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Thread: System Crashes

  1. #1
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    System Crashes

    Much has been written about unexplained system crashes, particularly with Dell computers, with systems demonstrating behaviour similar to a virus infection (failing to boot). Even formatting the hard drive and reloading software and Operating Systems has failed to restore these computers to a functional condition for diagnostics and thus far has been unexplained. Thanks to a recent email from a computer tech who experienced this same problem, here is a plausible explanation of the problem:-

    When I started building my BMW Diagnostic system, I replaced my Dell 80GB Hard Drive with a Western Digital 250GB Hard Drive and placed my Dell Windows XP Pro disk in the DVD and installed Windows XP Pro. Everything went great and I started building my system. Windows formatted the hard drive as 245GB. I thought everything was fine. I began to load software and information on my system. I never looked in the BIOS of the computer until this boot problem happened to me.

    When I looked in the BIOS, I discovered that the BIOS version A06 is limited to a 137GB hard drive. Version A06 is the last BIOS upgrade Dell did for the Latitude D610. While Windows sees all of the hard drive, the BIOS only sees 137GB's of the drive. I only had 101GB of data on my computer so it should have booted. What happened is that my PAGEFILE had taken up space that sent the written data to the hard drive beyond 137GB. As a result, the computer would not boot. I took my WinTernals ERD CD and booted the computer and through the WinTernals Explorer discovered that all my data was still in tact on the drive. Without further explanation, here is the fix.

    1. Boot the computer with your favorite Disk Image Back up Utility. Any Image Backup Utility can back up your partition to an external hard drive connected to your computer through the USB port. After backup, shut down your computer. (I used Acronis 2010 to do the job.)

    2. Next boot the computer with your favorite Disk Manager Utility that will allow you to resize your partition to 135.50Gb (Partition Magic, Fixit Utilities, Acronis Disk Director, etc.). This will leave the remainder of the partition available to create a second Drive B partition.

    3. Create this partition by creating a extended partition and then a logical partition within the extended partition.

    4. Formatt the logical partition. The computer will assign the next drive letter to the logical petition.

    5. Reboot the computer and Windows will come up because the Drive C is with in the limit of 137GB.

    Anyone who is using a Dell Latitude D610 with a hard drive larger than 137GB is living on borrowed time if they don't resize the C: partition and create a second drive that is no larger than 135.50GB. The black screen with the blinking cursor in the left hand upper corner awaits them somewhere and time in your future.

    I would check the BIOS on all Dell laptops and desktops to see what the hard drive limit is and make what ever adjustments that need to be made if you are using a large hard drive. I do not have a BMW owners email list. If you have one its ok to forward this on. Wiping a hard drive and starting over because you think you got an unfixable virus can be avoided by understanding what is happening to your system.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    2000 328Ci AW

    Computer crashes

    Hi David

    That is very interesting. I am sure that there are a few individuals out there going nuts with this type of problem and completely unaware of this situation. As always, its great that this information is made available to everyone. Nice to know there are forum members who are always willing to help and be there when questions and situations arise. Thanks David!

    Regards,
    Mark

  3. #3
    IcemanBHE's Avatar
    IcemanBHE is offline ¿pǝpɹɐʇǝɹ noʎ ǝɹɐ
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    In talks with David Mc, Im going to sticky this. Lets try to documents all the machine specific troubles here when we come across them.

    Please mention the Computer model, processor and RAM when listing issues.
    95 840Ci, Calypso Red/Silver, 83k - 99 740i, Black/Black, 185k, Alpina Mods - 01 740i, Titanium/Silver, 40k, Sport Pkg
    Complete Turnkey Diagnostic/Programming systems available...PM for details.

    http://www.8Coupe.com - Please register, spot, and help the project.

  4. #4
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    Did you try rebooting in safe mode?
    _______________
    Best mechanic in Indianapolis, specializing in used cars Indiana and the greater area
    Last edited by musclesam; 11-10-2010 at 01:46 PM.

  5. #5
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    I can verify that the 137G limit effects the Dell Inspiron 6000 series also. I had to replace a failed drive in my sister's laptop last month, and found out about the limit researching what drive I could use.


    /.randy

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Hi David, hopefully you can help with my situation. I just got in the mail my cardsoft 6.5 kit off of ebay. I install it on my laptop and perform the crack procedure. After I started up my laptop and connected the cable to the car and start the program, then my problem comes into play. I try to perform a complete diagnostics and it stop halfway and I get the message that Carsoft is not responding and if I want to send an error message. Since I did not get carftsoft through the OEM, I did not send the error message and the program shut down. Also none of the LED are on when connected to the car. Any ideas?

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    The software has either not been cracked correctly, is an incomplete Chinese knockoff copy (notorious for this problem), does not contain the required 10 file "Crack" or has not been updated with SP1.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    New York
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    04 BMW M3
    Hi David

    I found one of your post were you indicate if there are mulitply carsoftV6.5 programs in the BMW file, we would have to try each one to see which one doesn't crash, rename the one that work and delete the others. I am happy to say it work, the only thing is that the results are in german. How to I switch it from German to English? Thanks Lenny

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Nice post David, this info is informative even if it's not a BMW software install.


  10. #10
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    My latop crashed after installing the changes.iso. My Acer had the blue screen of death.....

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    UK
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    E39,E53

    AlienWare M17 (Dell)

    Something I came across on Alienware M17X through Dell.
    supplied with 250gb Tosh HDD.

    Upgraded to 640GB WD HDD and wouldn't boot properly, shutting down on the starting windows screen..

    Put 250 back in and used the 640 as secondary drive
    Would boot after the 2nd attempt every time!!
    Updated bios to latest for my model but no change..

    Changed BOTH drives to 1TB Samsung Spinpoints and boots OK every time...
    Can only assume it doesn't like WD?????

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    2002 BMW M1
    I lost my windows in normal mode, I turn to boot using "last known good settings" from main menu while pressing F8 key.

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    2003 BMW Z4
    Always a bummer

  14. #14
    Join Date
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    1999 M3 Convertible
    not good

  15. #15
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    1980
    This problem usually arises when the software and hardware are not compatible with each other..

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