Windows support
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I know everybody knows about the extremely helpful staff at Windows Support, but to me this one is next level. I came across this as one of my coworkers had a similar issue with his laptop.
The orginal query (relevant parts in bold):
**System Details and Configuration:**
Dell XPS 8700 desktop
8 GB RAM
Dual Boot Windows 10 Pro and Windows 7 UltimateI upgraded one of my Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 10 Pro. Worked fine for a couple of days. God know what happened but since then, as soon as I turn on the computer it ends up with the Blue Screen with the message:
"system_thread_exception_not_handled (ntfs.sys)"
It then automatically reboots and ends up with the same blue screen recurringly.What I tried already IN VAIN:
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Created a Restore USB Drive from another computer and tried to reboot this desktop. It seems to ignore the USB and ends up with the same blue screen.
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Download the Windows 10 64bit iso file, burned a DVD in the hope to reinstall/recover. It starts reading the DVD, but ends up with the same blue screen.
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I went into the CMOS setup and specifically set it to use the Cd/DVD Drive for booting up. I still get the sme result as #2.
No matter what I try, it ends up with the same blue screen. This is my key computer. I only installed Windows 10 on this computer, as it seemd to work on one of my test laptops. I am totally crippled. I
am totally screwed!Can someone please help me? Many thanks in advance.
The first response from Microsoft (relevant parts in bold):
Hi Harry,
Thank you for posting on Microsoft Community.
We appreciate your interest in Windows 10.
What is the make and model of your computer?
Have you installed latest updated drivers?The Blue Screen error usually occurs when a serious problem causes the computer to shut down or restart unexpectedly. This type of errors usually happens when there are some driver issues on the computer. However, it might also be due to some other software/hardware reasons.
In this case, the System Thread Exception Not Handled error seems to be due to the incompatible or old graphics card drivers on the computer.
In order to fix this issue, the computer must be restarted in safe mode. Once after booting the computer in Safe Mode, you have to uninstall the incompatible graphics card driver from the Device Manager and then download and install the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s website.
Method 1: Boot the computer in Safe Mode
Safe mode is a diagnostic mode that starts your computer with limited drivers necessary to run Windows. The words Safe Mode appear in the corners of your monitor to identify which Windows mode you are using.Step 1: Use the power button on the sign-in screen to
Shift + Restart. This will take you to the recovery boot menu.
Step 2: Click Troubleshoot,
Advanced options, Startup settings.You then see a list where you can choose Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking (depending on whether you think you’ll need the Internet).
To know more about Safe mode, following is an article on Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode):
Method 2: Update drivers.
Step 1: Press Windows key + X key and click on Device manager.
Step 2: Search for Display Adapters.
Step 3: Right-click on the graphics card and click on
Update driver software.
You may also download and install the latest graphic drivers from the manufacturer’s website.Following is a Wiki Article on Blue Screen of Death (BSOD):
Hope this helps!
Get back to us if you have queries regarding Windows, we will be happy to help you.
Thank you,
Microsoft Community.
Even though the system specs are the first things mentioned, they still ask for it. And even though the computer doesn't even boot to windows, all their advice assumes access to Windows.This is followed by the guy patiently replying to their (attempted) support, some people offering help, other people with the same problem, and then this second response from Microsoft:
We do need the actual log files (called a DMP files) as they contain the only record of the sequence of events leading up to the crash, what drivers were loaded, and what was responsible.
Please follow our instructions for finding and uploading the files we need to help you fix your computer. They can be found here
If you have any questions about the procedure please ask
The "here" part is a link to instructions on where to find the log files on your computer, after logging in to windows.Exceptional support from an exceptional company
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FWIW, that sounds like it might be hard drive corruption, if
ntfs.sysis shitting itself.inb4 I didn't ask for any belgium help
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Exceptional support from an exceptional company
I'd expect people to say that about Oracle because Java.
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Windows 10
Being ahead of the curve requires the patience of a saint.
FWIW, that sounds like it might be hard drive corruption...
To its credit (or more accurately, rare non-discredit) this doesn't sound like an issue caused by Windows.
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@Vault_Dweller said:
Exceptional support from an exceptional company
I'd expect people to say that about Oracle because Java.
Java is by far one of the least horrible things produced by Oracle...
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"Least horrible" in terms of Oracle products is like saying "Hitler wasn't nearly as bad as Genghis Khan or Stalin."
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I didn't ask for any belgium help
Anyway, luckily the thing is still under warranty, so we sent it in to be repaired.
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FWIW, I agree with @sloosecannon somewhat:
that sounds like it might be hard drive corruption, if ntfs.sys is shitting itself.
The Filesystem probably has a broken MFT or transaction log, and ntfs.sys is dying when it's parsing it.
Might be able to fix it with Linux though.
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Can't they still access that log file if they take out the hard drive and bypass the operating system entirely?
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Probably not if they have the hard drive installed during boot. Maybe he can get an image of the drive sent to us for analysis?
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Anyway, unluckily the thing is still under warranty, so we sent it in to be
Hope you had backups, Skipper.repairednuked and paved.
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Not my laptop, not my problem
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My sister's computer started acting weird after a clean install of Windows 10, so we sent it to HP. They said they would revert it to Windows 7 and nuke all the data. It came back to us still running Windows 10 and without any loss of data...because it was a physical repair only...
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Probably just flushed the headlight fluid and reapplied the elbow grease.
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It kept blue screening and the built-in diagnostics reported a failure in the memory module, so that's all that needed to be fixed. We've replaced the memory module over 3 times now to no avail, and HP is losing their patience.
