Author Topic: Computer Problems (Read 10342 times)

Sidoh · « **on:** April 27, 2005, 06:10:09 pm »

Hey Everyone,

Lately, my computer's been acting very strangely. Yesterday, I left my computer for about 10 minutes and came back to a Blue Screen. I thought little of it (since it happens sometimes) and restarted my computer. The start process took a VERY long time (about 10-15 minutes). When it got past the Windows XP loading screen, my display went black for 9-14 minutes (or there-abouts). After this, it came up to the Blue Screen and I was forced to restart again. I tried the Windows XP Repair function, did the same thing.

I backed up everything and did a complete format/reinstall (I even burned a fresh copy of the CD). The boot sequence still takes forever, but when I'm able to get to the login screen. That "locks up" for another 5 minutes or so, and then my computer operates normally.

Any ideas on whats wrong/what to do? My first guess is a Hard Drive issue, but I'm hoping that's not the case since I just replaced the disk a few months ago.

Thanks in advance.

rabbit · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2005, 06:24:12 pm »

Check all the wires inside to make sure they're all connected and in the right place. Something like this happened when some cables inside prevented the CPU fan from spinning (a tell-tale sign of that is the smell of burning rubber).

If that checks out, beat the damn thing with a hammer, mail it to iago, get mail insurance, and collect. Bam.

Sidoh · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2005, 06:28:05 pm »

Lmao. You should be the Dr. Phill of tech.

Newby · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2005, 06:28:40 pm »

I'd try swapping out the disk and seeing if that works. It could be.

But do what Rabbit said and make sure all the hardware is connected.

Windows has a habit of blue screening / shutting down if something goes wrong with the hardware (the latter happens to me) instead of telling you what is wrong.

If all else fails, get in contact with Microshit..err..Microsoft, and ask them what the issue is.

iago · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2005, 07:05:54 pm »

Try booting up Linux (off a live cd or something) and run dmesg. That might tell you if there's some catastrophic hardware failure.

GameSnake · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2005, 08:18:51 pm »

I have an idea simmiliar to iago's only better: boot linux then use it.
Problem solved, close thread now!

Krazed · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2005, 08:47:57 pm »

Quote from: GameSnake on April 27, 2005, 08:18:51 pm

I have an idea simmiliar to iago's only better: boot linux then use it.
Problem solved, close thread now!

You forgot slackware, but anyway.. I used to have problems booting up and it ALWAYS went into a blue screen, format usually worked.

iago · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2005, 10:26:21 pm »

Quote from: krazed on April 27, 2005, 08:47:57 pm

Quote from: GameSnake on April 27, 2005, 08:18:51 pm
I have an idea simmiliar to iago's only better: boot linux then use it.
Problem solved, close thread now!

You forgot slackware, but anyway.. I used to have problems booting up and it ALWAYS went into a blue screen, format usually worked.

He said that he formatted, so that didn't work. That means it has to be something physical.

Newby · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2005, 10:27:04 pm »

Hmm. I did 'dmesg' and got a bunch of ethernet problems.

Warrior · « **Reply #9 on:** April 27, 2005, 11:01:41 pm »

Slackware has a pink screen of LIFE. That's what iago loves so much about it.

Sidoh · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2005, 11:37:27 pm »

Yeah, its pretty much certainly a hardware problem.

I'll check the connections next time I'm forced to shutdown / restart (I don't want to since it takes 15 minutes).

I just got a $200 Check from Science Service, maybe I'll buy a few new drives...

As for using Linux, I can't. I'm a WoW addict, remember?

iago · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2005, 12:26:30 am »

Quote from: Sidoh on April 27, 2005, 11:37:27 pm

Yeah, its pretty much certainly a hardware problem.

I'll check the connections next time I'm forced to shutdown / restart (I don't want to since it takes 15 minutes).

I just got a $200 Check from Science Service, maybe I'll buy a few new drives...

As for using Linux, I can't. I'm a WoW addict, remember?

I didn't say to use it, just to boot it. That's why I suggested a live cd (Knoppix, for instance). It just might help you diagnose your problem.

GameSnake · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2005, 06:30:20 am »

Yeah and obviously I was just kidding, no one really uses Linux, no way!

Sidoh · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2005, 05:58:19 pm »

That was more of a joke too.

Anyway - thanks for the help guys. I've pretty much decided its a bad drive. I'm going to borrow a friend's SATA drive and test it on this computer. If it does the same thing, I'm SOL (I'm hoping it doesn't). If it doesn't, I'll just order new drives. I'm thinking 3 80GB's in a RAID5 configuration is what I'd go with.

Update: It took THIRTY minutes for my computer to boot up last time it went down (stupid power surge). Additionally, it came up to three consecutive (yet different) blue screens. Two were something along the lines of bad/corrupt driver. The only thing I caught on the other one was "File that caused this error: NTFS.sys"

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. iago, I have slackware CD's. Do I need to get a utility from another location or does it come with the slackware distro?

Again: Thanks.

iago · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2005, 06:24:45 pm »

If you boot off Slackware disk 2, you should be able to run dmesg.

Newby · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2005, 06:25:52 pm »

NTFS.sys.

Sounds like something is wrong with your hard drive. But that's just me.

Sidoh · « **Reply #16 on:** April 28, 2005, 07:44:05 pm »

Quote from: iago on April 28, 2005, 06:24:45 pm

If you boot off Slackware disk 2, you should be able to run dmesg.

Okay - I'll try that tonight before I go to bed (since I want to use my computer until then). Thanks!

Quote from: Newby

NTFS.sys.

