hardware or software issue?

[stick1977]

Trying to figure out if this is a hardware or software issue.

A friend of my dad's is getting blue screens. The machine is able to get online but I can't remote in because it's blocking .exe downloads. In order to temporarily keep the machine from crashing I walked him through booting to safe mode but even from SM the PC crashes when he accesses the web to attempt to download rkill.com.

Originally I thought this was a software problem but it's even blue screening in safe mode. Since safe mode is the most stable environment for Windows to boot into, that makes it seem more like a hardware issue correct?

He's just a guy I know. He wants me to drive to his house and take a look but I don't want to waste my time with a flaky motherboard. He's going to buy a new machine January 1st anyways. It's for his home business and he wants to wait so he can get the write off next year.

I just don't want to spend a bunch of time on something just to have to give the bad news. Having a bad run of luck lately helping "friends". The machine is set to auto reboot upon BSOD, I suppose I could get him to change that so we could at least get the STOP error but I've found researching that info difficult as well.

Just wondering what it's "looking like", thanks.

 

[B Trevathan]

Since safe mode is the most stable environment for Windows to boot into, that makes it seem more like a hardware issue correct?

Lots of thing run in safe mode like viruses and crapware, instead of calling it "safe" mode they should call it "basic drivers" mode are something like that.

A friend of my dad's is getting blue screens. The machine is able to get online but I can't remote in because it's blocking .exe downloads. In order to temporarily keep the machine from crashing I walked him through booting to safe mode but even from SM the PC crashes when he accesses the web to attempt to download rkill.com.

Sounds like malware (or crapware) to me. If you don't want to go out there then mail him a AV rescue disk, he can remove malware and give the hardware a basic test at the same time

Does it crash when he's using different browsers or email programs. Might me hes got to many toolbars, BHO or crapware installed, send him a zipped up copy of AdwCleaner or JRT.

The machine is set to auto reboot upon BSOD, I suppose I could get him to change that so we could at least get the STOP error

You should at least get the STOP error and see if it the same every time.

He's just a guy I know. He wants me to drive to his house and take a look but I don't want to waste my time

Don't waste your time then, charge him for your time, never ever work for free.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

A friend of my dad's is getting blue screens. The machine is able to get online but I can't remote in because it's blocking .exe downloads.

Is it giving you a message and in what browser? or is it just blue screening everytime you try to download something.

Which remote software do you use?

 

[Markverhyden]

Just wondering what it's "looking like", thanks.

Looking like malware. Have them use another machine to burn a copy of KRD to CD, boot from it, update and then do a full drive scan.

 

[NYJimbo]

Having a bad run of luck lately helping "friends".

I can believe that. Your post shows you have some diagnostic skill issues. If you cannot figure out how to stop a machine from autoreboot on a BSOD then you need to spend more time learning how to do a proper diagnostic and the basic steps on isolating a software or hardware issue.

 

[mkeathley]

You need to fully test the machine yourself. It is not possible to to this remotely.
I know form experience this is a virus. He might also have a hardware issue though.

I would recommend you either go get the thing nd fully test it and fix it. Or refer him to a computer shop in his area.

BTW STOP errors are very easy to research. just google the error#. But if you do a full diag you likely will not care what the error as as you will then know the problem.

 

[Go-To Gordon]

Trying to figure out if this is a hardware or software issue.

A friend of my dad's is getting blue screens. The machine is able to get online but I can't remote in because it's blocking .exe downloads. In order to temporarily keep the machine from crashing I walked him through booting to safe mode but even from SM the PC crashes when he accesses the web to attempt to download rkill.com.

that screams malware to me

 

[16k_zx81]

that screams malware to me

It screams "go back to basics" to me.

The guy seems to have no idea about the basic ABC's of diagnostics.

something like
http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-the-Blue-Screen-of-Death-on-Windows

would be a good start

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Trick I discovered once isput the .exe file into a compressed .zip folder, Email him the tools that way and see if it blocks them.

 

[Markverhyden]

Trick I discovered once isput the .exe file into a compressed .zip folder, Email him the tools that way and see if it blocks them.

I think that you will find most ISP's are scanning the metadata of email attachments to delete, silently in many cases, attachments that are executable. Ran into this last year with a Comcast customer. I was emailing him the VPN client installer, config file, and docs. He kept on telling me he could not see any executable. Zipping, even with a password, made no difference.

 

[stick1977]

Consensus seems to be malware. That's a good point about safe mode, virus can still run. Thanks all. I just didn't want to drive all the way over there for a hardware issue but after reading the replies I agree, probably malware that's crashing the system.

 

[stick1977]

I think that you will find most ISP's are scanning the metadata of email attachments to delete, silently in many cases, attachments that are executable. Ran into this last year with a Comcast customer. I was emailing him the VPN client installer, config file, and docs. He kept on telling me he could not see any executable. Zipping, even with a password, made no difference.

Yes I'm unable to even send zipped up files from my gmail if a .exe is included.

 

[redmon]

Don't assume anything. I would at a minimum run memtest86+ and a full harddrive scan with gsmartcontrol before wasting any time trouble shooting software issues. Tell the client to bring it to you or you will have to charge him hourly to watch the tests run on site. Even if his most obvious issue is malware, you want to rule out in particular a failing harddrive. Why waste time cleaning out malware when the most appropriate action may be to install a new harddrive along with a clean install of windows.

 

[redmon]

Yes I'm unable to even send zipped up files from my gmail if a .exe is included.

You can send .exe files in Gmail if you remove the file extension.

 

[Boston Pro Comp Serv LLC]

I'll leave out constructive critizim, what comes to mind for you to have them do that would at least point you more toward hardware or software..... boot from a linux disc, use in linux for a while see what happens, if it crashes in Linux I lean toward hardware, if not Windows/virus/malware general rule of thumb. Granted I agree you've got to get hands on a machine like this.