PC Crash Dump error with BSOD

[DoW]

last few months, I've been occassionally getting a BSOD with a Crash Dump error.
best I could do on research is that it may be a driver issue.  I bought some driver software and I am not getting any errors.
I know I should get a Mac, but I don't know how to use a Mac and I'm too old to learn.
anyone have any idea what this can be from my vague description?

when this started happening I received a call from Windows technical support saying they could help me fix it.  I never trust calls and I have no idea how they got my number and it was a guy who seemed to be from India.  so I mess with them for a few minutes before I hang up on them.  the timing is odd but I am sure as hell not trusting anyone who calls me.

I thought about reinstalling windows but wanted to avoid that if I could.

[khalpin]

last few months, I've been occassionally getting a BSOD with a Crash Dump error.
best I could do on research is that it may be a driver issue.  I bought some driver software and I am not getting any errors.
I know I should get a Mac, but I don't know how to use a Mac and I'm too old to learn.
anyone have any idea what this can be from my vague description?

when this started happening I received a call from Windows technical support saying they could help me fix it.  I never trust calls and I have no idea how they got my number and it was a guy who seemed to be from India.  so I mess with them for a few minutes before I hang up on them.  the timing is odd but I am sure as hell not trusting anyone who calls me.

I thought about reinstalling windows but wanted to avoid that if I could.

Have you run malwarebytes yet?

[DoW]

no.  I'm not very good at knowing what to troubleshoot with.
thanks for the suggestion.  running now
+k

[kellerb]

last few months, I've been occassionally getting a BSOD with a Crash Dump error.
best I could do on research is that it may be a driver issue.  I bought some driver software and I am not getting any errors.
I know I should get a Mac, but I don't know how to use a Mac and I'm too old to learn.
anyone have any idea what this can be from my vague description?

when this started happening I received a call from Windows technical support saying they could help me fix it.  I never trust calls and I have no idea how they got my number and it was a guy who seemed to be from India.  so I mess with them for a few minutes before I hang up on them.  the timing is odd but I am sure as hell not trusting anyone who calls me.

I thought about reinstalling windows but wanted to avoid that if I could.

Have you run malwarebytes yet?

Also, might want to review your credit card statement.  In case the foreign scam guy got your cc info from his malware in addition to your phone number.

[Superfreakie]

Can you easily lift the important things off your pc and run "restore to factory settings"? That'll wipe everything and the pc will be just like brand new. I do one every few months, as I got tired of having to continuously run so many malware spyware and anti-virus programs. 

[kellerb]

Can you easily lift the important things off your pc and run "restore to factory settings"? That'll wipe everything and the pc will be just like brand new. I do one every few months, as I got tired of having to continuously run so many malware spyware and anti-virus programs.

It doesn't fix IRLviruses

[Superfreakie]

Can you easily lift the important things off your pc and run "restore to factory settings"? That'll wipe everything and the pc will be just like brand new. I do one every few months, as I got tired of having to continuously run so many malware spyware and anti-virus programs.

It doesn't fix IRLviruses

Isn't that only when using system restore, in cases where the virus attached before the restore point, then you naturally would still have it? I thought factory restore, however, it did.

[kellerb]

Can you easily lift the important things off your pc and run "restore to factory settings"? That'll wipe everything and the pc will be just like brand new. I do one every few months, as I got tired of having to continuously run so many malware spyware and anti-virus programs.

It doesn't fix IRLviruses

Isn't that only when using system restore, in cases where the virus attached before the restore point, then you naturally would still have it? I thought factory restore, however, it did.

What?  I was making a social disease joke 

[Superfreakie]

Can you easily lift the important things off your pc and run "restore to factory settings"? That'll wipe everything and the pc will be just like brand new. I do one every few months, as I got tired of having to continuously run so many malware spyware and anti-virus programs.

It doesn't fix IRLviruses

Isn't that only when using system restore, in cases where the virus attached before the restore point, then you naturally would still have it? I thought factory restore, however, it did.

What?  I was making a social disease joke 

you're not supposed to joke about those things.

[DoW]

still taking windows forever to load up.
I have too many programs to do a windows restore.  I guess I can work on getting that all organized and do it once and see if it helps.

this computer is slow as hell for audio editing.  I need to eventually look into an upgrade.  I need need to find the right one.

[PhishJY]

Based on the fact that you received a call from someone claiming to be from Windows tech support, I'd say it's probably malware.  In 15 years of working on computers, I've never paid a single penny to obtain drivers, so that's suspect in itself.

Did Malwarebytes Anti-Malware find anything?  Also, I 2nd kellerb's suggestion of checking your credit card statements.  It's not too far fetched for the malware to have also obtained your credit card number(s).

Here's a pretty decent method of scanning/cleaning malware: http://malwaretips.com/blogs/malware-removal-guide-for-windows/

If you don't have any malware issues, you could use WinDbg to analyze the dump file.  Usually, that'll get you pointed in the right direction.  Here's some info on dump file analysis: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263

WinDbg has saved me a TON of time in the past by giving me some direction when troubleshooting, as opposed to just throwing random fixes at issues.

[DoW]

thanks.  I'll try that.
I found something in my device manager that needs to get out this morning but I had to leave for work.
I'll continue to troubleshoot.  takes windows about 10 minutes to load so every time I need to reboot, I get bored and give up trying to fix it.  :hereitisyousentimentalbastard

[sls.stormyrider]

I know I should get a Mac, but I don't know how to use a Mac and I'm too old to learn.
anyone have any idea what this can be from my vague description?

It's not hard
I'm older than you

[DoW]

I know I should get a Mac, but I don't know how to use a Mac and I'm too old to learn.
anyone have any idea what this can be from my vague description?

It's not hard
I'm older than you

yes, but I'm a moe.ron and moron all in one.
I ran a bunch of stuff and seeing if it works.
Thanks for all the suggestions all.

[khalpin]

One other thing.  Have you installed any new hardware lately?  Like a firewire card or a hard drive?  I was having BSOD issues whenever I launched uTorrent a while back and it turned out to be some kind of a problem with the driver for the firewire.  I removed the firewire card and that was the end of my problems.