[Femme Fatale]

I get a black screen every other time that I start my computer. Could it be a hardware problem?

I ran a CHKDSK, Start Up Repair, an SFC /Scannow, my anti-virus and Dell diagnostics.

My computer is 4 years old. I have it on 21 hours a day. My computer is a Dell Dimension C521. I am on vista 32-bit.

Advice?

Thanks in advance.

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1. Do you get the same if you start in Safe Mode.

2. When in normal mode and it does not black screen check for any driver issues - ie warnings on Device Manager
http://pcsupport.abo...opendmvista.htm
how to open device manager in Vista.

3. Which chkdsk did you run please.

4. Can the time this has been happening be connected with any new hardware, driver updates, new software etc.

[Macboatmaster]

1. Do you get the same if you start in Safe Mode.

2. When in normal mode and it does not black screen check for any driver issues - ie warnings on Device Manager
http://pcsupport.abo...opendmvista.htm
how to open device manager in Vista.

3. Which chkdsk did you run please.

4. Can the time this has been happening be connected with any new hardware, driver updates, new software etc.

[Femme Fatale]

"1. Do you get the same if you start in Safe Mode." < i don't know. the problem is intermittent.

i checked for driver issues - ie warnings on Device Manager

"Which chkdsk did you run please." < I did this, click on computer, right click on C drive>properties. Select tools tab, click on error checking, This will open a small box, check both boxes. It will ask if you want it to run on next start up select yes then reboot the computer.

"4. Can the time this has been happening be connected with any new hardware, driver updates, new software etc." < I can't tell because the problem happens sometimes and not other times.

Thanks for replying.

[Macboatmaster]

I get a black screen every other time that I start my computer.

With respect you said this. It may be intermittent but you suggested it was pretty regular in fact EVERY OTHER TIME

Were there any driver issues.
Were there any errors found on chkdsk.

Can the time this has been happening be connected with any new hardware, driver updates, new software etc." < I can't tell because the problem happens sometimes and not other times.

I now know it is intermittent but WHEN you first noticed it - can that date be connected with any of what I asked.

If you cannot give a more defined answer to the questions we are not really going to make a lot of progress.

START IT IN SAFE MODE with networking.
Do some browsing, open some programs.
Shut down and restart it
Do this a few times and see if it still black screens.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 10 February 2011 - 05:09 PM.

[Femme Fatale]

"It may be intermittent but you suggested it was pretty regular in fact EVERY OTHER TIME" > Some times it happens every other time. some times it happens less often. It happened 2 times in a row, just now. Every time that it happens, i have to do a forced shut down.

there were not any driver issues.

it didn't say if there Were any errors found on chkdsk.

the time this has been happening can not be connected with any new hardware, driver updates, new software etc.

when i 1st noticed it, that date can not be connected with any of what you asked.

I cannot give a more defined answer to the questions.

I STARTed IT IN SAFE MODE. I don't know what networking is.

I Did some browsing and opened some programs. this has been going on for a month.

I appreciate your help.

Edited by Femme Fatale, 11 February 2011 - 10:09 AM.

[Log2]

Ok, Can you start off by just giving a little more information, first, you say a blank screen that is intermittent. So when does the black screen appear? For example: Do you see the post, and the dell logo, then it goes black after that? Or Do you not see any text at all and it's just black the entire time? Or do you get to the windows loading screen then it goes black after that?

Next, make sure no USB devices are attached to the computer aside from the keyboard and mouse.

[Femme Fatale]

you say a blank screen that is intermittent. So when does the black screen appear? For example: Do you see the post, and the dell logo, then it goes black after that? I think it goes black before the Dell logo. Or Do you not see any text at all and it's just black the entire time? i see some text. Or do you get to the windows loading screen then it goes black after that?

Next, make sure no USB devices are attached to the computer aside from the keyboard and mouse. why? they have to be on before starting my computer or my computer will not see them.

thanks for replying

[Macboatmaster]

A frequent cause of the symptoms you describe is an error on a usb device driver. It may be a camera, a printer, an external drive etc.
Or it could be an error on a USB root hub.
That is why "Log2" asked you to disconnect all usb devices escept the keyboard and mouse IF they are USB

Additionally please tell me the amount of free space on the hard drive.
Open My computer, right click the hard drive, click properties and on the graphical interface it will tell you the capacity and the free space.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 11 February 2011 - 10:48 AM.

[Log2]

if they have to be connected before starting the computer, make sure you go into the BIOS and change the boot order so that removable isn't the first boot device. You want hard drive to be the first boot device. That should most likely fix the problem, but if it doesn't go ahead a reply

[Femme Fatale]

please tell me the amount of free space on the hard drive.

167 GB free of 288 GB.

[Femme Fatale]

make sure you go into the BIOS and change the boot order so that removable isn't the first boot device. You want hard drive to be the first boot device.

How?

thank you both for your efforts.

[Macboatmaster]

That is OK. One of the causes of the problem can be a severe lack of free space on the hard drive.
You obviously have no worries here.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 11 February 2011 - 04:53 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Go to event viewer
See this for how.
http://www.computerp...vent_viewer.htm

Clcik the application heading on the left pane.
On the main window scroll down from the top until you come to Winlogon.
Double click that entry
It maybe the chkdsk results.
If it is not continue down to the next winlogon
Then when you find them - were there any bad sectors and apart from an entry for minor file inconsistencies what did it report please..

Edited by Macboatmaster, 11 February 2011 - 05:00 PM.

[Log2]

Ok to change the Boot sequence on the C521:

1. Start with the computer off, turn it on, press F2 once every second until after the dell logo
2. A new screen should appear saying System setup, or BIOS, one of the two
3. On the left side, there should be a menu of some sort. Make sure the cursor is on System, and press [Enter], a drop down menu should appear, go to Boot Sequence, press [Enter] again.
4. You should now be able to edit the boot sequence, go to USB-Device and press the D key repeatedly until it's at the bottom.
5. Press [Enter] to save the settings, then escape to leave the BIOS, if asked to save, choose yes. The computer will restart

That should fix your boot sequence, and it is a good idea to run the CHKDSK, however, if the issue was occurring before the Windows screen, it's most likely not going to fix this issue in particular, however it may prevent further errors.


EDIT: Here is your computers manual online: http://support.dell....EN/RP333A00.pdf it can guide you through many important things, including how to edit the boot sequence. Found in Appendix - System Setup

Edited by Log2, 11 February 2011 - 05:31 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Log2
I will leave this one with you, if I may. I feel it is best for the OP to work with just one person.
She has already run chkdsk as you will notice on the thread and I have asked her to obtain the results from Event Viewer.
My bet is a startup item, or a driver issue.

FemmeFatale
Good luck with this I will remain subscribed so will see what is happening, but I really do believe your best interest is served, at this time, by working with just one person.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 11 February 2011 - 06:00 PM.