Start-up disasters

[Guest]

Well, it all started about 5 days ago...
My laptop is an Alienware Area 51, 3.5 Ghz, 2 GB ram, running XP Home SP2.
I noticed my computer would not restart after performing POST. Even
force-boot will not work. I have to leave it completely alone for about 5
hours, then it will start up as if nothing was wrong!
All diagnostics within Windows, virus programs, registry fixes, etc. come up
with nothing.
So, after backing up essentials, I installed Recovery Console to run FIXMBR
and FIXBOOT, however, both programs cannot find my harddrive!?!
Running CHKDSK from Recovery Console gives my a Stop Error.
OK, now I decided to reinstall my system. I have two options: Windows XP
only CD with additional drivers CD, or a System Image DVD. I tried them both
and I still have the original problem: I cannot start my computer unless it
is sitting still for about 5 hours, I cannot reboot or boot, all it does is
perform Power On Self Test, and it does that beautifully!
At this point I am thinking that I need a new Hard Drive...and I was
wondering if I did everything I could have, I am eagerly awaiting your
comments, suggestions, feedback, or scorn...

 

[db]

it sounds like a simple matter
of your cmos not registering your
harddrive.

i look into the cmos settings and
ensure that everything appeared orderly,
like correct time and date, harddrive
recognition and proper boot up order.

my guess is that eventhough you mention
that it will start up beautifully after 5 minutes
or so, it will likely boot quicker if
you access the cmos/bios and exit
beforehand in its current state.

not sure if laptops have cmos batteries.
but it wouldnt hurt to check to see if your
battery needs to be replaced or you have
some loose connections inside.

but i suggest to wait and see what
other suggestions are provided by
others....

- db
Well, it all started about 5 days ago...
My laptop is an Alienware Area 51, 3.5 Ghz, 2 GB ram, running XP Home SP2.
I noticed my computer would not restart after performing POST. Even
force-boot will not work. I have to leave it completely alone for about 5
hours, then it will start up as if nothing was wrong!
All diagnostics within Windows, virus programs, registry fixes, etc. come up
with nothing.
So, after backing up essentials, I installed Recovery Console to run FIXMBR
and FIXBOOT, however, both programs cannot find my harddrive!?!
Running CHKDSK from Recovery Console gives my a Stop Error.
OK, now I decided to reinstall my system. I have two options: Windows XP
only CD with additional drivers CD, or a System Image DVD. I tried them both
and I still have the original problem: I cannot start my computer unless it
is sitting still for about 5 hours, I cannot reboot or boot, all it does is
perform Power On Self Test, and it does that beautifully!
At this point I am thinking that I need a new Hard Drive...and I was
wondering if I did everything I could have, I am eagerly awaiting your
comments, suggestions, feedback, or scorn...

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Klaus

What was the Stop Error Report?

Does it also fail to boot in Safe Mode?

Please post copies of all Error and Warning Reports appearing in the
System and Application logs in Event Viewer for the last boot. No
Information Reports please.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

Part of the Description of the error will include a link, which you
should double click for further information. You can copy using copy
and paste. Often the link will, however, say there is no further
information.
http://go.microsoft.com/fw.link/events.asp
(Please note the hyperlink above is for illustration purposes only)

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.

Are there any yellow question marks in Device Manager? Right click on
the My Computer icon on your Desktop and select Properties,
Hardware,Device Manager. If yes what is the Device Error code?

Try Start, Run, type "sigverif.exe" without quotes and hit OK. What
drivers are listed as unsigned? Disregard those which are not checked.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Enkidu]

Well, it all started about 5 days ago... My laptop is an Alienware
Area 51, 3.5 Ghz, 2 GB ram, running XP Home SP2. I noticed my
computer would not restart after performing POST. Even force-boot
will not work. I have to leave it completely alone for about 5 hours,
then it will start up as if nothing was wrong! All diagnostics within
Windows, virus programs, registry fixes, etc. come up with nothing.
So, after backing up essentials, I installed Recovery Console to run
FIXMBR and FIXBOOT, however, both programs cannot find my
harddrive!?! Running CHKDSK from Recovery Console gives my a Stop
Error. OK, now I decided to reinstall my system. I have two options:
Windows XP only CD with additional drivers CD, or a System Image DVD.
I tried them both and I still have the original problem: I cannot
start my computer unless it is sitting still for about 5 hours, I
cannot reboot or boot, all it does is perform Power On Self Test, and
it does that beautifully! At this point I am thinking that I need a
new Hard Drive...and I was wondering if I did everything I could
have, I am eagerly awaiting your comments, suggestions, feedback, or
scorn...

While you should try all you can to preserve the data, as others have
suggested, either the hard disk or the computer may be heading for the
junkyard in the sky. I hope that I'm wrong, but this is what the 'leave
it five hours and it partly works' says to me.

I would see if your hard disk drive works in a similar machine, if at
all possible.

Good luck,

Cliff

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your interest and suggestions.

2 days ago I reinstalled XP, and my laptop would not continue to load
anything after POST, I tried to start it all day yesterday.
Today it started on the first try and it booted to XP, no problem. I could
not see anything in Event Viewer, since the error reports were from before
the reinstall. I tried to restart the computer, but again, no sign of life
after POST, no hard disk activity at all.
It did boot in Safe Mode before the reinstall, and I will try repeat after
the appropriate time has passed...
The problem is that I have to wait for hours between successful boot
attempts...

 

[Ron Martell]

Well, it all started about 5 days ago...
My laptop is an Alienware Area 51, 3.5 Ghz, 2 GB ram, running XP Home SP2.
I noticed my computer would not restart after performing POST. Even
force-boot will not work. I have to leave it completely alone for about 5
hours, then it will start up as if nothing was wrong!
All diagnostics within Windows, virus programs, registry fixes, etc. come up
with nothing.
So, after backing up essentials, I installed Recovery Console to run FIXMBR
and FIXBOOT, however, both programs cannot find my harddrive!?!
Running CHKDSK from Recovery Console gives my a Stop Error.
OK, now I decided to reinstall my system. I have two options: Windows XP
only CD with additional drivers CD, or a System Image DVD. I tried them both
and I still have the original problem: I cannot start my computer unless it
is sitting still for about 5 hours, I cannot reboot or boot, all it does is
perform Power On Self Test, and it does that beautifully!
At this point I am thinking that I need a new Hard Drive...and I was
wondering if I did everything I could have, I am eagerly awaiting your
comments, suggestions, feedback, or scorn...

That sounds very much like a temperature related problem. Some
critical component, most likely the hard drive but possibly the hard
drive controller on the motherboard, is temperature sensitive and
fails to function when it is warm.

Take the computer to a repair shop and ask them to test it with a
known good hard drive and see if the reboot failures still occur. If
they do not then the problem is almost certainly with your hard drive.
On the other hand if the repair shop's drive also fails to reboot then
you have a motherboard problem.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."