Computer Problems

[Sidoh]

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]

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]

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

[Newby]

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]

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]

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

[Krazed]

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

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

[iago]

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

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]

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

[Warrior]

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

[Sidoh]

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]

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]

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

[Sidoh]

That was more of a joke too. :P

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]

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