I am having a very puzzling boot problem. This problem is occurring
on a homebuilt Windows Vista system, 2 months old, all new components.
How it failed: while I was moving files in Explorer. Suddenly froze.
Problem started upon reboot after that. The system had worked for 2
months (since purchase) just fine.
Reboot sequence: boot process proceeds normally, moves through the
Windows progress meter on the bottom (progress displays normally),
then moves to next screen where video change causes LCD monitor to
refresh. Everything halts, black screen.
Here's an interesting fact: when boot reaches this point, Cntrl-Alt-
Delete doesn't work. The power & reset buttons on the PC case do not
work. Both of them work fine up until this point. I have to cut
power at the back of the power supply, or at the power strip to turn
the computer off. The power button DOES work to turn it on.
Software diagnostics: it boots this SAME way with:
Local Widows vista install (full, safe mode, safe mode with command-
line)
Windows Vista install DVD
BartPE XP w / diagnostics disk (requires no HD to be present to load)
Kubuntu Linux install DVD (requiring no HD to be present to load)
Hardware diagnostics, all with no success:
sent PCI-express card back under warranty, received new one
Installed normal PCI video card
Replaced LCD monitor with 15" Optiquest monitor.
Tried digital video output -> analog converter instead of analog video
output.
Memory is 2 gigs, removed each to see if it would load with just 1
gig, did several memory scans using DOS-based boot memory scans,
passed.
Unplugged all unnecessary HD, USB, & peripherals to lower power load.
Power supply is 600 watt.
Voltages in BIOS all look fine.
BIOS works fine, DOS programs (the memery check programs) work fine.
I can't think of anything else to test. I've run out of ideas, and
I'm hoping for other peoples insight on this.
Darryl wrote:
> I am having a very puzzling boot problem. This problem is occurring
> on a homebuilt Windows Vista system, 2 months old, all new components.
>
>
> How it failed: while I was moving files in Explorer. Suddenly froze.
> Problem started upon reboot after that. The system had worked for 2
> months (since purchase) just fine.
>
> Reboot sequence: boot process proceeds normally, moves through the
> Windows progress meter on the bottom (progress displays normally),
> then moves to next screen where video change causes LCD monitor to
> refresh. Everything halts, black screen.
>
> Here's an interesting fact: when boot reaches this point, Cntrl-Alt-
> Delete doesn't work. The power & reset buttons on the PC case do not
> work. Both of them work fine up until this point. I have to cut
> power at the back of the power supply, or at the power strip to turn
> the computer off. The power button DOES work to turn it on.
>
> Software diagnostics: it boots this SAME way with:
>
> Local Widows vista install (full, safe mode, safe mode with command-
> line)
> Windows Vista install DVD
> BartPE XP w / diagnostics disk (requires no HD to be present to load)
> Kubuntu Linux install DVD (requiring no HD to be present to load)
>
> Hardware diagnostics, all with no success:
> sent PCI-express card back under warranty, received new one
> Installed normal PCI video card
> Replaced LCD monitor with 15" Optiquest monitor.
> Tried digital video output -> analog converter instead of analog video
> output.
> Memory is 2 gigs, removed each to see if it would load with just 1
> gig, did several memory scans using DOS-based boot memory scans,
> passed.
> Unplugged all unnecessary HD, USB, & peripherals to lower power load.
> Power supply is 600 watt.
> Voltages in BIOS all look fine.
>
> BIOS works fine, DOS programs (the memery check programs) work fine.
> I can't think of anything else to test. I've run out of ideas, and
> I'm hoping for other peoples insight on this.
>
A proper hardware diagnostic test program would be nice, but I presume
one of those would cost money. I've never owned a program like that
for the PC, but have used them for other platforms.
A poor man's substitute, is to boot a Linux CD and watch the text messages
as the hardware drivers are loaded at startup. If something is failing,
sometimes you can see Linux struggle with the same stuff. If Linux
freezes in the same way that Windows did, then you know you have a
definite hardware problem, and the problem is not restricted to
your Windows install or Windows drivers.
The distro I use for this is Knoppix, from Knopper.net . (I prefer Knoppix,
as Ubuntu doesn't print the useful info during the boot sequence.)
Knoppix is a 700MB download, and is in the form of an ISO. (For people
on dialup, that is virtually impossible to handle at dialup data rates.)
You'll need a CD burner that can handle a 700MB file. The first time I
prepared one, I actually had to buy another burner, as the ancient burner
I had wouldn't do it.
Knoppix doesn't need to install anything to work. It uses system RAM
for temporary file space. With your 2GB of memory, in fact you could
even use the option to load the CD into memory, which allows removing
the Knoppix CD from the drive. Such a configuration actually allows
operating a desktop computer, with no rotating media at all.
"Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message news:f8onrg$k54$1@aioe.org...
> Darryl wrote:
>> I am having a very puzzling boot problem. This problem is occurring
>> on a homebuilt Windows Vista system, 2 months old, all new components.
>>
>>
>> How it failed: while I was moving files in Explorer. Suddenly froze.
>> Problem started upon reboot after that. The system had worked for 2
>> months (since purchase) just fine.
>>
>> Reboot sequence: boot process proceeds normally, moves through the
>> Windows progress meter on the bottom (progress displays normally),
>> then moves to next screen where video change causes LCD monitor to
>> refresh. Everything halts, black screen.
>>
>> Here's an interesting fact: when boot reaches this point, Cntrl-Alt-
>> Delete doesn't work. The power & reset buttons on the PC case do not
>> work. Both of them work fine up until this point. I have to cut
>> power at the back of the power supply, or at the power strip to turn
>> the computer off. The power button DOES work to turn it on.
