Unable to boot into Windows XP

[Threaders]

I recently recovered my PC to factory settings and all was well for several
days. However now, when the PC has been switched off for a while (say
overnight) and I switch it on, it gets as far as the Windows XP boot screen
with the progress bar and then freezes (sometimes the frozen picture turns an
odd, flaky greenish-yellow). If I switch the PC off at this point and turn it
on again it boots perfectly - this seems very odd as how does a PC know how
long it has been switched off for and even it it did, why should time impact
on anything?
Once the OS has loaded to the desktop everything works perfectly.
Can anyone tell me what I should do to stop this behaviour, beginning with
the simplest repair and ending with the most hideous!
Please be specific, thanks.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I recently recovered my PC to factory settings and all was well for
several days. However now, when the PC has been switched off for a
while (say overnight) and I switch it on, it gets as far as the
Windows XP boot screen with the progress bar and then freezes
(sometimes the frozen picture turns an odd, flaky greenish-yellow).
If I switch the PC off at this point and turn it on again it boots
perfectly - this seems very odd as how does a PC know how long it
has been switched off for and even it it did, why should time
impact on anything?
Once the OS has loaded to the desktop everything works perfectly.
Can anyone tell me what I should do to stop this behaviour,
beginning with the simplest repair and ending with the most hideous!
Please be specific, thanks.

Sounds like a hardware issue.

If under warranty, get it repaired through that. If not, get ready to
either replace or repair it elsewhere.

You can do some system cleanup if you like, to be sure it is not
software....

Fix your file/registry permissions...

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(Ignore step 6 if you already have SP3)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Reboot.

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Then follow the instructions here:

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.)

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones fornow. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

That will get the machine up to date and generally clean - if you still have
the issue - it is likely hardware, see the first suggestion.

 

[Don Phillipson]

However now, when the PC has been switched off for a while (say
overnight) and I switch it on, it gets as far as the Windows XP boot screen
with the progress bar and then freezes (sometimes the frozen picture turns an
odd, flaky greenish-yellow). If I switch the PC off at this point and turn it
on again it boots perfectly - this seems very odd as how does a PC know how
long it has been switched off for and even it it did, why should time impact
on anything?

One of the likely causes of this is a failing Power Supply Unit
(a cheap component that can be replaced in about 3 minutes.)
How old is the PC? My only hardware failures have been
PSU failures, three times in 26 years. This seems to be
about average.

 

[JS]

Check to see if your Video Card is fully seated
into the slot and not slightly lose.

 

[Threaders]

Thank you, I will let you know how I get on.

Sounds like a hardware issue.

If under warranty, get it repaired through that. If not, get ready to
either replace or repair it elsewhere.

You can do some system cleanup if you like, to be sure it is not
software....

Fix your file/registry permissions...

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(Ignore step 6 if you already have SP3)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Reboot.

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Then follow the instructions here:

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.)

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones fornow. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

That will get the machine up to date and generally clean - if you still have
the issue - it is likely hardware, see the first suggestion.

 

[Threaders]

It turned out it was the PSU afterall. thank you.