It definitely is good practice to use admin mode for DF in Windows 7 and 8, it helps some people with crash on save.
Are you short on RAM? Have you tried smaller worlds and smaller embarks?
Sorry to 'change the path' of this thread, but it is relevant.
How much does actual world size matter? In my testing, I saw a VERY negligible difference from a world with 300 civs and 250 year end, and a small world with 30 civs and a 0 year end in fps or related matters. I see many people suggest it, yet I see very little difference from it myself, nor any stable information about it.
On topic:
I agree with Smake about the ram, I know loading and world gen and all that is quite intensive on Memory (ram). Admin mode is also, as Smake said - a good idea.
I saw you mention Stone Sense, if i'm not failing memory, it's a 'mod' that allows a 3d print out of the fort, correct? If so, I'm fairly certain it's a very heavy burden on the system, and laptops are not really well designed for DF's intensity. (As you mentioned it's not a 'high grade' laptop). Has he tried to load the game without stone sense - or is that just an error he sees in the console?
Further, if none of the above works - has he tried to clean out the install and reinstall freshly from scratch? That eliminates any kind of config, corruption, etc errors.
I wanna say its the laptop's lack of power causing it, but I can't be certain. DF is a finicky beast, very finicky. >.<