PC becomes non-responsive when started

[Sooda]

I got 1.2 GHz Intel Celeron, 256 RAM, Windows XP Professional with SP3. Pretty often when I start pc it begins loading things (black screen with white text on it) but on random places pc just hangs -- monitor goes similar to idle mode, green light starts to blink (means no signal?), keyboard does not respond (if I press numlock, capslock lights on keyboard do not respond). I then restart pc again until it loads fine to Windows Log In, when I manage to pass that part Windows Desktop appears and everything looks fine. My pc mostly hangs and monitor signal is lost (monitor light starts to blink) on start up.
I got much things on this pc and I would like to try to fix it, where could be problem? This pc is old also, may it be due to old age?

 

[Dtere]

Movable parts are the only thing that can technically ruin a computer. So... where do you have movable parts in a computer - HDD and fans. The only other thing that can ruin a computer is too much heat for a continuous amount of time.

So, the question would be, does your computer hang before or after windows starts to load? If it's after... then you have a windows problem. If its before, then you have a hardware problem (or bios).

Reformat HDD can do wonders.

 

[Sooda]

When I think now, I' m pretty sure it happens after these Windows XP gray boxes load (on bottom middle) on black background. It happens some time before Windows Log In box appears.
I have always seen bios to load (all that gray text about computer). I can not remember it happen on bios load, I have to do some tests to confirm that.
It might be good time to clean pc from dust and re-check are all parts in sockets.
With your post you helped me much. I check these things and report how it went.

 

[CaptDeath]

well ill tell you something my dad did it was about tvs though theres a componet that holds a super charge to strat up the TV and when it gets old it gets covered with dust and that dust can also hold a charge so be EXTREAMLY CAREFULL when dusting it or w/e you plan to use
a can of compressed air is a computer users best friend

 

[Sooda]

Everything went fine, I did not get electrical shock Used old school brush to clean computer parts from dust (remove computer and monitor plugs from electrical circuit before starting to clean kids!). I know about statical electric hazard, but used vacuum cleaner from long range. Removed first time ever by myself processor surface cooler and it was really dusty.

When I turned on computer after that, first time it crashed when Windows started to load, I had to restart computer and this time everything went fine. Windows gave me notice about recovering from serious error -- "stop error". It thought Video Card drivers caused infinite loop and crashed Windows on loading or problem is with my Video Card directly. It gave link to tech support article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293078

My Graphics Acceleration is at max currently, if I still get those hang ups with black screen I set it to none. I have to observe how my newly cleaned computer acts. I hope cleaning "fixed" it.

 

[jaybles169]

Removed first time ever by myself processor surface cooler and it was really dusty.

Hopefully you just removed your fan, because if you removed your heatsink without cleaning and reapplying thermal paste your CPU is probably going to start on fire and/or melt.

I think I remember learning back in my highschool days that computer/electronics speed halves at a certain degree (somewhere in the 90's I think) and then halves again every degree after that. Long story short, dust can insulate your computer and seriously decrease it's runspeed. That may be one of your problems.

Did this computer ever run Windows XP ok? Or did you just try installing it? I can't imagine a computer running XP very smoothly with only 256 megs of RAM. That's next to nothing for memory. Like you can buy 4 times as much for 10 dollars now. So that could be your other problem.

The last problem could be that your computer is super old . I don't think you can even buy Celerons anymore, aside from ebay. But it might be about time for a new one :thup:.

 

[Sooda]

> The last problem could be that your computer is super old

Yeah that would be it. Removed cooler entirely, I know the thermal pasta got damaged, but thought cleaning was more important, otherwise these ceramic plate gaps would be still dusty now they shine I should buy thermal pasta and add it between cpu and cooler.

Cleaning computer did not fixed my problem, I had to boot from 'Last known good configuration' Windows XP. Decided to turn off Graphics Card Hardware Acceleration entirely with disabled write combining.
After that my computer did not become non-responsive while loading Windows XP. I really start to suspect faulty graphics card drivers. I use NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440 with AGPX8, it has 64 mb memory -- now that is old school computer

I have thought to delay and instead upgrading my computer to buy new one. But with financial crisis no new toys for me

This computer suits for my humble needs -- I can play Warcraft 3 with low settings, write tutorials for World Editor (OpenOffice) and tinker with the Gimp, Blender (3D modeling software).

I reinstall latest Windows XP drivers for my video card and try to buy thermal pasta

 

[Sooda]

Fixed my problem, it was caused by corrupted Nvidia graphic card drivers, I downloaded newer ones and installed them and everything works fine.

