Computer keeps crashing

[andiek1987]

My computer is a Dell Inspiron 1720 with a intel Pentium Dual processor and a 32-bit Operating System.  I have Service Pack 2 of Windows Vista. 

My computer keeps crashing and this weekend I tried to turn it on and I was sent to a screen that said my computer was unable to start and it was trying to find any errors and fix them.  It didn't seem to find any errors so it reset my computer back to the previous recall point.  Before it came up with this, I was getting the blue screen that would say system error and that it was dumping my memory or something.  After I reset my computer, it is still crashing, but now I don't always get the blue screen.  Now my computer will freeze and then the screen will go black and I have to restart the computer.

Also, my AVG is not working and I can not uninstall it (in safe mode or regular mode).  My Windows Defender is running but I can not get my AVG to work, uninstall, or reinstall.

I need help!  I can't afford a new computer but I can't afford for it to continue crashing on me as I am a student and am often working on projects on my computer...

[Allan]

Download BlueScreenView:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html
unzip downloaded file and double click on BlueScreenView.exe to run the program.
when scanning is done, go to EDIT - Select All
Go to FILE - SAVE Selected Items, and save the report as BSOD.txt
Open BSOD.txt in Notepad, copy all of the content, and paste it into your next reply

[andiek1987]

==================================================
Dump File         : Mini112810-01.dmp
Crash Time        : 11/28/2010 4:24:23 PM
Bug Check String  :
Bug Check Code    : 0x00000124
Parameter 1       : 0x00000000
Parameter 2       : 0x846f33f0
Parameter 3       : 0xf2000040
Parameter 4       : 0x00000800
Caused By Driver  : hal.dll
Caused By Address : hal.dll+69dd
File Description  : Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL
Product Name      : Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Company           : Microsoft Corporation
File Version      : 6.0.6002.18005 (lh_sp2rtm.090410-1830)
Processor         : 32-bit
Computer Name     :
Full Path         : C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini112810-01.dmp
Processors Count  : 2
Major Version     : 15
Minor Version     : 6002
==================================================

==================================================
Dump File         : Mini111110-01.dmp
Crash Time        : 11/11/2010 6:30:59 PM
Bug Check String  :
Bug Check Code    : 0x00000124
Parameter 1       : 0x00000000
Parameter 2       : 0x866bf3f0
Parameter 3       : 0xf2000040
Parameter 4       : 0x00000800
Caused By Driver  : hal.dll
Caused By Address : hal.dll+69dd
File Description  : Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL
Product Name      : Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Company           : Microsoft Corporation
File Version      : 6.0.6002.18005 (lh_sp2rtm.090410-1830)
Processor         : 32-bit
Computer Name     :
Full Path         : C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini111110-01.dmp
Processors Count  : 2
Major Version     : 15
Minor Version     : 6002
==================================================

==================================================
Dump File         : Mini110110-01.dmp
Crash Time        : 11/1/2010 10:14:42 PM
Bug Check String  :
Bug Check Code    : 0x00000124
Parameter 1       : 0x00000000
Parameter 2       : 0xd9a5a3f0
Parameter 3       : 0xf2000040
Parameter 4       : 0x00000800
Caused By Driver  : hal.dll
Caused By Address : hal.dll+69dd
File Description  : Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL
Product Name      : Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Company           : Microsoft Corporation
File Version      : 6.0.6002.18005 (lh_sp2rtm.090410-1830)
Processor         : 32-bit
Computer Name     :
Full Path         : C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini110110-01.dmp
Processors Count  : 2
Major Version     : 15
Minor Version     : 6002
==================================================

[Allan]

Sounds like a hardware problem. First thing you want to do is make sure you backup all critical data to off disk media. Then you can run diagnostics on both your ram and your hd.

Having said that, the issue with AVG is curious. I'd like to rule out a virus (although if it wasn't for the AVG issue, I wouldn't think it was a virus). Anyway, no harm in checking.

Please follow the instructions in the following link and post your logs in the thread you create (NOT in this thread):
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

[andiek1987]

how do I run diagnostics on my ram and hd?

[Allan]

RAM: http://www.memtest.org/

HD: Open a command prompt and type: chkdsk /r (note there is a space after "chkdsk" and before the "/") and press ENTER. You'll be asked if you want to schedule the check to run at the next boot. Say yes and reboot.