Vista restart failure

[regsmyth]

A few months ago, my Dell laptop failed big time, initially outlook wouldn't work. Dell support tried to resolve it, but in the end, after several hours, we had to do a complete re-install of Vista.

Since then, I haven't been able to do a restart - if I try, I get a BSOD and then the usual "Windows failed to start properly...."
This repeats endlessly until I turn it off, and start it up again.

I'm not overly bothered, as I just turn it off if I need to restart Windows, but I am just a little bothered.
Any ideas for a simple remedy?
Thanks in anticipation.

 

[dave.m]

Get back onto Dell support if it started playing up just after they had cured the first problem.

 

[regsmyth]

Well that would be the sensible option.
But...
Before they give the support, they get your card details and preference for a single fix, 6 or 12 month support.
I'm assuming Dell waived the charge as it was an 8 hr saga.
I fear contacting them now might prompt a charge.

As I said, I can live with this, but I'm curious as to why it happens, and whether it's something I might be able to fix.

Thanks.

 

[opps]

do you get an error code on the bsod. if it tries to reboot before you can read it then change the settings in system properties.

 

[regsmyth]

I will try. Can you help me with finding system properties. I asked my super duper Windows Vista, but it doesn't understand the question.

 

[opps]

To prevent vista from auto rebooting before you get to read the BSOD follow the link

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsvista/ht/arestartvista.htm

 

[regsmyth]

Ah ha thanks.
The BSOD gives me a few numbers and a recommendation to run chkdsk/f.
But there seems to be the potential for this to cause other difficulties, judging by a quick search on the net, so I'm not sure if I'm committed enough to have a go. Yet.

 

[opps]

Checkdisk is normally pretty well behaved- nothing is without risk but it is probably the best place to start.

If you are worried you could always clone your hard drive to an external drive- from which you could restore in the event of this going paired shaped.

 

[regsmyth]

Ok, I phoned a pc man who said just run chkdsk. So I did.
Chkdsk/f, and also chkdsk/r, but nothing seems to have been discovered. However it still won't do a restart - I get the same BSOD, and have to actually turn it off before starting it up again.

Does anyone have any ideas why this is happening?

 

[regsmyth]

I took the bulls by the horns and did a complete format and reinstallation.
After several updates and update configurations, the old problem is back.

So if it's one of the 70 or 80 updates that's causing the problem, do I have to install and reboot each one individually to check? Or is there a better way to handle the updates?