Sorry to depart from the regular topics, but I’ve been having a computer headache that’s kept me from posting as much as I’d have liked to have been the past few days.
So, if you know a thing or two about boot processes (at least I think that’s my problem), please read on.
Shortly after I moved into my new place, my desktop computer started to act really funny while booting up. In short, right after Windows XP tried to launch (right after the white progress bar went across the screen), the monitor would lose signal and nothing would happen. After another attempt, Windows would let me know there was a problem starting up last time and give me its various startup options. Selecting the last known good configuration would do the trick.
Of course, after a little while, it didn’t anymore.
I took this as an opportunity to do a fresh install of Windows as two years on the then current one was probably enough.
Same thing started happening to me.
After doing some searching around on various tech help forums where no one had very clear answers to why this might be happening to others’ computers, I decided the consensus opinion was that maybe I had a problem with my hard drive. (Which I kind of hoped to be the case because I suffer from a strong desire to buy computer equipment.)
Got a new drive, reinstalled Windows XP on one partition and Ubuntu on another. Computer’s trucking along fine all day yesterday. I turn it off and I’m having the same problem in the morning. Windows XP won’t start normally, under the last good configuration, or in safe mode. And Ubuntu won’t launch either.
I check to make sure that everything is securely seated into the proper slots. Everything’s cool.
This only seems to be happening when the computer’s been off for a couple hours or more.
And, the only way I can get back into Windows (I am using the computer right now) is to boot up with my Windows CD and enter the repair console. When I fix the master boot record, the computer will promptly start right back up.
So, any suggestions? Any pointers where I should look for more info?
This seems to be happening only if the computer’s been off for a few hours.
This post was written by...
Nathan Hamm – author of 2974 posts on Registan.net.
Nathan is the Founding Editor and Publisher of Registan.net, which he launched in 2003. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan 2000-2001 and received his MA in Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington in 2007. Since 2007, he has worked full-time as an analyst, consulting with private and government clients on Central Asian affairs, specializing in how socio-cultural and political factors shape risks and opportunities and how organizations can adjust their strategic and operational plans to account for these variables. Nathan is currently seeking research, analysis, and consulting opportunities. He can be contacted via Twitter or email.
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{ 16 comments }
I’m no expert, but since you said that your monitor loses signal, might it be a video card / driver problem? Sometimes the latest video drivers cause more problems than they solve, did you update your video driver recently?
Or it could be a video hardware problem. The fact that you say that it only seems to happen when the computer is cool makes me think it might be a thermo-mechanical problem with your video card. Do you have a spare to swap it out and try?
I’ve only noticed it happening when it’s cool. But the video card is definitely something that I’m thinking could be the problem. I’m using the 2003 drivers that came with it, so if it is a video card problem, I’m leaning towards a hardware issue.
I don’t have a spare to test it out unfortunately.
I am a little confused as to why fixing the mbr seems to work even while the computer’s cold though.
This is just theory… but it might make sense that something could crap out when it’s cold, but not hot. If it’s an old computer the constant thermal cycling of turning the computer off/on could fatigue one of the tiny wires in a chip such that it breaks. Then, there could be a gap in the break until the circuit board heats up and the wires expand until they touch.
I dunno, I’m just guessing…
but the important thing is if CompUSA lets you return a video card if it doesn’t fix the problem.
I just restarted the thing after installing iTunes 5 and it came right up, so I’m guessing that heat’s a factor. The thing is two years old and it’s heavily used and abused.
My new plan is to take advantage of not just Seattle’s low electricity prices (for which I thank you, my fellow taxpayers) but the Windows’ unbeatable ability to stay on full time.
I still don’t get why fixing the mbr works. This troubles me because it kind of implies to me that there’s something easy I could do to fix things.
my only real guess is that it’s a memory problem – my laptop exhibits similar symptoms after long uptime (though with a pentium m, heat wouldn’t so much be the issue, but power load on memory would.)
now, why would this not happen with a clean boot record? not sure. but considering those processes all load directly to memory, well…. that’s a conspiracy theory for you.
any other hardware specs for clues?
You might want to swap in a new power supply unit — a faulty power supply is often the culprit for all sorts of mysterious hardware problems. They fail quite frequently too.
As to the MBR bit — hmm… did Windows repair CD actually say there’s something wrong with the MBR? It might be that you can cold boot from CD but not from the hard drive. Maybe simply hitting Ctrl-Alt-Del after you boot up from CD (or floppy) would do the trick, too? (Try Knoppix or a DOS floppy.)
Good luck!
I had a problem with my previous PC getting halfway through the boot cycle then just hanging.
For several days I tried every solution I could think of, including a complete reformat, replacing every piece of hardware I could think of. Eventually, my frustration reached such a fever pitch that I raised my fist and struck my computer, hard. Magically, my PC booted and, from then on, everytime my PC was reluctant to work, it got a short, sharp whack on the head.
You may wish to try the above-mentioned ‘fix’, but I take absolutely no responsibility for any holes in the casing of your PC. Or, for that matter, any damage to your person.
power supply… for sure.
what do you have on this power strip other than your computer?
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Trust me. I work in tech support.
I have to agree with Katy on this one, sounds like the power supply is flaky, or the HD is not getting enough power. Double check that. The other option is to take the BIOS battery out, hold the power button in for 30 seconds and then let the machine sit off and unplugged for 10 minutes. Turn it back on and let it redetect stuff on boot.
Another idea I just thought of, swap IDE cables with the HD and CD. Might be a bad ribbon cable on the HD or a bad IDE bus (probably IDE 0) that is acting up.
Thanks for all the help!
Kulol, Windows did say there was a problem with the MBR both times. I would assume that’s expected the second time as the computer was set up to boot into GRUB. But even with the single OS reformat and install it said the MBR had problems.
Problem with MBR both times, huh? So the first time was with the old drive (and single-booted, WinXP only)? Was it before or after re-installation of Windows? I’m beginning to wonder if we might be looking at a virus…
You got broadband? Cable? Have all the usual protections diligently kept up-to-date, I presume? Yeah Windows would complain about GRUB, but if MBR is messed up on a Win-only machine then that’s pretty suspicious.
Of course, flaky H/W could give you the same symptoms, and more, too. Maybe next time you have to do a cold boot, try the three-finger salute first, and see if the HD will boot up normally without the MBR fix…
Ah yes, “even with the single OS reformat and install it said the MBR had problems” — I didn’t finish your post before I responded. Sorry.
Now did this happen right after the install? i.e. did WinXP not boot up normally after the fresh install, not even once? If this is the case then a virus is probably not the culprit.
It actually happened before the install and prompted me to do the first reformat single OS install on the original drive.
It did boot up normally right after the fresh install, but it wasn’t cold. I do have broadband, turned on the firewall before even getting into the desktop the first time (I think that’s an option with a slipstreamed SP2 install…), and installed AV software immediately.