How do I locate the faulty driver at startup?

[Guest]

Hi,

I bought a new Dell Dimension 9100 and it runs XP pro SP2. (P4 3Ghz, 1024
RAM).

Every now and then - when I boot or re-boot - the computer hangs with a
black monitor and without error messsages. It completely locks up the
computer and I cannot do CtrlAltDel and my only rescue is to turn the power
off with an external switch since the power-on button on the computer does
not respond either. It always happens after the 2nd XP boot screen and before
the Welcome screen is supposed to display.

When the boot is ok, what happens after the 2nd boot screen is that the
monitor goes dark grey for a moment after which it flickers slightly and goes
pitch black, after which a pointer cursor appears briefly, after which the
Welcome screen displays. All within the time of a few seconds. When the boot
is not ok, it hangs at the dark grey screen.

When a failed boot occurs, after I power-off sometimes I can just power-on
again and it will boot ok, but most often I have to do a safe mode boot
(which never fails) and when it has finished 'safe mode booting' I simply
re-boot again and it will boot fine into regular XP.

Since it is a new computer I wonder if this is a hardware problem or a
software/driver problem.

How can I troubleshoot this? Is there a log file that I can read in safe
mode after a failed boot which will tell me the last successful driver loaded
etc, and that I don't have to be a hex-dec computer wiz kid to decipher? Or
is there some freeware I can use to create such a log file every time I boot.

I'd be very greatful for help on this issue.

Thanks!

/p

 

[Geoff]

If it is new, then return it to the supplier so that they can fix it under
warranty.






"aujourd'hui est le demain où vous vous êtes inquiété d'hier"

 

[Guest]

Yes, obviously if it is a default config hardware fault. But if it turns out
to be a software fault or a problem with one of my external devices I am not
so certain they will do anything about it, and then I will only have been
without a computer for a week or two...

So my question still stands, is there a way I can troubleshoot this myself
before send back the computer?

/p

 

[Quaoar]

Yes, obviously if it is a default config hardware fault. But if it
turns out
to be a software fault or a problem with one of my external devices I
am not
so certain they will do anything about it, and then I will only have
been
without a computer for a week or two...

So my question still stands, is there a way I can troubleshoot this
myself
before send back the computer?

/p

If you are within the 'no questions asked' return period, then return it
for replacement. There is nothing to be gained by doing the diagnosis
yourself.

If you are now within the warranty period, then you will be required to
restore the computer to the original configuration. So, save your My
Documents folder and any other custom folders to CD or DVD and then
restore the computer to the original configuration and call Dell
support.

Doing your own diagnosis is admirable, but gains nothing if the problem
is with the hardware. You can't fix it since that invalidates the
warranty. Your only logical recourse is Dell warranty repair.

If it is software, then restoring the computer to its original
configuration will demonstrate that something you installed is either
responsible or not responsible for the problem.

Q

 

[Guest]

I don't understand why all advice is to send it back immediately?

If the fault is with the hardware then of course that is the only thing I
should do.

But since I don't know if it is, for me it makes more sense to me to try to
verify that it is not a software problem, since I need my computer on a daily
basis.

Sending it back and then having Support say 2 weeks later that it is a
software fault is just going to give me additional problems since I need to
fins a way to work in the meantime.

That is why I wondered if there is not a startup logger or anything that
would tell me if the computer hangs at the same spot every time.

/p