More computer madness
 

Got a scareware virus earlier this week. Had to take it in to get removed. (Was like a FBI/CIA scareware). So $100 later it is removed. Worked fine for a day. Earlier this evening got the blue screen of death, error said "Page fault In Nonpaged Area" along with a bunch of 0's and X's.
Then computer on restart would stick on a black screen that said RV370 P/N 113-A62801-106 BIOS, with a flashing cursor (would not respond to any inputs).
After waiting and shutting the compter on/off multiple times, I did get a restart, most often soon followed by the blue screen and a repeat of problem.

I did get a message on my desktop that the computer is recovering from a serious problem and to restart and remove any recently added programs (which would be a malware remover the repair guy installed and also Microsoft Security Essentials, which I just installed to prevent scareware again. Oh and the message said to restart in safe mode in neccesary to remove the programs.

So I restart in safe mode, then get the message that security essentials can't be removed in safe mode.....GRRRRRR. Restart in normal mode and get Microsoft Essentials removed. So has been fine now for 1/2 hour of use. Holding breath. Keeping the malware program for now (Malwarebytes).

Computer was bought March 2006 so is getting to the point where I "could" think about replacing it. Everyone raves about security essentials so can't believe it is crashing my computer like this. Am using XP Media Center Edition

Thanks for reading. I should figure out something for a firewall, I think my ISP has some free stuff as well, don't trust security essentials right now.

Going on 5 years on the first install? Think of it like a car engine, every now and then you might need to do a minor overhaul.

I'd backup everything, and do a fresh reinstall of windows. You should have a sticker with the license key on your machine somewhere, just take note of the license key, reinstall, and you will be way ahead of the game.

What he said.

Although depending on your surfing habits, your reinstallation schedule could be more like an oil change....;)

This one is for JP......BUY A MAC!!!!! :eek::D:D:D

With this issue I'd wipe and reformat. But usually people have data they like

Hard drives are cheap -- under $100. Plop in a new HDD or solid-state drive, install an OS and security software, plug the corrupted one in as a secondary, move the data you need onto the new drive.

I do have an external hard drive with my music and pics on it, so that should be covered.
I should have a disc that came with the computer which would say it has my windows xp on it, right? I have a bunch of discs but none that look like this. Maybe one of them is it, but can't identify it (have one for the printer, monitor, etc but none say windows xp or OS or recovery disc).

I think before I'd go the "new hard drive and new OS" I'd just replace it. Place around here, which is a small chain called milwaukee PC, which is the company that fixed my scareware, makes up their own custom PCs, they do have a base line of computers to get an idea of prices and can customize them to suit.

So far so good with it now, but I do want to get a firewall up, any suggestions on that?

OK did it again 5 or so minutes after last post. Another thing is that I can't get the computer running until it sits turned off maybe 5-10 minutes, then will start again, in case this helps.

Vapor lock?

i would try pulling the heatsink off of the cpu, clean the old thermal compound off, and reapply artic silver. sounds like you have a heat issue

Refer to post #4, it's the ONLY FIX!!! :D

They have the same issues. Only WORSE! I've lost 3 imacs now due to heat issues since new.

If you no longer have the XP disc, you can download an OEM version of the OS through BitTorrent and use the key on the computer's case to install. Check the comments on the torrent -- if it's well-reviewed and claims it's an untouched image, it's unlikely to contain malware.

Get a Vax.

you are not supposed to put them in the oven DUDE!!!. :eek::D:D:D

Sounds like something you learned the hard way.

And dude, switch to decaf. :D

Could this seriously be related to heat? It just crashed again. I took the cover off and started a fan blowing into the "guts" of the computer and was only 5 minutes or less it started again.
They said they were going to clean the computer (dust etc).

Whereis it? I know what a heatsink looks like, I don't see it. I can post a pic if the computer stays running, LOL

OK I do see it now, really large aluminum colored. I don't think they cleaned the inside like they said they were going to. Still don't know how what they did would be related. To me the fan seems to be pretty weak. I might shut down and see if I can get to it. I do have a small fan blowing towards the heat sink now.

