[alandemartino]

Hi GTG,

I have a very weird problem about my pc, it started a couple of weeks ago. Not always, only when it feels like to do it, when I switch on my PC after the boostraploader (when windows is starting) the screen turns black (exactly as if the monitor is switched off). I check the monitor but it's always on and I can also hear the fans but not the HD! The keyboard won't respond by any input. I end up restarting my pc from the restart button. It does the same thing approx. 3 times (3 restarts) and after everthing is fine.

Today, I was Disk defragmenting and left the pc alone. When I came back the same thing happened with the difference that not on swtiching on the PC. I posted here since I don't think its a malware problem (At the moment I'm being guided to remove malware HERE ).

Can someone help me please with this one? Help is really appreciated. Thanks in Advance

Alan

Edited by alandemartino, 26 March 2006 - 05:02 AM.

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It will be better to wait for the all clear from the Malware Team because malware would prohibit any attempts to make progress

[Retired Tech]

It will be better to wait for the all clear from the Malware Team because malware would prohibit any attempts to make progress

[alandemartino]

Hi Keith,

Thanks for the quick reply. Ok we'll wait then. Do you mean it could be a malware problem and that once I'm clear with malware it could get solved or that we can't proceed on fixing this problem if there's still malware on the pc?

Thanks,
Alan

[Retired Tech]

Both those statements are applicable

[alandemartino]

Hi Keith,

I'm clear with malware,etc...I think I should wait and see if I get the same problem again since now my pc is clean (to see whether it was a malware problem)? What do you think?

Alan

[Retired Tech]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it?

[alandemartino]

Hi again,

The same thing just happened again as I restarted the pc today. Anyone can help me on this? Thanks in Advance

Alan

[Retired Tech]

You can check for updated video card drivers, or re-install the ones you have

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this. This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

[alandemartino]

Thanks for your reply. I'm downloading a driver update at the moment. When I install it should I follow those instructions too? By the way I've just did a Defrag 2 days ago, should I have to do it again (since it exhausts the HD)?

Alan

[Retired Tech]

See how the updated drivers run

Prefetch is quick, saves you the trouble of locating individual files, the folder re-populates, without any obsolete entries

No need to run the rest, or you can run them when you have other things to do

[alandemartino]

Ok Thanks Keith. Just for my knowledge, what are the files in C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch used for?

Alan

[Retired Tech]

If you're frequently using the same few applications over and over again, prefetching can greatly increase the apparent speed of a system. Rather than waiting for you to click an icon to start a program, and then loading all of the associated files, libraries, and pointers necessary to run the program, XP has all the components of your programs preloaded. When you click an icon to start the program, most of the hard work is already done.

The drawback to prefetching is that XP will prefetch a program even if you use it only once or twice. XP will retain a copy of a portion of it in the Prefetch folder. From there, it will prefetch the program, taking resources from your workstation even though you may have no intention of ever using the program again. If you have enough unused or little-used items prefetching, over time your system will actually run slower than if you never prefetched at all. This is especially evident on systems with limited resources.

As you have probably been removing things regarding the malware post, this will ensure XP is only loading current items

[alandemartino]

Thanks, great explanation! By the way I installed the new driver. I'll let you know if it fixed my problem or not.

Alan

[Retired Tech]

Hope it goes well

[alandemartino]

Hi,

Today as I switched on the pc, the same thing happened. I went in the event Viewer and found this: *WARNING*- An error was detected on device \Device\CdRom2 during a paging operation. I thought it could help. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Alan

Edited by alandemartino, 31 March 2006 - 02:02 AM.