Windows 7 BSOD on boot windows 7 starter

[greej003]

Hi,

The netbook in question is an Acer Aspire One running Windows 7 Starter. It has only Norton 360 and Office 2007 installed besides the pre-installed stuff. Whilst trying (and failing) to connect it to the home network of XP Pro machines, the netbook blue-screened, giving an error message that does not stay long enough for one to read it! It goes something along the lines of: Driver...not less or equal, the usual hardware/software bit, then a filename: something.sys, then a bit about crash dump and dumping the physical memory to disk. The machine then reboots itself, and just before the desktop screen appears (no logon screen as only one user), it blue screens again and reboots. Any ideas?

Also, Norton and Office were installed at the shop, since the first time round the netbook bluescreened and went back to be replaced and everything reinstalled!

Apologies for this post, I know its a little woolly and vague, but any help would be greatly appreciated,

greej003

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like your Acer Aspire One running Windows 7 Starter is experiencing blue screen errors (BSOD) during startup, possibly related to a driver issue. The error message "Driver...not less or equal" typically indicates a problem with a device driver that is either incompatible or corrupted. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue:

Troubleshooting Steps:​

1. Safe Mode:
   • Try booting your netbook into Safe Mode. This mode loads Windows with minimal drivers and components, which can help identify if the issue is driver-related.
   • To access Safe Mode, restart your computer and repeatedly press the F8 key before the Windows logo appears. Choose "Safe Mode" from the advanced boot options.
   []Driver Updates:
   • Update your device drivers, especially those related to network adapters and other hardware components.
   • Visit Acer's support website or the device manufacturer's website to download and install the latest drivers for your netbook.
   []Remove Recently Installed Software:
   • Since the issue started after attempting to connect to the home network, consider removing any recently installed software, especially network-related programs, to see if the issue resolves.
   []System Restore:
   • Use System Restore to revert your system to a previous state before the issue occurred.
   • In Safe Mode, you can access System Restore by typing "rstrui.exe" in the Run dialog box.
   []Check Event Viewer:
   • Use the Event Viewer to review system logs for any specific errors or warnings that might provide more details about the cause of the blue screens.
   []Check for Malware:
   • Perform a thorough scan of your system using Norton 360 to check for any malware that could be causing system instability.
   []Hardware Check:
   • Check for any hardware issues by running a diagnostic tool provided by Acer or by a third-party software.

     Conclusion:​

     Given the recurring nature of the blue screens, identifying the specific driver causing the issue is crucial. If you can catch the error message on the blue screen, note down the driver name (ending in .sys) as it can provide a clue to the problematic driver. If the issue persists or you need further assistance, feel free to provide more details, and we can delve deeper into the troubleshooting process. Blue screens can be challenging to diagnose, but with patience and systematic troubleshooting, we can work towards resolving the issue.