OK I figured it out pretty well, I got the heatsink off, didn't realize how easy that was to do. What I did is used the only thing close at hand to do this; I have some of that white thermal paste that they use on w140 blower motor regulators. I didn't clean the old stuff, just smeared some of this on the contact area and will see what happens. I am not totally convinced the fan is blowing at full speed though, will "see how it goes in testing". I did vacuum around the general area as well. Is there usually just one fan?

Paste I used is German stuff by Seifert Electronics it's called KF-400 and it is silicon.
I have the cover off and am using the small fan as well, hey my computer has an aux fan!

Well so far so good with my extra cooling measure, about to shut it off to watch a TV show, so will see how long my wife lets it sit out of the computer desk with no side cover and the small fan next to it.

You need to clean the old stuff off. It may have helped, but not nearly as much as if you had cleaned all the old hardened stuff off. Once thats done, if it does infact fix the issue, switch to arctic silver. More than likely the big fan you added will not be needed

I use a external cooling device for my notebook - two small fans in a thin platform. My machine used to leave the table hot. Not now. Heat kills. Is there any sort of external cooling arrangement that might help imacs?

Would some low pressure compressed air have helped the cleaning maybe?

So far it is working, Here is the paste i used:
Seifert-Electronic - Products

Well this is good, have toget ready for work now, so it held up really well, I am still suspect the fan is weak but have nothing to compare it to or really to test it even.

When places "clean" your heatsink they just spray compressed air on it. You need to visually get in there and remove lint, dust, cat fur, etc.

If your car was overheating, would you just slap a miracle-in-a-can and keep driving it? Or would you replace the $30 thermostat that is causing the overheating?

As other have said, get in there with some alcohol and qtips, clean the heatsink thoroughly, and slap some artic silver on it following the directions. Retail it's $12 at RatShack: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound : Computer Cooling Systems | RadioShack.com
Online it's $8 Amazon.com: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound 3.5 Grams: Computers & Accessories

Assuming this is a desktop, if you want to upgrade the heatsink there are a huge number of aftermarket copper coolers with large, silent fans. If you give us some more info on the machine we can help you pick one out. For your needs $25 would be a good estimate.

FYI-if the CPU thermal compound was junky you should probably replace the compound on the north bridge and GPU. You would be surprised what a difference that can make.

If you want to go to a clean install of XP and you need a cd I can mail you an unmolested copy.

Thanks to all for the offers and tips. It is old enough that I think before spending a lot of money I would go to a new computer. Will see if get any more troubles with the "aux fan" and go from there, am more curious about the fan being a problem over the heat sink itself.

I would definitely consider pulling the heat sink again and cleaning and I'd probably use the paste I have, nothing else to do with it anyways and I think it does the job. If I was in the business of doing this I'd get the good stuff.

Again it is old, it is a DELL Dimension E510

Did it again. Is not saying the bit about "page fault in non paged area" any more, but looks essentially the same (this on the blue screen of death).

Pulled the heat exchange, and did clean off nicely with rubbing alcohol and applied the paste i have.

Will see what develops.
Milwaukee PC agrees with possible overheating diagnosis, they said check "all" the fans, I didn't know there was one in the power supply, that one is working as well.

Computer was still busy shutting down when i pulled the heat exchanger (sink, sorry), then noticed that fan took off running really fast, I didn't know it has different speeds, it will spin like a bat outta hell if it has the mind to, so not as concerned about the fan as I was.

Will continue to surf and see what develops next.

Surfed about a half hour (since my last post) and no fail yet and that's with the cover off but no fan blowing in to the box. Opened up multiple pages at once, played a youtube video and went to other sites, may be licked, will cross fingers.

Maybe needs a new vortex homogenizer on the flux capacitor.

Tried that, thanks though:D

Still working!

Hell, it usually works for me when I pay a mere $225.99 to the guy in Nigeria.

I think it's fixed, thanks for the help.