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s/exceptional/'special'
Or maybe that's just Larry.
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And even though the computer doesn't even boot to windows, all their advice assumes access to Windows.
Trying Safe Mode doesn't require being logged into Windows, though ...
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I wouldn't be surprised if it does.
... tries it....
Good gravy, I have to log in as a local administrator in safe mode? Ain't movienobody have the password for that!
Filed under: what if the registry is corrupt?
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You didn't understand what I meant.
Hitting keys as the bootloader triggers doesn't require Windows to work ...
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No, it seems I didn't.
Besides, isn't it nearly impossible to enter safe mode on purpose (if windows isn't already working) nowadays?
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Microsoft deliberately introduced a small delay in the boot loader, so that you can press the magic keys.
Because I rarely have to resort to safe mode, I always need to look them up on the internet when I do.
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and HP is losing their patience.
Are THEY?! I'd demanded a refund the second time it happened...
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deliberately introduced a small delay in the boot loader,
Not anymore. You have to be in Legacy Mode, and even then it's a trap shoot.
To my knowledge, the best way to do it is to:- Press the power button
- Promptly start holding it again so (hopefully) the system unexpectedly loses power during boot (Doesn't work if your system gets to the login screen in < 5 seconds)
- Rinse and repeat until Windows starts Automatic Recovery
- And finally (once more) so it might give you a menu of options.
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Are THEY?! I'd demanded a refund the second time it happened...
They think that because we had the exact same issue again that either we did something wrong or we're just abusing the warranty to get free parts to repair other people's computers. In other words they don't trust us, so they had us send the computer to them the third time (first two times we made the repair ourselves). So far we have been having the same issue but it's infrequent enough that we CBA.
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first two times we made the repair ourselves
Ah, like that. I'm used to being treated like an idiot by companies. Still, replacing it the third time when they had it would have been prudent...
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For anyone interested (so probably no-one), they came back to us saying that the main board is fried
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the main board is fried
It happens, and it can be the cause of the weirdest bugs. I've seen it happen to all sorts of machines, and if I hadn't seen it before I'd have sworn I was going crazy. (In our case, we had an on-site support contract and the system would stay up pretty much until the engineer left the building. :) We tricked it one day by offering the poor guy lunch so he got to see the failure first hand while knowing that nobody had messed with anything…)
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I can't count the number of times my dad's called me round to fix his computer, only for it to work perfectly when I get there.
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Or twas simple as pressing the WiFi button to turn it back on.
Filed under: whomever thought people would want to be able to turn off WiFi intentionally was an ass!
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best
I think you mean "crap shoot". Trap shooting is a very different thing.
EDIT: well, when I quoted that it said trap shoot.I blame disco mobile and my
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it said trap shoot
Nope, I clearly wrote "trap shoot".
Why would anyone crap for shooting? That sounds... unsanitary...
Filed under: Although, trap shooting sounds almost as ridiculous
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I don't know about traps, but how about typewriters?
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh192/adamrector/Typewriter2.jpgBut then, he also said this:
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz216/Peacefulrain09/Movies/Hunter S Thompson/31.jpg
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THERE'S STILL TIME!
If you buy the expansion pack now, you'll have 3½ hours before the beta goes away.
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Why would anyone crap for shooting? That sounds... unsanitary...
Craps is a game of chance, and "shooting" means to play another round.
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I know that!
Y'know, sometimes we're obtuse for a reason...
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If your system can get to the login screen in < 5 seconds, then it can get to the login screen, so you can log in, go to the Update and Recovery section of (Metro) PC Settings, and click "Advanced Startup" on the Recovery tab. Saves you a bunch of wear and tear on the power supply and power-sensitive components.
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then it can get to the login screen
Not necessarily. Quite a few times I've had mystery boot loops where it got me to the login screen but before I could type anything it crashed (and somehow didn't trigger the automatic recovery option). IIRC it had something to do with some CPU driver (whyTF you need a driver for a CPU...) unloading before it finished loading (or something like that).
Your faith in Windows is quite amusing indeed. "Since it seems you can walk to this point, it's obvious you can run the rest of the mile".
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You mentioned "the best way to do it"; clearly, my way is better if it's possible.
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You mentioned
Ah yes, requisite pedantry.
For that matter, the best way to do it is to not have a broken OS to start with, but we must all make concessions.
Filed under: Why even have a Safe Mode? Who would ever use it?
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Nope, I clearly wrote "trap shoot".
I know.
IDiscourse just failed when I tried to quote "trap shoot" on mobile. But I'd be lying if I said I never got an urge to solve some Windows problems with a shotgun.
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Hmm, so in order to do things a compiler generates generalized machine code for the OS to translate into actual machine code for the CPU?
I guess that saves time compiling for different architectures.
Filed under: Oh wait...
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Hmm, so in order to do things a compiler generates generalized machine code for the OS to translate into actual machine code for the CPU?
I guess that saves time compiling for different architectures.
Filed under: Oh wait...
No, it's specifically the part of the kernel that can't be generalized because it's hardware specific.
Even in the x86 family, there was likely a new HAL for each of these transitions over the years:
- non-ACPI to ACPI
- x86 to x86-64 (64-bit mode only)
- BIOS to UEFI
I'm not sure if non-ACPI is even supported any more, but if it is, that's 8 (23) HALs just for x86.
Not to mention that Windows NT used to run on DEC Alpha machines at one point.
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Nope, I clearly wrote "trap shoot".
Do we need to talk to you about transphobia again?
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Hmm, good question... I'm going to go with...
Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode) - Microsoft Support
Trap shooting - Wikipedia
