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Strange computer boot up problems

  • 31-08-2011 8:15pm
    #1
    Kantes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 53 ✭✭


    Recently been asked by a friend to take a look at her computer which was having boot up problems. It'd get to the windows logo screen then restart. Seems to happen a lot on XP so figured I'd go to the repair console, fixboot and maybe MBR and it'd be fine. No dice.

    So I put the harddrive into my own computer, it still wouldn't boot. Assumed then that it was a Harddrive problem and ran a check disk and some diagnostic tools but came up clean. Eventually just reformatted it and put XP back on. Booted up fine in my computer. However when I put it back in my friends computer it had the same problem. So I upgraded it to Windows Vista just to test and had the same issues, it'd get stuck in the loading screen and just never start up.

    Then I tried putting my own harddrive into and it wouldn't boot Windows 7 so I figured it couldn't have been a harddrive problem.

    After that I tried booting Ubuntu from CD which surprisingly enough worked fine, so I'm getting confused now. My first instinct is to assume it's either the Mobo or Chip that's damaged and that's why it's in a circle of reboot. But then it shouldn't have been able to boot Ubuntu. I've tried a number of different things in case it was some other hardware causing the issue -

    I've reseated the ram, tried different known working ram, tried it in different slots.

    Used a different sata connector in case it was a faulty cable

    Unplugged everything bar the Mobo and HDD.

    Still the exact same problem every time.

    I don't want to go suggesting buying a new motherboard only to find the problem was something else or it was the chip. Has anyone run into this problem themselves before?

    The graphics is something I couldn't really test but it's onboard and I can't see it being the problem. Any ideas or does it sound to anyone else for sure like it's the Mobo or Chip.

    (Setup of comp is roughly a dualcore 3.0ghz pentium, 3gb of ddr2 ram, onboard graphics, sata DVD RW + Sata 500gb HDD)


Comments

  • #2
    JonathanAnon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,718 ✭✭✭✭JonathanAnon


    Kantes wrote: »
    Eventually just reformatted it and put XP back on. Booted up fine in my computer. However when I put it back in my friends computer it had the same problem.

    woooooahhh.. you need to seriously back up the truck for a second..

    You CANNOT put a hard drive in to one PC (with one unique hardware configuration), install Windows and then expect it to work in a completely different PC... So the fact that you installed XP on your PC and it wouldnt boot in the other PC, tells us nothing at all... Only very occassionally does a hard drive from one PC actually boot in another PC, usually only when the hardware is very similar.. So you can completely disregard anything you think you have garnered from this process..

    If you take it back to square one.. you said that the problem was that it would boot to the Windows logo and then reboot.. This could be either hardware or software related... It may have been a corrupt Windows file, or misinstalled package or driver that was causing the reboot..

    Given that you have already formatted the drive in your own PC, I would suggest that you put the hard drive back in the original PC and install the O/S from the CDs that came with it.. I would guess that that would probably sort out the problem..


  • #3
    Kantes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 53 ✭✭Kantes


    I use this method a lot. Never had any problems before. Often have backup harddrives with just an OS installed to see if it was the harddrive causing problems in whatever computer I'm dealing with.

    I would have installed from the computer with the problems but it bluescreens in XP installation, freezes in vista installation and the computer hasn't come with any 7 installation keys so I haven't tried with that (It does have a key for both XP and Vista, all genuine software, using original cd's).

    Considering the original problem was the reboot on startup I'm not sure I should put down the current rebooting problem to installing the OS on a different computer. It would be very co-incidental. I do see where you're coming from but I really have had no issues with doing it this way in the past.


  • #4
    JonathanAnon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,718 ✭✭✭✭JonathanAnon


    okay, well I'm finding it hard to follow you're line of thinking.. tbh, I would think it's messing about by putting the HD in your own PC, and trying different operating systems on the hard drive... Personally, I would put the hard drive back in your friend's PC and go back to square one .. reinstall the O/S CD that came with it... If you have a problem with the O/S reinstall take note of the errors and work to solve them, not bypass them...

    I would also probably run tests on the hard drive and take a good look at the CD/DVD to make sure it's okay..


  • #5
    Kantes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 53 ✭✭Kantes


    I've checked the harddrive already. Gone through some diagnostic tools and ran checkdisk a couple of times. It's working perfectly. Both the XP CD and Vista DVD are also both fine.

    I have tried to work through the O/S reinstall on the original computer and solve any errors however the error is a bluescreen and an immediate restart as soon as I go into the O/S reinstall.


  • #6
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,017 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    Kantes wrote: »
    I've checked the harddrive already. Gone through some diagnostic tools and ran checkdisk a couple of times. It's working perfectly. Both the XP CD and Vista DVD are also both fine.

    I have tried to work through the O/S reinstall on the original computer and solve any errors however the error is a bluescreen and an immediate restart as soon as I go into the O/S reinstall.

    If you want ot install Windows onto a drive on another machine, switch off the machine and unplug the drive once the setup files have been copied over, if installing XP this is after the "Setup is copying files" stage or on Windows vista/7 the "Expanding Files" stage. When you plug the drive into another machine the setup should continue taking its current enviornment into account (I.e: Choosing right default drivers, configurations etc.)

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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  • #7
    Kantes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 53 ✭✭Kantes


    Have also tried this method before resorting to fully installing the OS from my own computer. Unfortunately like before as soon as I get to the installation setup screen it bluescreens and restarts immediately.

    I really don't think it's a hard-drive issue or a problem with the way I've installed the O/S.


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