Win XP Doesn't Boot

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jsauni

65 posts

Master Geek

#32600 20-Apr-2009 21:38

I start my pc and there is no post beep. The pc sounds like it's running but does not load.

Any idea's on where to start to fix/troubleshoot this?

It takes a couple of reboot's before it does start. Usually never on first attempt though.

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30 posts

Geek

#208296 21-Apr-2009 09:43

jsauni: I start my pc and there is no post beep. The pc sounds like it's running but does not load.

Is your PC overclocked at all? What hardware do you have?

Any idea's on where to start to fix/troubleshoot this?

Has it just done this recently? Have you installed any new hardware, changed bios settings etc?

Any other additional information you can provide may help narrow down the problem.

jsauni

65 posts

Master Geek

#208300 21-Apr-2009 09:59

PC isn't overclocked. PC basically is P4 cpu, ASUS mb, 2GB ram, Western Digitla hdd, LG dvd writer and Nvidia gfx card.

Yea has just started doing this recently, the only hardware I can think of that was installed not too long ago was a foxconn ps2 type controller. No, no changes to bios.

Hope this helps, thanks for the reply.

wellygary

8312 posts

Uber Geek

#208303 21-Apr-2009 10:08

jsauni: PC isn't overclocked. PC basically is P4 cpu, ASUS mb, 2GB ram, Western Digitla hdd, LG dvd writer and Nvidia gfx card.

Yea has just started doing this recently, the only hardware I can think of that was installed not too long ago was a foxconn ps2 type controller. No, no changes to bios.

Hope this helps, thanks for the reply.

The controller may be the cause but my first step would be, if you have not already done so, back up your hard drive now!, it could be about to die on you. Irratic boot issues can often be traced to a drive that is about to fail.

The failure to boot first time, but then to boot on a subsequent attempt, could be the drive warming up and expanding enough for a gummed head or something to move, or a number of other things inside the casing.

garvani

1873 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#208304 21-Apr-2009 10:15

First of all do you get a post beep normally on successful boot? or is it lacking a speaker altogether?

Do you have onboard video on the motherboard? Take out the graphics card and connect to the onboard video, if not see if you can borrow a different agp card and test that. My money in on that at the moment.

jsauni

65 posts

Master Geek

#208315 21-Apr-2009 11:03

@wellygary I have a pretty recent backup already but will run one anyway. I thought it could've been the controller but believe it more to be a failing hdd. If this is the case then there is nothing that can be done right?

@garvani Yea, I get a post beep on successful boot. I'll try the onboard video tonight and let you know how that goes.

Thanks

garvani

1873 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#208317 21-Apr-2009 11:08

If its a failing hard drive theres not a lot that can be done. Backups are your friends!. How old is the hard drive? if its under 3 years it could be under warranty.

Im guessing its going to be an ide western digital av edition, go here and download either the bootable dos version( best) or windows version of data lifeguard diagnostic, run a full test, that will tell you if you have a failing hard drive.

d3Xt3r

687 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#208450 21-Apr-2009 21:37

jsauni: I start my pc and there is no post beep. The pc sounds like it's running but does not load.

Any idea's on where to start to fix/troubleshoot this?

It takes a couple of reboot's before it does start. Usually never on first attempt though.

1) Does the HDD light blink normally (if at all) when the PC 'starts' but fails? What about the sounds the HDD is making? On a failed start, does the HDD sound (if at all) like it's making a choking/coughing noises, or does it sound like a normal whril/crrrr? Do you find *any* difference at all between the noises the HDD makes on a failed v/s sucessful start? (Note that you might have to open the case and keep your ear close to the HDD, and you might have to touch it to get additional feedback)

2) Have you tried leaving the PC "on" (in a 'failed' state) for a while (10 mins?) and then see if a single reboot would do, or is it always two or more reboots? Also, are you rebooting by Ctrl+Alt+Del or hitting the reset button? Does powering on/off also work?

3) Also, you mention that the PC "does not load". By this, do you imply that there's no video output at all, or that you do see the initial POST screen but XP fails to load?
If it's the first scenario, then I doubt your HDD is at fault. The HDD isn't a critical component for the PC to fail to start altogether.

On the other hand, if your video card is bad, that shouldn't cause your PC to fail to boot altogether. You may not see anything and windows might fail to load, but you should hear a different beep - like 8 short or 3 short beeps.

My opinion is that there's a loose contact somewhere, probably (one of) the power wires - unless - the time or steps taken to 'recover' the PC is the nearly exactly the same each time. If it's completly random, then it could be any of the following:
- loose contact (power wires)
- loose contact (RAM, cards)
- faulty SMPS
- faulty RAM
- faulty mobo.

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jsauni

65 posts

Master Geek

#208533 22-Apr-2009 13:07

@garvani Will run the data lifeguard diagnostic tonight and will post the results.

@d3Xt3r

1) The HDD light does blink on and off when the PC starts but fails. I don't find any aural differences but that is without moving the case. I'll remove it tonight to see if there is.

2) No I haven't tried leaving it on for 10mins or so. I might try tonight and see what the results are. As far as I know it never successfully starts on 1 reset. And I have been reseting with the reset button not ctrl+alt+del.

3) Correct, there is no video output at all.

I'll check the wires and components to check all is in proper contact and see how that goes.

DrGr33n

57 posts

Master Geek

#208707 22-Apr-2009 23:42

Also check for any leaking or deformed capacitors on your motherboard.. (they are the round cylindrical things). Leaks will be pretty easy to spot, and deformities will usually be seen as bulging at the top of a capacitor.

Cheers ;-)

trig42

5809 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#208838 23-Apr-2009 17:32

Try reseating RAM and CPU.

Try resetting BIOS.

jsauni

65 posts

Master Geek

#211754 2-May-2009 18:23

I managed to get into the box this weekend. Still no luck.

I unplugged the hdd and tried to boot with no success. Does this eliminate a failed hdd as my problem to boot? As it should still have at least gotten passed the POST. I've been told it could possbly be the cmos? But know nothing about this.

I tried unpluggin my gfx card and using the onboard (as suggested) and this did not work either.

It's now gotten to the point where even a couple of resets will not boot it up and it turns on at random.

Now with a message "Overclocking failed or Overvoltage failed!"

d3Xt3r

687 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#211776 2-May-2009 21:01

Did you try resetting the cmos yet?

jsauni

65 posts

Master Geek

#211849 3-May-2009 09:37

Don't know how. Is it easy enough to do or should I find someone who knows how to do this? What will this do?

Tzleren

30 posts

Geek

#211872 3-May-2009 14:05

jsauni: Don't know how. Is it easy enough to do or should I find someone who knows how to do this? What will this do?

Check the motherboard manual, and look for the CMOS reset jumper (move the jumper from pins 2,3 to 1,2 then back to 2,3). If there's none, just remove the battery for a few minutes and then put it back in and load up, CMOS should be reset to default.

Now with a message "Overclocking failed or Overvoltage failed!"

That's weird, the new[er] ASUS motherboards will usually clear CMOS after you turn the power off if overclocking fails. What motherboard is it?

jsauni

65 posts

Master Geek

#211918 3-May-2009 19:29

Cheers. I reset the CMOS via the reset jumper. Booted up the pc successfully. Although I would believe I'd have to see over the next couple of days whether it boots successfully all the time to determine if it was the reset that fixed the problem and tonight wasn't a random success.

If it does turn out to be the cmos. Why does resetting it fix my booting issue?

@Tzleren my asus mb is a P5L-MX.

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