System freezes mid-boot into Windows XP

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Threaders

My computer keeps freezing on the Windows XP Professional progress bar screen
as it attempts to boot. It does this on, perhaps, nine out of every ten
occassions. Can anyone suggest what I can do to fix it? My computer is a
standard Compaq Presario 5000 series though the RAM has been upgraded to 2GB.
Thanks.
 
Threaders said:
My computer keeps freezing on the Windows XP Professional progress bar
screen as it attempts to boot. It does this on, perhaps, nine out of every
ten occassions. Can anyone suggest what I can do to fix it? My computer is
a standard Compaq Presario 5000 series though the RAM has been upgraded to
2GB. Thanks.
Click to expand...

This is indicative of hardware issues. It could be something as simple as a
failing power supply or other components could be involved. Make sure you
have your data backed up to external media *now*. You can try to
troubleshoot this yourself or take the machine to a competent local tech. If
you do the latter, don't use a BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Malke
 
This usually means hard drive or power supply failing.
If you can boot at all then make sure you have copies of your
documents/images or have backed up your hard drive.
I do not know if Compaq still uses proprietary power supplies. You should be
able to remove the hard drive and see if it is readable via another
computer.
Compaqs are meant to be disposed of rather than repaired. Even removing the
hard drive was quite difficult in the last dead Compaq I saw (the innards
were literally melting despite working CPU and case fan).
I am not sure why HP even keeps the brand name alive unless it is an
attempt to distance the HP brand from the crud they sell badged Compaq, a
once estimable brand that broke the IBM monopoly on PCs.
 
I fixed this by eventually booting into Windows and doing the following. My
system received a much needed service at the same time and is now running
much faster:

Deleted all redundant programs including various potentially conflicting
antimalware programs but leaving AVG8.5.
RNorton Removal Tool.
Used CCleaner to remove over 4GB of rubbish
Ran Malwarebytes and Superantispyware to remove malware (before deleting both)
Defragmentation
Also: run>sfc /scannow (I required an installation CD) to replace dodgy
system files
Ran full chkdsk (checkdisk) including all options (required reboot which
worked!).

If the above had not worked I would have suspected PSU, Memory and then HD
in that order.

I changed my CMOS battery for the sake of it (mine 5+ years old).

My system is now working perfectly. All programs used are freeware
downloaded from the Web. Although often the case, this symptom does not
always mean a hardware fault.
 
Threaders said:
I fixed this by eventually booting into Windows and doing the following.
My system received a much needed service at the same time and is now
running much faster:

Deleted all redundant programs including various potentially conflicting
antimalware programs but leaving AVG8.5.
RNorton Removal Tool.
Used CCleaner to remove over 4GB of rubbish
Ran Malwarebytes and Superantispyware to remove malware (before deleting
both) Defragmentation
Also: run>sfc /scannow (I required an installation CD) to replace dodgy
system files
Ran full chkdsk (checkdisk) including all options (required reboot which
worked!).

If the above had not worked I would have suspected PSU, Memory and then HD
in that order.

I changed my CMOS battery for the sake of it (mine 5+ years old).

My system is now working perfectly. All programs used are freeware
downloaded from the Web. Although often the case, this symptom does not
always mean a hardware fault.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you solved the issue. Thanks for posting your solution. Here is the
line you originally wrote that made me put hardware failure as a first
possible culprit:

"It does this on, perhaps, nine out of every ten occassions [sic]."

Usually random failures point to hardware issues with software problems
tending to occur regularly and at the same point. It is always important to
bear in mind that when you are getting tech advice in a newsgroup that
unless there is an error message or behavior with an exact known cause,
diagnosing a machine that one cannot see or test based only on what someone
has written is not precise.

In any case, it is good to hear that your computer is now working well.

Malke
 
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