# Computer error, and I have no earthly idea how to fix it. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013 "2014-10-11T00:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/1 "2014-10-11T00:58:16Z")
☹ Anything I look up on google is absolute Greek. Okay, I got the: > [@](#): > > Windows > Problem: Video hardware error > Files that help describe the problem: > WD-201410101455.dmp > sysdata.xml > WERInternalMetadata.xml > Image > Warning: > If a virus or other security threat caused the problem, opening a copy of the files could harm your computer.View a temporary copy of these files The only thing I can think of is that I noticed today that the power cord has some wires exposed and I need to get some electrical tape (I checked on that, and it is okay to fix) tomorrow, which I will do! I ran McAfee earlier today, no virus, nothing. Ran a quick scan from Windows Defender, but perhaps I should run a full one? This is a brand new freaking laptop. ☹ (Yes, I am panicking, and I’m trying not too. I’m a total n00b when it comes to computers, please be patient, and I’ll try likewise) I can’t think of any website I’ve visited that would cause it, I run adblockers, I have a virus program, I run full virus scans several times a week. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/2 "2014-10-11T01:02:56Z")
Have you tried restarting your computer? ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/3 "2014-10-11T02:01:06Z")
The formulation of this error is a bit unusual. It just appears as a message box with an OK button? Does the mouse still work at that point? Well, it could be an actual video hardware error (a physical problem with the graphics chipset or video memory). If it’s a brand new laptop, this kind of thing can happen. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/4 "2014-10-11T02:10:52Z")
How is it that the power cord wires are exposed on a brand new freaking laptop? (That won’t cause this problem.) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/5 "2014-10-11T02:11:01Z")
Is this something that popped up? If it is and you clicked OK (or something to make the window go away) and everything appears to be acting normally, I’d just ignore it. It could be (the way I’m reading it) a video card getting ready to fail, but it could also be a corrupt driver. Like I said, if the error is gone and it was just a one time thing, I wouldn’t put too much thought into it. The next things to do are: 1)Go to your system menu and disable/reenable your video card 2)Download a fresh (or updated) driver and install that I see that it’s a brand new laptop, have all the updates from windows and the various components come down yet? If they haven’t, start forcing those, both the Windows updates as well as making sure the video card is updated. Finally, the bare wires on the power cord don’t have anything to do with this. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/6 "2014-10-11T02:50:26Z")
Bare wires on the power cord – I’m going to get electrical tape tomorrow. Yes, it just popped up. Earlier, the screen went to sleep all of a sudden, but that’s it. The lap top is less than a year old. I’ve never, ever had a problem with it. All updates from windows are installed, same with every update from MacAfee, anything like that. I’ve never, ever had a problem. Ever. The only thing I can possibly think of is that I don’t generally run it on battery, although I have been lately, and they tell you that you shouldn’t use it plugged in all the time, because it’s hard on the battery. (Which I almost never use) **CookingWithGas** , I’m guessing they got snagged on something in my bag, perhaps? Yeah, I know. I’ll look into updating the drivers and that tomorrow. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/7 "2014-10-11T02:55:35Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > The only thing I can possibly think of is that I don’t generally run it on battery, although I have been lately, and they tell you that you shouldn’t use it plugged in all the time, because it’s hard on the battery. Had you not used it in a while (as in a half hour or so)? I think when you pulled the plug it went into a different power saving mode. I think it tried to flip on a screensaver and in doing that it wanted to display an image that wasn’t available or corrupt. You could search for that .dmp file and take a look at it in notepad. It might tell you exactly what happened or it might just be a string of random looking characters. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/8 "2014-10-11T03:13:26Z")
Yes! I was using it in my kitchen, which doesn’t have a three-pronged outlet, and the only surger-protector is over the counter. (I was listening to music while I was doing the dishes). And then I came upstairs, plugged it in, and then started web surfing and then after maybe, oh, ten minutes, it did that! ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/9 "2014-10-11T03:17:51Z")
Is the computer actually not working (this in not clear from your OP)? Can you start it after it has been shut down or powered down? Does this error message (or other ones) keep on popping up, or is it just a one-time thing? If it can be started up after you have shut it down, and if the error messages do not keep continuously popping up, making it impossible to do anything, then, seriously, this: > [@chiroptera](#): > > Have you tried restarting your computer? One-off, scary but incomprehensible error messages can usually be safely ignored after a restart. Sorry if this is too obvious, but it is not clear what is wrong apart from having seen the scary message. Also, _nobody_ understands these messages, not even Microsoft support techs, except, just possibly, the original programmers of Windows. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/10 "2014-10-11T03:22:06Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Yes! I was using it in my kitchen, which doesn’t have a three-pronged outlet, and the only surger-protector is over the counter. (I was listening to music while I was doing the dishes). And then I came upstairs, plugged it in, and then started web surfing and then after maybe, oh, ten minutes, it did that! Nah, that’s different. I was thinking that maybe your screen saver turned on. Besides, since it happened well after you plugged it back in, that rules out pretty much everything I said in that last post. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-error-and-i-have-no-earthly-idea-how-to-fix-it/701013/11 "2014-10-11T03:52:55Z")
Oh, it’s working all right, just fine. But it scared the crap out of me. (Well, not really. But after what happened to my last computer, I’m a wee paranoid)