Sounds like something is wrong with your hard drive. But that's just me.

That's what I thought too. I'm looking into replacing it soon (as I mentioned before).

Any suggestions? I'm probably going to go Western Digital if there are none.

RoMi · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2005, 07:46:08 pm »

i have a Western Digital hard drive and its held up good for me for a year now. It hasn't been turned off since the day I got it, other then the occasional restart.

deadly7 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2005, 09:58:37 pm »

Quote from: Newby on April 28, 2005, 06:25:52 pm

NTFS.sys.

Sounds like something is wrong with your hard drive. But that's just me.

Damnit, Newby beat me to it!

Yeah, to me it looks like a problem with your hard-drive..
Can we get computer specs (and links if possible) of your parts?

Newby · « **Reply #19 on:** April 28, 2005, 10:01:37 pm »

I've had nothing but bad luck with Western Digital.

I say go for a Barracuda. Maxtor is pretty good too.

Krazed · « **Reply #20 on:** April 29, 2005, 09:22:24 am »

WD has always been nothing but nice to me. So has maxtor. Actually, come to think of it, I've never had a harddrive problem in my life. But anyway, I'm thinking about buying a new harddrive for one of my computers, maybe the server. So yeah, suggestions.

Those 74GB Raptors are nice.

Sidoh · « **Reply #21 on:** April 29, 2005, 02:37:07 pm »

Too lazy to post links, but here's basically what I'm using:

AMD 64 3400+ Processor
Asus KN8-E Delux Motherboard
Nvidia XFX 6800 GT Video Card (AGP)
Western Digital 120GB SATA (7,200 RPM)

Everything else I use is likely moot/onboard.

Sidoh · « **Reply #22 on:** April 29, 2005, 05:43:56 pm »

Quote from: Warrior on April 29, 2005, 02:57:27 pm

OMG LOL BOOT INTO SAFEMOD AND ENTER ADMINISTRATOR.

What? o.O

deadly7 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 30, 2005, 12:13:24 pm »

Don't listen to War, he's crazy.

Odd. Your HD seems fine to me. You MIGHT need to buy a new one if that one is somehow scrapped. Try switching your HD's if you have 2+. Make another one C:\ and see if you get that problem still.

Sidoh · « **Reply #24 on:** May 01, 2005, 01:18:33 am »

I seriously doubt its anything else. I will try another harddrive before I buy things though. :p

mitosis · « **Reply #25 on:** May 01, 2005, 10:35:19 am »

Sidoh my friend has Linux, Fedore and can play WoW...maybe try that?

Sidoh · « **Reply #26 on:** May 01, 2005, 02:58:03 pm »

Quote from: mitosis on May 01, 2005, 10:35:19 am

Sidoh my friend has Linux, Fedore and can play WoW...maybe try that?

WoW is buggy enough on windows, I don't want to know how bad it would be on another OS.

(I've heard WoW is hell on MacOS, but then again, what isn't?)

iago · « **Reply #27 on:** May 01, 2005, 02:59:48 pm »

Apparently it runs under wine as well as it runs under Windows, once you get it going.

Quik · « **Reply #28 on:** May 01, 2005, 03:16:31 pm »

I heard it works fine on Linux via Wine.

Sidoh · « **Reply #29 on:** May 01, 2005, 08:21:20 pm »

Hrm, interesting.

If I had any reason to switch to linux, I might think about it.

Quik · « **Reply #30 on:** May 01, 2005, 08:56:14 pm »

Does your hardware not working with Windows constitute a reason?

Sidoh · « **Reply #31 on:** May 01, 2005, 09:26:40 pm »

Quote from: Quik on May 01, 2005, 08:56:14 pm

Does your hardware not working with Windows constitute a reason?

Not at all. I'm pretty sure its faulty hardware. :p

Besides, I'm way to used to Windows. I'm not going to up and switch to Linux without globs of time on my hands (which I don't really have ATM).

Sidoh · « **Reply #32 on:** May 31, 2005, 03:39:28 pm »

UPDATE

Today, due to some unknown reason, I decided to remove my seemingly faulty "LS-120" drive. My computer works fine now...holy shit. How annoying. -_-

deadly7 · « **Reply #33 on:** May 31, 2005, 04:09:26 pm »

Quote from: Sidoh on May 31, 2005, 03:39:28 pm

UPDATE

Today, due to some unknown reason, I decided to remove my seemingly faulty "LS-120" drive. My computer works fine now...holy shit. How annoying. -_-

Told. You.

Sidoh · « **Reply #34 on:** May 31, 2005, 04:13:03 pm »

Quote from: deadly7 on May 31, 2005, 04:09:26 pm

Told. You.

Quote from: sidoh

Not at all. I'm pretty sure its faulty hardware. :p

It was a hardware issue.

Nate · « **Reply #35 on:** May 31, 2005, 10:51:38 pm »

Long windows load times and errors are symptoms of corrupted registry hives, these occur when some or all of the sectors containing the registry hives become corrupted or bad. This occurs in .1% of all computers with an out of the box factory windows install.

Sidoh · « **Reply #36 on:** June 01, 2005, 12:44:09 pm »

Quote from: 111787 on May 31, 2005, 10:51:38 pm

Long windows load times and errors are symptoms of corrupted registry hives, these occur when some or all of the sectors containing the registry hives become corrupted or bad. This occurs in .1% of all computers with an out of the box factory windows install.

Huh, interesting. It had other symptoms too. Now that I think about it, its obvious that it was a corrupt drive. It froze on installs when it tried to read contents of drives and also when I tried to 'open' my b: (floppy drive).

News:

Author Topic: Computer Problems (Read 10342 times)