I got 160 MB additional RAM also (now my pc has 416 MB of RAM). Cleaned my pc from dust and put thermal paste between cooler and cpu again.

If anybody suffers same problem

Start > Run > type in 'dxdiag' (without ''), wait until program loads go to 'Display' tab and see is on 'driver' side something 'N/ A'-d or 'Unknown'. For me only 'WHQL Logo'd' is N/ A and VDD is N/A. All other fields should have value. If there are more N/ A or Unknown values you might try this (Your Graphics Card drivers may be corrupted and crash Windows XP before Logon box)

I suggest to start Windows in safe mode (press F8 key (may vary on computers) before Windows XP starts to load, after bios has loaded (all that gray text) and choose from menu 'Start Windows In Safe Mode'. Then on Desktop open Display Settings (Right click -- Properties) and from there 'Settings' Tab then 'Advanced' from Advanced pick 'Troubleshoot' and set Hardware Acceleration to none and disable 'Write Combining' then you have to restart your computer before new settings will apply. Now you can restart Windows XP normally.
Search from internet your video card latest drivers, download them and install (DirectX shows what video card you got). This should fix your crash before Windows Logon problem.

 

[Sooda]

Turned out I still got this problem even when I disable Hardware Acceleration and 'Write Combining'.

I'm currently using Windows in safe mode with networking (I can surf net). With safe mode Windows works, but when I try normal mode it crashes bit before Windows Logon screen appears or when it is shown.

What can cause it? Can my video card be broken? Can it be Windows problem, if I need to reinstall Windows (Which I have never done before) I know it is possible to keep so far files. Help me figure out what might cause this crash. I added extra RAM, but this problem was even before and after that still.

I try to Google bit about crashes before Logon screen and Hardware Acceleration.

 

[13lade619]

maybe your hardware is shot.. the video card.

 

[DDRtists]

maybe your hardware is shot.. the video card.

Chances are, it's not that. Most times, if a video card is no longer working, you don't see a picture on your screen unless you use the onboard video slot.

 

[Sooda]

I disabled most of my optional start up programs and Windows has not crashed after that, I suspect one specific program for crashing Windows -- Estonian Citizen Identification application, it is currently disabled at start up and everything works fine.
I even enabled again full Hardware Acceleration and Write Combining. I let only start Nvidia Settings programs and still runs fine. Good news for me

 

[Sooda]

Updates, my pc "crashes" when I do cold boot, when I try to restart it sometimes more (Combining with Safe Mode start XD) it eventually loads XP and I can log in. When I am on desktop it never crashes, I can even play Warcraft III (Means Graphics Card should be fine?).

It happened again, but this time I have boot log parts taken out (Cold boot which ended with crash and restart into Safe Mode with Networking after that).

I looked which was last driver loaded when computer crashed and it was 'Cdfs.SYS'. I don't know which driver should come next but in Safe Mode came 'ndisuio.sys'. End part from cold boot crash:

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\wanarp.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\rdbss.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\mouhid.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\mrxsmb.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Fips.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\BANTExt.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Cdfs.SYS

and for comparison Safe Mode log which went on from there:

Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Cdfs.SYS
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ndisuio.sys
Did not load driver Intel PentiumIII Processor
Did not load driver NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X
Did not load driver USB Smart Card reader
Did not load driver VIA AC'97 Audio Controller (WDM)
Did not load driver Communications Port
Did not load driver Communications Port
Did not load driver Printer Port
Did not load driver Audio Codecs
Did not load driver Legacy Audio Drivers
Did not load driver Media Control Devices
Did not load driver Legacy Video Capture Devices
Did not load driver Video Codecs
Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\rdbss.sys
Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\mrxsmb.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\srv.sys
Did not load driver \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\ipnat.sys
Loaded driver \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\Fastfat.SYS

Ok did I just realized it points my Graphics Card thingy is cause of error?
Lastly I don't get why log repeats same 'Did not load driver <all my crucial graphics and sound drivers> over and over?

Lastly attached log of these two boots. Can some tech Wizards help me?

 

[CaptDeath]

what was the last thing you did on your comp?
cause ether A your drivers are some how no longer compatible
B you changed some value realting to the drivers
C i dont know

 

[Sooda]

Second log is from Safe Mode start. Drivers work "fine" if I succeed to proceed to desktop I could even play Warcraft III how much I want. My computer only becomes randomly non-responsive when I turn on my computer.

 

[Sooda]

Problem solved, my video adapter, Geforce MX440 was fried (broke?), I bought new one, Geforce 6200 AGP and now everything works fine. Thanks all for help. This time Windows Diagnostic tools were correct.