>>
>> Software diagnostics: it boots this SAME way with:
>>
>> Local Widows vista install (full, safe mode, safe mode with command-
>> line)
>> Windows Vista install DVD
>> BartPE XP w / diagnostics disk (requires no HD to be present to load)
>> Kubuntu Linux install DVD (requiring no HD to be present to load)
>>
>> Hardware diagnostics, all with no success:
>> sent PCI-express card back under warranty, received new one
>> Installed normal PCI video card
>> Replaced LCD monitor with 15" Optiquest monitor.
>> Tried digital video output -> analog converter instead of analog video
>> output.
>> Memory is 2 gigs, removed each to see if it would load with just 1
>> gig, did several memory scans using DOS-based boot memory scans,
>> passed.
>> Unplugged all unnecessary HD, USB, & peripherals to lower power load.
>> Power supply is 600 watt.
>> Voltages in BIOS all look fine.
>>
>> BIOS works fine, DOS programs (the memery check programs) work fine.
>> I can't think of anything else to test. I've run out of ideas, and
>> I'm hoping for other peoples insight on this.
>>
>
> A proper hardware diagnostic test program would be nice, but I presume
> one of those would cost money. I've never owned a program like that
> for the PC, but have used them for other platforms.
>
> A poor man's substitute, is to boot a Linux CD and watch the text messages
> as the hardware drivers are loaded at startup. If something is failing,
> sometimes you can see Linux struggle with the same stuff. If Linux
> freezes in the same way that Windows did, then you know you have a
> definite hardware problem, and the problem is not restricted to
> your Windows install or Windows drivers.
>
> The distro I use for this is Knoppix, from Knopper.net . (I prefer
> Knoppix,
> as Ubuntu doesn't print the useful info during the boot sequence.)
> Knoppix is a 700MB download, and is in the form of an ISO. (For people
> on dialup, that is virtually impossible to handle at dialup data rates.)
> You'll need a CD burner that can handle a 700MB file. The first time I
> prepared one, I actually had to buy another burner, as the ancient burner
> I had wouldn't do it.
>
> Knoppix doesn't need to install anything to work. It uses system RAM
> for temporary file space. With your 2GB of memory, in fact you could
> even use the option to load the CD into memory, which allows removing
> the Knoppix CD from the drive. Such a configuration actually allows
> operating a desktop computer, with no rotating media at all.
>
> Paul
Can you boot a Memtest86 CD? If not, try reset CMOS. Try with HD
disconnected. If you can get into BIOS, but not load any software, very
weird! Try another HD, or exchange motherboard.
On Jul 31, 8:35 pm, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
> A proper hardware diagnostic test program would be nice, but I presume
> one of those would cost money. I've never owned a program like that
> for the PC, but have used them for other platforms.
>
If anyone can recommend one that boots without graphics or HD, I'd
certainly check it out. BartPE tries to load XP first, and that's the
part that's failing.
> The distro I use for this is Knoppix, from Knopper.net . (I prefer Knoppix,
> as Ubuntu doesn't print the useful info during the boot sequence.)
I always have a backup PC available, which I've fallen back on during
this time of sorrow. I just ordered a DVD burner for it today. I'll
download Knoppix.
On Aug 1, 5:45 am, "Michael Hawes"
<michael.hawes1rem...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
> Can you boot a Memtest86 CD?
I ran Memtest from a boot USB flash drive. Memory passed perfectly.
> If not, try reset CMOS. Try with HD
> disconnected. If you can get into BIOS, but not load any software, very
> weird! Try another HD, or exchange motherboard.
The primary HD is a raid array, which are all disconnected both cable
& power. Only a backup IDE HD and the DVD drive are connected still,
and that's only because the burner is set up as a slave to the HD.
Resetting the BIOS is an interesting thought, which I might try if all
else fails. Really, the only components left I can think of are the
power supply & the MB, but I get weary thinking about removing ALL the
attachments from the MB & removing it, packing it in virgin goose down
as will be no doubt required by the RMA dept, waiting a few weeks,
then getting it back, reattaching everything carefully, only to find
out it wasn't the MB after all.
On the other hand...thank god that motherboard jumpers are thing of
the past.
I've never seen anything quite like this, which is why I'm beginning
to suspect the motherboard. Only the MB could produce such a
devilishly odd problem. If it was the power supply, I would expect
the problem to be less subtle or more intermittent.
On Aug 1, 3:35 pm, Darryl <Darr...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I've never seen anything quite like this, which is why I'm beginning
> to suspect the motherboard. Only the MB could produce such a
> devilishly odd problem. If it was thepower supply, I would expect
> the problem to be less subtle or more intermittent.
Nothing performed says anything is good. Remember, it is not a
binary world. Everything in that computer is definitively good,
definitively bad, or unknown. After all that work, everything is
still unknown.
Start with the one subsystem that can make everything else appear
defective. That means a 3.5 digit multimeter - a tool so standard and
so simple as to be sold even to K-mart shoppers. You need one. Also
Available in Radio Shack, Lowes, Wal-mart, etc because the tool is
that useful.
Post those numbers from each wire before power switch is pressed and
when power switch is pressed. It may identify a problem immediately
AND those numbers posted here mean better informed replies can be
posted.
That computer could have been defective two months ago. A defective
power supply can still boot and operate a computer. Only way to
confirm 'definitively good' is numbers. Get the meter. Use the
procedure. Post results. Once a power supply subsystem is
'definitively good' then move on to other informative procedures that
have not yet been performed.
Out of ideas, Windows startup is halting 
Linear Mode
