[Pohaku66]

Just wondering what would be the symptoms if your hard drive stops working after your laptop has been running for awhile... say after eight minutes after start up.. Would applications and computer funtions cease to function and crash or would certain things such as the Task Manager still work? Just trying to troubleshoot a problem I've been having with my computer crashing.

Specs:

System Model: HP Pavilion dv9700 Notebook PC
System Type: X86-based PC - 32-bit Operating System
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T7500 @ 2.20GHz, 2194 Mhz
Memory (RAM): 3070MB
BIOS Version/Date: Hewlett-Packard F.59, 11/25/2008
SMBIOS: Version 2.4
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Version: 6.0.6000 Build 6000
System Board: Quanta
System ID: 30CB
Version: 79.2E
Hardware Graphics/Display: NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
Warranty Status: Out of warranty

[DoubleHelix]

You'd have to define "stops working" and "crashing".

[Pohaku66]

"stops working": the hard drive indicator light which flickers when the hard drive is in use goes dormant (doesn't show any activity)

"crashes": any applications I have open stops responding (not responding message) and I get that blue vista processing circle. Any new application I try to run or any service such as the Task Manager will not open. Clicking on the Start Menu button will open the menu but it will immediatly freeze and be non responsive. The Toolbar becomes non responsive as well. About the only thing that still works is the mousepad/pointer and the Sidebar.. but even those things will freeze in time. i.e. if I click on the sidebar it will eventually crash. The CNTRL-ALT-DEL function will bring up a black screen and eventually an error message saying the "Failure Security Options - Log On Process Failed To Create The Security Options Dialog" Clicking "OK" on the error box brings back the display but everything is still hung up (crashed)

[Pohaku66]

Basicly here's what's going on:

-Crashes about 4-6 minutes after start up.
-Originaly this problem started about 8 months ago but only after about 5-10 minutes of idle time

Some of the crash symptoms are:
-Any open applications stop responding and I get the blue vista 'processing' loop
-Hard drive/CPU indicator light goes dormant and does not come back on
-Sensor mouse/pointer works and I'm able to minimize any apps that have stopped responding
-Opening up the Start Menu brings up the menu but that freezes as soon as anything is selected.
-Task Manager fails to open or if already open continues to funtion untill something is selected then it crashes too.
-Usually only crashes when using AC power but has crashed on battery power occasionally.
-Has at very rate instances worked fine on AC power for extended periods (3 + hours) but then crashed.
-Has always crashed before a full system virus scan completes
-Does not crash in Safe Mode using AC power
-Will crash even when comp is cool

Things I've tried to solve the problem:
-Rolled back the display driver with no effect
-Did a Hard Reset (shut down computer, disconnected AC and removed battery then held down power button for 20 seconds.. attach battery and AC and reboot) with no effect.
-Disabled various services from System Configure, rebooted with no effect
-Did a Scan Disc -not sure about results (where to find results)

Things I haven't tried yet:
-System Restore -no restore points because that service is not working right
-Re-install of Operating System -not an option until I back up my files -Replaced the AC adapter -can't be the problem if the computer works in Safe Mode on AC power right?
-BIOS Hardware check -heard that this could make the computer non functioning if not done right? Didn't want to chance that.

Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[DoubleHelix]

I'd suggest posting a HijackThis log in the security forum to see if there's malware involved. I doubt it's a hard drive problem.

[dustyjay]

If the system works normally in safe mode while running off the power adapter, does it work normally when in normals windows on the AC Adapter?

[Pohaku66]

It doesn't crash in safe mode using AC power... only in normal running mode.

I've just posted this problem in the HiJackThis log forum

[Pohaku66]

Problem solved! Apparently a failed Service Pack 1 installment several months ago was causing system instability which resulted in the freezes. I freed up some memory on the Hard Drive and re-installed the Service Pack a week ago afterwhich the problem disapeared. Everything has been working perfectly since then.