[GovtCheese]

My wife's computer just started acting strange today. She turned it on, and the tower came on, however there was nothing coming up on the monitor. After a couple of restarts, the monitor finally showed the BIOS/Windows load screen, but then froze before Windows actually booted.

Now everytime we try to reboot it, 8 out of 10 times a signal doesn't even come up on the monitor, just a black screen w/ a blinking status light on the monitor. The few times it does start up, it makes it all the way to the Win XP load screen, and then freezes. I've even tried going into safe mode, and it still freezes up about halfway through all of the command prompts.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

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It might be your video driver, when booting into safe mode, what driver does it hang on? and are you sure it's just not the monitor or the connector? Try moving the connector a little, if you here clicking nosies from the monitor then it's not the computer.

Also: -XP pro or home?
-How old is the machine?
Model and make if possible


-OCM770-

[-OCM770-]

It might be your video driver, when booting into safe mode, what driver does it hang on? and are you sure it's just not the monitor or the connector? Try moving the connector a little, if you here clicking nosies from the monitor then it's not the computer.

Also: -XP pro or home?
-How old is the machine?
Model and make if possible


-OCM770-

[GovtCheese]

It just started doing something else:

When I turn the computer on, I get a "BIOS ROM checksum error"

[GovtCheese]

It's XP Home, the system is maybe 18 mos old. It's run like a champ up until now, no problems at all.

My first guess was a video driver problem, I downloaded the latest drivers for it and put them on my flash drive. One of the few times it actually booted up into safe mode, I plugged in the flash drive and it instantly froze and it hasn't gone back in since.

[sniperNZSAS]

Yeh mate I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago. Turns out my 56k modem had gone faulty and it was causing everything else to screw up. Thankfully I dont use dail up anymore and I could just pull it out and carry on. Check your hardware. Take it out and see if it runs in someone elses computer. If you have a modem see if it comes right when you pull it out. Perhaps make sure theres power running through all your components and if all that failes your Power Supply may be to blame. If it wont start windows then its unlikely to be a software problem so check over your hardware and see if it works.

[-OCM770-]

Ok great, I'm familiar with this problem, it's happened to me. You've got a couple of options:

1) Open your PC and clean the Ram and the RAM sockets.
2) There should be a jumper on your MOBO to clear out the CMOS settings, if you can't find please post your PC model (or MOBO if you know)
3)Flash the BIOS
4)Most of the time, it's a RAM error.


-OCM770-

[-OCM770-]

By the way, is this the image you get?? I took this pic from the screen i got.



-OCM770-


*EDIT* As i suspected, this is not a windows problem, the recovery console won't help you. Also, does your machine when you turn it on, does the On LED turn on for a couple of secs and then turn off and try to turn on again? *EDIT*

Attached Thumbnails

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Edited by -OCM770-, 01 December 2006 - 08:18 PM.

[GovtCheese]

Yes, that's the image I was getting.

I unplugged it, took the side of the case off and took out the RAM and air dusted the slots, and cleared the CMOS. When I restarted it, only 1 of the sticks of RAM registered, but at least Windows boots up now. I think after I reseat the RAM it'll be just fine. Thanks alot, I'll post again if I have anymore problems.

[-OCM770-]

Sure, no problem, that's what we geekstogo are here for

I recommend you clean your PC out with a compressed air can (don't turn the can over and spray, you might freeze something) If the other RAM chip doesn't work when reseating you can either:
A) run a memtest and post the results here
B)Take the RAM out and don't use it unless you want more problems.
C)Get a mac


-OCM770-

[GovtCheese]

Sure, no problem, that's what we geekstogo are here for

I recommend you clean your PC out with a compressed air can (don't turn the can over and spray, you might freeze something) If the other RAM chip doesn't work when reseating you can either:
A) run a memtest and post the results here
B)Take the RAM out and don't use it unless you want more problems.
C)Get a mac


-OCM770-

Well, actually I'm back into the same problem. Perhaps I have a bad stick of RAM? It loaded up fine on 1 stick (256mb), just slow as [bleep].

[-OCM770-]

Your RAM is to blame, 256mb is the highest amount of RAM I've ever had so, I've gotten used to it. If your RAM is bad then it is going to be very very hard to fix if not impossible, Buy more RAM or stick around with 256mb or as a said before, get a [bleep]ing mac.


-OCM770-

*EDIT* going to bed, I'm real tired, be back tomorrow.*EDIT*

Edited by -OCM770-, 01 December 2006 - 08:56 PM.

[sniperNZSAS]

Try testing the ram in another computer to be sure

[GovtCheese]

Try testing the ram in another computer to be sure

The computer I'm on doesn't have the same kind of RAM or I would.

[-OCM770-]

It's a good thing you noticed that, RAM will usually have an indentation on the RAM chip and on the RAM socket so you can only plug in one type of RAM and in the correct way. If you were to plug a different type of RAM in and booted your Computer you could cause some damage to it. Be careful


-OCM770-