Blank blue screen

[memetootoo]

So today while I was playing wow all of a sudden the screen turns a dark blue, not like the windows screen of death where it tells you further information on what might have caused it. The screen was just blank and blue, and a loud high pitched screeching sound came out of my speakers. The first time this happened, I didn't think much of think, but since than its happened 4 times within 3 weeks.

Any help would be great, seems to only happen when I'm on WoW.

[Kalos]

Any recent changes or upgrades to your hardware in the last month or so? Or any driver revision updates?

[memetootoo]

Nope have not changed a thing. =\

[Kalos]

This sounds a very ugly error. Try uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers for basic systems like the sound and graphics. However this is pot luck. More than likely, a reinstall of Windows might be necessary, usually Windows acts as a saftey net against infinite loop pauses, which means something on a basic level has gone wrong if it is unable to maintain priority to prevent such things happening.

[memetootoo]

Wow that sounds very bad...as of yet it does not happen very frequently. If i don't reinstall windows will I get any worse?

[Kalos]

I'm not sure. When basic consistency of the OS goes out the window, I can't predict the cause or the solution, or how bad the symtoms will get. My reaction in requesting an OS reinstall was to eliminate the software as a source, a complete reinstall with basic Windows and operation then should do well for ruling it out. I'm not completely familiar with your system, but from what I can gather, you currently dual boot with multiple operating systems correct? Does the error occur only on one or have both been affected?

[memetootoo]

Thanks again for the reply. Sorry for being unclear, this is a problem on my laptop running XP. The vista computer is the computer you recently helped me configure from dell. (Really wanted to like the new OS but as of right now i really hate it) Anyways it happened again, and I think it may be due to an external hard drive being plugged into my laptop, because I noticed it only happens when I have it plugged in. I know I probably should have stated this earlier, but didn't think of it..:P

Would that mean that external hard drive is failing? Or just that it has a conflict with WoW?

Help would be greatly appreciated.

[Kalos]

Probably just a random conflict with hardware for no reason. Happens from time to time, such as the recent discovery of a G80-Raptor-Vista combination that causes the OS to spaz out for no reason other than the three part's presence, the only suggestable cure is to take one of the components out of the loop. It probably isn't failing, just a conflict.

[memetootoo]

Ah thanks you, I feel much more at ease knowing that.

Thanks