XP shuts down immediatley after start up.

[Mike Hyndman]

A colleague is having a problem with her Packard Bell XP Home PC as
follows.
After a new hard drive was fitted by her warranty holders to correct an
un specified (to me) problem ( They said that the hard drive had failed
even though she could start up the PC and use her Office apps, how
credible is that?) since fitting same she has been unable to use the PC.
After the engineer had left she called to service centre to tell them
that she could no longer access anything on the new hard drive, they
told her to reformat it with the Packard Bell mirror discs and all
should be well. She did so and now the PC boots OK and starts Windows
XP, populates the desktop and then immediately announces that it is
shutting down and then does so.
I realise that the above is pretty sketchy but I have searched the
Knowledge Base for anything similar to this problem without success.
Understandably, she has lost faith in the service she has received from
the warranty holders and is loathe to increase her 'phone bill on such
"quality" information.
She is bringing it in to work tomorrow to have all the settings
checked out, so, If anybody has any experience of this sort of happening
and how it may be resolved, areas to check etc., we would be eternally
grateful
TIA
Mike H

 

[~Jeff~]

First problem is that it is a Crapard Bell, but that's a different issue


How much ram does she have and are there any apps that are loaded on
startup?

 

[~Jeff~]

Can she boot up in safe mode without a problem?

 

[Mike Hyndman]

First problem is that it is a Crapard Bell, but that's a different issue

You said it!

How much ram does she have and are there any apps that are loaded on
startup?

Don't know yet about the ram or what is trying to run at startup,
although the problem she is having appeared straight after a
reformat/re-installation from the mirror discs. ISTR that Packard Bell
used to use its own file manager called Navigator or something which
didn't always get on with filemanager/explorer. I don't know about this
in XP but I bet it loads some garbage of its own when the dedicated
installation discs are used.
As to your other post its unlikely she has tried to boot into safe mode
as she has never heard of it! I will have a go tomorrow, if successful,
what am I looking for or is it just a case of reloading one driver at a
time until it falls over? I have thought of reloading from a new OS disc
but she would then lose all her pre-loaded apps, driver files and such
stuff. I know that most of these could be tracked down on the web but
its a PITA.
Again, many thanks.
Mike H

 

[~Jeff~]

Starting the computer in safe mode will load the OS without the add-on crap
like virus/firewall/acrotray/printer software/etc. If the computer loads
fine and doesn't shutdown, then its either a ram issue or issue with an
add-on that is causing the problem. I assuming it is not a trojan/virus/boot
sector virus/etc. since she started to have this problem right after a
re-installation from the "mirror discs". ((((Who does what Crapard Bell is
capable of ;-0 ))))

Any new hardware other than the hard drive? .....that mirror disc is set up
for the original computer with all the necessary drivers, settings, etc.

This issue is obviously easier to solve when someone is sitting in front of
the PC ...with so many variables.

I know when someone changes certain hardware and re-installs XP they have
problems and have to call Microsoft for a new key. I'm no expert, but if she
just used the mirror disc I would think it would be a driver thing or ram
issue ....The message that appears on the screen, what exactly does it say?
....Does it give any error exception code or something?

 

[Mike Hyndman]

Jeff

Starting the computer in safe mode will load the OS without the add-on crap
like virus/firewall/acrotray/printer software/etc. If the computer loads
fine and doesn't shutdown, then its either a ram issue or issue with an
add-on that is causing the problem. I assuming it is not a trojan/virus/boot
sector virus/etc. since she started to have this problem right after a
re-installation from the "mirror discs". ((((Who does what Crapard Bell is
capable of ;-0 )))) Toshiba?

Any new hardware other than the hard drive? .....that mirror disc is set up
for the original computer with all the necessary drivers, settings, etc.

She says not, but the engineer that fitted the h/d talked about
replacing the motherboard but was pressed for time, more likely the m/b
utilities wouldn't have been compatable with the mirror discs.

This issue is obviously easier to solve when someone is sitting in front of
the PC ...with so many variables.

right on 8-(

I know when someone changes certain hardware and re-installs XP they have
problems and have to call Microsoft for a new key. I'm no expert, but if she
just used the mirror disc I would think it would be a driver thing or ram
issue ....The message that appears on the screen, what exactly does it say?
...Does it give any error exception code or something?

Will know more in the morning, many thanks for your input.
Mike H

 

[Mike Hyndman]

Jeff,
Sorted!

Can she boot up in safe mode without a problem?

She couldn't at first but a look under the hood showed enough hair to
make half a dog, stuck between the two 128 DIMMs. Why the dude who
fitted the h/d didn't shift this is anybodies guess. A quick
de-contanimation and all's well that ends well.
Many thanks and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Mike H

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

Jeff,
Sorted!
She couldn't at first but a look under the hood showed enough hair to
make half a dog, stuck between the two 128 DIMMs. Why the dude who
fitted the h/d didn't shift this is anybodies guess. A quick
de-contanimation and all's well that ends well.
Many thanks and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Mike H

Well as he thought a perfectly fine hard drive was "malfunctioning" I think
we both know the answer to that! It was probably /his/ hair!

 

[Mike Hyndman]

Miss P,

Well as he thought a perfectly fine hard drive was "malfunctioning" I think
we both know the answer to that! It was probably /his/ hair!

I don't think that she will renewing her warranty with this company
again.
What I found amusing was witnessing the conflicting emotions of her
annoyance at the "hard drive replacer" being tempered by the
embarrassment at the amount of debris inside her PC (dog owner and tower
lives on the floor!)
Seasons felicitations
Mike H