to take a look at it, I think.

Thanks again.

[MarkRae]

If you look at is underside, does it not have a sticker on there which describes the version of Windows and also a product key? If it does, then that's all your IT department will need to reinstall Windows, as they'll already have the DVD. As for Word, are you 100% positive that PC World didn't supply and CDs at all...?

[Bluestone]

Ah, yes! There's a sticker underneath with the numbers on!
They probably did, but they'd be in the box, which is in the loft of my old house, and I doubt I could get it back any time soon.

[MarkRae]

OK, then, now we're getting somewhere!

Apart from Microsoft Word, does it have any other commercial software on it? How important is it that Word is on it? Do you need to do any work on it? Would it be enough for you just to have the Word viewer? Would a free alternative to Word be all you need?

[windywillow]

I don't know if it's relevant but I've been having problems with my computer switching itself off. Then I'd get a message saying something like it had recovered from a serious error.

This started happening after I'd downloaded a program.

I tried all sorts to no avail, then OH suggested I delete Google Chrome and install Firefox. Since doing that it hasn't switched itself off since.

I know very little about computers but I do wonder if there was a bug in my Google Chrome.

[Bluestone]

Lol. Sorry. I know I'm not being very helpful.

No other software on here, and Word isn't important. I rarely use it, to be honest. A free alternative would be absolutely fine.

[MarkRae]

> Lol. Sorry. I know I'm not being very helpful.

I'm sure it's my fault for not asking the right questions...


> No other software on here, and Word isn't important. I rarely use it, to be honest. A free alternative would be absolutely fine.

OK, that's fine. There's a great piece of software called OpenOffice which is completely free and functions pretty much identically to Microsoft Office.

One more question: on the sticker underneath the laptop, is there any mention of the abbreviation "OEM"?

[ChuckFickens]

Also... what is the make and model of the computer, there is a good chance recovery disks won't be needed and there is a hidden partition on the hard drive which can be used to recover it back to factory settings (although a install from a proper MS cd without the manufacturer rubbish is better, if tricker)

[Bluestone]

"I'm sure it's my fault for not asking the right questions... "

It's not you, it's me. I'm an idiot...

OpenOffice sounds absolutely fine. Shall I just Google it and then download it? That's safe to do from any site it appears on, yes?

No mention of OEM.

Ta.

[Bluestone]

Hi Chuck, it's a Samsung R780.

[MarkRae]

> I'm an idiot...

No you're not.


> OpenOffice sounds absolutely fine. Shall I just Google it and then download it?

Not yet. Let your IT department sort verthings out first.


> No mention of OEM.

Hurrah!


So, you'll need to do the following, in the following order:

1) Backup all of your documents onto external source, including things like your browser favourites etc

2) Reinstall Windows, choosing to completely trash your existing installation, and using the product key on the underside of your laptop to activate it.

3) Restore your documents.

[Bluestone]

:-)
I have no idea how to do any of those steps, so I will get IT to do it for me.

Thank you :))

[beso]

STOP. Don't go off reinstalling Windows.

By far, the most common fault causing the Blue Screen is loose RAM modules. They slowly work themselves loose with thermal cycling and the ingress of dust makes poor electrical contact.

IMPORTANT. Turn off the power AT THE WALL. There must be no power to the computer or this procedure will blow the motherboard.

Avoid static electricity (carpets etc). Keeping the tower plugged in but turned off at the wall will provide good grounding when you touch it.

Open the case, find the RAM modules. They are in a group of (usually) four slots close to the CPU. Only some may be fitted.

There is a small clip at each end of each module. Pull these outwards in the same direction as long axis of the modules. The modules should partially eject. Remove the module gripping them by the edges. Avoid touching the components and tracks, especially the contacts.

Push the modules back in taking care to align the slot in the RAM module with the bridge across the slot. The clips will be drawn in. Push them home.

[Bluestone]

Thanks Methyl, Fender and Beso. I gave it to one of the guys in IT today, and he had a look at it for me.
He said I had "loads of crap I didn't need" on it, whatever that means, and he thinks it should be ok now. We'll see.

Thanks for all your help :-)