Vista not booting every time...well most of the time

[Jim]

Vista Business Edition, P4 3.0GHz, 2GB RAM, 256GB HDD, 256MB ATi

Upon startup it gets as far as the bullet/progress loader bar, much hard
drive activity during this time.

Then the hard drive activity stops, but the progress loader bar keeps going,
doesn't disappear..just sits there bullet going from left to right.

reset and try again..same thing.

After about six or seven resets it then behaves normally, progress bar
disappears and then the round Windows logo appears and all continues as
usual.

It doesn't do this every time, but it does it nearly every time.

Even does it if I do a reboot after PC has been on for several hours.
So doesn't appear to be anything to do with being cold/warm etc

Other than this issue the PC behaves impeccably

Anyone any ideas where to start looking ?

Fairly sure this only started happening after Vista SP1

Very annoying sometimes.

Today it tool over ten resets before it got going.

Some mornings it works first time.

Wish I could fix it without resorting to a rebuild.

Jim.

 

[Ringmaster]

Vista Business Edition, P4 3.0GHz, 2GB RAM, 256GB HDD, 256MB ATi

Upon startup it gets as far as the bullet/progress loader bar, much hard
drive activity during this time.

Then the hard drive activity stops, but the progress loader bar keeps going,
doesn't disappear..just sits there bullet going from left to right.

reset and try again..same thing.

After about six or seven resets it then behaves normally, progress bar
disappears and then the round Windows logo appears and all continues as
usual.

I've seen this kind of activity too many times. Pinning down what
exactly is happening might be difficult since the OS hasn't fully
booted yet so nothing probably got written to any error logs. You can
check anyway to see if something did by using Event Viewer. Could be
some driver isn't loading. Vista keeps trying and either fails and
gives up or locks up in trying or finally manages to load it.

Another possible cause in your root drive has some corruption or is
badly fragmented where some of the system files are located. Go to
Windows Explorer, Drive C, right click, properties, tools, check now,
check automatically fix errors. Vista will nag it can't do it now
became drive is in use. Schedule for next boot, then reboot. The scan
happens very early in the boot sequence and should happen before
drivers are loaded so it should avoid the problem you're having to at
least scan the file system and fix any obvious errors with it. If you
still haven't cured it next schedule a full defragmentation. Next try
a system wide scan and repair if you have a Vista DVD.

 

[Rick Rogers]

I'm betting you have a faulty component.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[kevpan815]

Vista Business Edition, P4 3.0GHz, 2GB RAM, 256GB HDD, 256MB ATi

Upon startup it gets as far as the bullet/progress loader bar, much hard
drive activity during this time.

Then the hard drive activity stops, but the progress loader bar keeps
going, doesn't disappear..just sits there bullet going from left to right.

reset and try again..same thing.

After about six or seven resets it then behaves normally, progress bar
disappears and then the round Windows logo appears and all continues as
usual.

It doesn't do this every time, but it does it nearly every time.

Even does it if I do a reboot after PC has been on for several hours.
So doesn't appear to be anything to do with being cold/warm etc

Other than this issue the PC behaves impeccably

Anyone any ideas where to start looking ?

Fairly sure this only started happening after Vista SP1

Very annoying sometimes.

Today it tool over ten resets before it got going.

Some mornings it works first time.

Wish I could fix it without resorting to a rebuild.

Jim.

Have You Tried Last Known Good Boot Configuration?