My puter isn't even oinking any more

[buffybot_in_beirut]

I have a Dell Latitude D800 laptop that is about 7 years old. Runs on Windows XP Professional, which I update periodically. I use it irregularly – every day for a week, then not at all for two months etc. Yes I know the machine is probably worth no more than 50 dollars by now, but I don’t want to chuck it in the bin yet because I have carefully installed dozens of useful programmes, and have laboriously configured every single one, which included correcting all of Microsoft’s maddening default settings, like inches and letter-sized paper even if I’m nowhere near the USA.

About two years ago a blue screen started appearing: “IRQL not less or equal”. This can happen every hour, or every few days, and sometimes not at all for several months. The typically cryptic advice on the blue screen is that there might be a problem with recently installed hardware or software. Great, thanks for being SO specific…! Yes I have added hardware in the past two years (USB stick modem for wireless internet access through mobile phone network, more recently a scanner), and obviously every single Windows update installs software!?

It’s not driving me nuts yet, but it is bothering me because re-starting the ‘puter takes ten minutes. And I need to click away an annoying Microsoft pop-up message ("Do you want to tell us about your problem?" Fuck NO, go away...!) I have never seen this error on any other computer that I have ever used. Anything easy, non-geekish that I can do? Will/can this go on forever, or am I heading towards a more catastrophic hardware or software failure?

[rickshaw92]

Twl Flaggers. Two Dell's. Hmmmmmm.

[Kurt]

The drives, most likely the USB drivers are not compatible with a recent windows update. So update your drivers first and then see if you get the BSoD.

[buffybot_in_beirut]

Roger. Will try that. The modem stick runs on the very first version of the software released by the mobile phone operator that sold me the stick and SIM card (bought the package as soon as it hit the market). There are more recent versions available for download now. I'll uninstall, reinstall and see what happens...

[bearanddragon]

Time for a new computer?