Computer hanging on windows screen.

[ChristopherP]

Hi there - My nans computer again!

Been using it fine for a while. Today, i walk in, dad says Nans PC has gone west.

Turn it on, posts and all that, gets the windows loading boot screen and it hangs there with that little bar going across the screen. The HDD stops and it just hangs then some blue flashes on the screen (possibly a BSOD but no time to read it!?)

I really dont know what this is - any suggestions please?
Appreciate it.

Chris

 

[Techy]

try last known good config, failing that try safemode.

 

[Ian]

Does it reset automatically after that flash of blue? I had that one, and Techys suggestion of restarting in "last known config" via F8 fixed it. Not sure what it was, but it has been the only problem I've had!

 

[ChristopherP]

yeah - the blue flashes for about 0.2 seconds and it restarts automatically straight away.

Endless loop.

How exactly do i do the last known good config?

 

[Techy]

tap f8 when on bootup and select it.

it works by using the registry settings from the last successful boot.

my money chris is on it being a prob with the display driver, if you can boot to safe mode ok, just uninstall the display driver from device manaher and reboot, it should then boot fine.

let us know how you get on.

 

[ChristopherP]

i have a feeling the USB wireless keyboard wont want to work when i try to do this but i'll go grab a PS2 one from the other room.

Thanks, i will let you know!

 

[ChristopherP]

Ok - just enabled USB support in BIOS rather than OS via....BIOS and that fixed the thing...no need for PS2 keyboard. Thought i had it set to it thats why i was gonna grab one.

Tried last good config AND safe mode.... to no avail.

I saw a thing that said "disable automatic restart on system failure" so i though hello and pressed that.

Instead of restarting i got the BSOD

and tada! our error appears!!

Unmountable_Boot_Volume

eurgh.

Is the hard drive ruined????????

 

[Techy]

my theory was wrong then.

try booting to the recovery console and running the fixboot and fixmbr commands. the fixboot command rewrites the boot.ini file and the fixmbr command rewrites the master boot record.

the recovery console can be run by booting from the xp cd.

J

failing that run a diagnostic app on both drives in the array. a diagnstic app can be found on the drive manufactures website. this wil tell you if you have a fault on one of the drives.

 

[ChristopherP]

This is my Nans computer we are talking about - only one single 80Gb hard drive

 

[ChristopherP]

what exactly do i need to do? i dont have much experience with this field of things...

 

[Techy]

exactly as i said above

 

[ChristopherP]

OK. So i replaced the CD drive today (borrowed the old one as a company sent the wrong colou one for a clients computer) so i was able to try and sort this out.

I get the SATA drivers right (after 20 mins of trying the wrong ones) and it finally detects the hard drive. I press R to repair, it starts loading and...

IT TURNS ITS FRIGGEN SELF OFF!!!! JUST CUTS OUT!!!! LOOSES POWER!!!!

when will this PC behave?!

any suggestions? i'm gonna go try again.

 

[ChristopherP]

Now its died. The fans turn on and the HDD lights up but just before you would expect it to beep, it repeats this. Endless loop. Wont even go into BIOS.

HEAP OF ahem RUBBISH

 

[ChristopherP]

i just don't get it! i am pulling my hair out!

One minute its working fine after coming back from Aria, the next its crashing, the next it wont boot windows then after trying to fix that it wont even POST !!!!!!

Will be having a long talk with Aria.co.uk tomorrow, there is definatly sommat up with something in that box!

 

[KGB-911]

Just tell it off and it may work

(kick it very hard)

 

[psd99]

elimination!!!

i just don't get it! i am pulling my hair out!

One minute its working fine after coming back from Aria, the next its crashing, the next it wont boot windows then after trying to fix that it wont even POST !!!!!!

Will be having a long talk with Aria.co.uk tomorrow, there is definatly sommat up with something in that box!

i know how frustrating it can be!!!!!!

it appears from your description, there is a problem with one peice of hardware. i rekon if u could elimate this problem, by testing each device one be one

ie reseat your memory sticks
look at your cpu see if its in properly
then look at your pins on the motherboard from the case are they correct?
change your ide cable put a different one in
reset your bios, (look in your motherboard manual)

do each one at a time, see what happens each time take a mental note of the changes


you said that you got to the xp recovery console, with your xp cd. its good at least u got in
u said that the pc just turned off? ive never heard of anything like this be4. try it again.

that unmounhtable boot volume i had that be4 i did exactly what u were instructed ie fixmbr and fixboot. but be warned my friend, i did this and i remember i lost my settings and shortcuts. do check to see if this will happen to u.

lets at least try to get the system to work first and get to the xp screen that hangs!
i know u dont like that screen but lets get this hardware test on the road

post back your findings and let us all know how its going
good luck!

 

[ChristopherP]

CPU must be seated ok as i got into windows setup 2 mins before it died.

As must be RAM

and Graphics

and HDD as it was detected

reset and power buttons work fine

Also i reset bios 3 times!

IDE cable wouldnt make a difference hdd is sata

 

[ChristopherP]

tbh at this point in time i would put my money on the Motherboard (abit KV7) being faulty. It was already sent back, tested as faulty but fixed and returned.

 

[psd99]

reset and power buttons work fine

You sure that they are connected to the right pins? I once incorretly connected them resulting in my pc restarting constantly. Double check that

how many beeps do u get?

are they continous. check your motherboard manual to see what these mean. They should point you in the right direction.


from my experience, if you are getting beeps, i think you are 50% of the way to solving the problem.

no beeps = problem

 

[ChristopherP]

No beeps.

Havent touched the power button cables and they have been working fine until now! havent touched them.

btw this is my 1,500th post!