Is my new Optimus screwed? Constant BSOD.

[loverdose]

Last night I was just chilling when all of a sudden my laptop freezes and blue screens of death. I haven't installed anything new in ages, though some of the security programs I have may have updated, or an mmo game. I browse some pretty dodgy sites (don't we all) but I run with a full set of security programs and proxies/routers.

Now every time I reboot it just gets to the screen where the windows logo is forming then blue screens. Immediately the blue screen dies and the laptop attempts a reboot so I can't get the error message.
Safe mode : same result, bsod.
Repair mode : Does some 'repairing' tasks then attempts to boot, then bsod.
Boot from last known good configuration : Same result.
I have tried creating a USB boot drive containing AVG scanner/utilities, no problems found.
I have tried booting from the windows CD supplied with my laptop and get the option to 'boot from cd? y/n' - after pressing Y it loads some files then blue screens again:
STOP c000021a {fatal system error}. Sometimes I get "Stop c00000005 the instruction at 0x%08lx referenced memory at 0c%08lx the memory could not be %s." instead.
Occasionally when I boot from Windows CD i get the option to run a memory diagnostic. This runs 100% complete with no errors after 4 passes.

So er.. what now? Is this a case for the warranty department?
I'll be gutted not only because it's a brand new £900+ laptop, but because I'm writing this on my 5+ year old Toshiba, and because I like to think I can fix plenty of computer problems myself.. ):

 

[Corfate]

Haha, you're the only one i've seen on here admit to going on dodgy sites..

But seriously though, hope it gets fixed, i have no idea, sorry

 

[loverdose]

Hehe, I'm pretty sure it's unrelated no point in pretending if people are gonna be poking around your HDD!

 

[loverdose]

I've used a USB flash to boot into memtest, but every time I try to execute memtest it flashes up for like a second then goes away and reboots..
I've never used memtest before. Is this normal or does it indicate the memory could be faulty?

 

[tom_gr7]

I'm afraid I don't know either.

But you could reinstall windows if it lets ya, however, it cant hurt to ask pcs

 

[loverdose]

Nah the windows cd doesn't get that far, otherwise I'd try reinstalling windows.
Ran a full AVG emergency boot up virus scan overnight which found nothing.

I'll create a boot CD for memtest today to check it's not my usb drive or something like that causing memtest to crash, also I'll try running chkdisk or something like that..

I'm using 8gb of the samsung memory and a 120gb kingston hyperx ssd.

 

[loverdose]

Got in touch with PCS tech support this morning, apparantly if I put the windows cd in and it blue screens even with that then it's probably hardware.
RMA has been set up, courier coming tomorrow to pick it up. Had a bit of trouble finding my work address for the courier so in the end I had to take a day off work which is a shame.

Thanks Darrin and Wayne on the live chat for sorting it

Bit worried that I couldn't prove definitively what the problem was, scared they might say it's my fault or something.


Depending on whether this experience turns out pleasant or not, does anyone know if I can upgrade my silver warranty to gold for the extra cost?

 

[Rakk]

Depending on whether this experience turns out pleasant or not, does anyone know if I can upgrade my silver warranty to gold for the extra cost?

As long as you upgrade it some time before it runs out (I don't know exact timescale though, might need to be a month or so before it runs out, I don't know, I'm speculating), you can upgrade it for the price difference between silver and gold (if picking gold) and it will extend the warranty up to the point the PC is two years old (3 if you upgrade to platinum)

 

[loverdose]

Courier coming today to pick it up poor laptop. I don't care if it's hardware or software anymore, just fix it!

 

[loverdose]

After walking 30 mins to work carrying a laptop box, informing reception that a courier was coming for me, skipping lunch while waiting, telling colleagues to take phone calls from reception/courier all day while I was at meetings...
I now find out that the courier was sent to my delivery address and not the collection address.

Now I have to carry the laptop home again, and bring it back tomorrow morning, and do the whole thing again.

 

[loverdose]

Hooray, successful pickup of the laptop.
Now the long wait

Still no clue wtf is wrong with it.

 

[loverdose]

Still no update I'd be interested to see how this compares to other people's rma experience or even with other companies. I've got nothing to compare to. Is this about normal?

 

[BLACKALiCE]

I'm having the same problem, same SSD. Been doing a few tests, looks like the SSD is the problem. I installed some new firmware, so I'm waiting to see if that has fixed it, it's so erratic. I can memtest for 11 hours straight with no errors, furmark, prime95 too. But Chrome and Winamp? Kills it!

 

[tom_gr7]

Still no update I'd be interested to see how this compares to other people's rma experience or even with other companies. I've got nothing to compare to. Is this about normal?

I'd give pcs a bell to see how its going.

I'm having the same problem, same SSD. Been doing a few tests, looks like the SSD is the problem. I installed some new firmware, so I'm waiting to see if that has fixed it, it's so erratic. I can memtest for 11 hours straight with no errors, furmark, prime95 too. But Chrome and Winamp? Kills it!

What ssd do you have mate? also I wouldn't use furmark heard it can be bad for gpu's i'd suggest 3dmark instead.

 

[BLACKALiCE]

I'd give pcs a bell to see how its going.



What ssd do you have mate? also I wouldn't use furmark heard it can be bad for gpu's i'd suggest 3dmark instead.

120GB HyperX. On a side note PCS have been pretty good with RMAs and the like with me, aside from one niggling issue, and it's not really even their fault.

 

[keynes]

Still no update I'd be interested to see how this compares to other people's rma experience or even with other companies. I've got nothing to compare to. Is this about normal?

When I had a problem with an ASUS laptop under warranty, it took around 6 weeks from collection to get the issue sort it. I have also an RMA issued last week (3rd working day today). I was told over the phone it could take around 2 weeks.

 

[loverdose]

Pcs just updated me. Yup it's the ssd.
This is the first time I've had an ssd so the experience hasn't been great, are ssds usually this troublesome!

hyperx 120gb here too

@rubensolo: I will count myself lucky then!

 

[keynes]

Pcs just updated me. Yup it's the ssd.
This is the first time I've had an ssd so the experience hasn't been great, are ssds usually this troublesome!

hyperx 120gb here too

@rubensolo: I will count myself lucky then!

Morning loverdose,
Any updates on how long it will take to get your laptop back?

 

[loverdose]

Yeah I phoned up to purchase the gold warranty (previously had silver) this morning after I posted. The ssd and samsung 8gb memory have been replaced, windows reinstalled and it is now dispatched via dpd next day delivery.
From the look of things, once the technicians get their hands on it, the rma flies through really quickly and is very fast.

7 days with pcs, 2 for courier, 4 weekend days. Pretty good

It's just a shame I was told that the memory wasn't going to be replaced when it was, I wanted to pay the upgrade cost to kingston if it were to be replaced. No harm done, though.

Overall a good experience. Thanks

 

[keynes]

Yeah I phoned up to purchase the gold warranty (previously had silver) this morning after I posted. The ssd and samsung 8gb memory have been replaced, windows reinstalled and it is now dispatched via dpd next day delivery.
From the look of things, once the technicians get their hands on it, the rma flies through really quickly and is very fast.

7 days with pcs, 2 for courier, 4 weekend days. Pretty good

It's just a shame I was told that the memory wasn't going to be replaced when it was, I wanted to pay the upgrade cost to kingston if it were to be replaced. No harm done, though.

Overall a good experience. Thanks

Good to hear you got it sort it, hopefully mine will get fix soon but it seems they are pretty busy at the moment.