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  • Windows Startup problems

    First post on my blog October 7:
    I've always turned off my desktop box at night. Recently when I've turned it on in the morning I get the Compaq splash page (it's a Compaq Presario SR5510F) but it never gets past that to the usual Windows Vista sign-in page. I've tried doing Startup Repair by pressing the F8 key while the machine starts, but when doing so I'm told it finds no errors.

    Usually after turning off the machine with its On/Off switch it boots correctly, but I live in terror that someday soon it won't. I've got backups of my files, so that's not a big worry, but I really would like to have a working machine.

    Any suggestions?
    So I tried leaving it on overnight, but it shuts down and then I struggle to restart it in the morning.

    Second post from my blog, this morning:
    I'm still having computer startup problems. I've run a full battery of hardware tests and they confirm that everything tested is working fine. I'm now wondering if upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 might resolve this issue. It's certainly cheaper to upgrade the OS than to buy a brand new machine, particularly when the machine's hardware seems to be in fine shape.

    Thoughts?
    So has anyone done that upgrade or have any other suggestions?

    Thanks.
    http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

  • #2
    Re: Windows Startup problems

    When I used PCs (primarily Dells), I'd wipe out the hard drive completely almost every year, doing a clean install from the original discs then tediously running all the Windows Update fixes and patches. Basically, simply running them was enough for them to grind down to uselessness pretty quickly, even avoiding software changes and installs as much as possible.

    Looks like your computer came out in May 2008, so still new enough to be usable. But it also looks like it came with Windows Vista, which was a disaster, IMHO. I'd done more than a few downgrades from Vista to XP for friends just to avoid it.

    So, at minimum, I'd format and reinstall a fresh copy of Vista. At best, I'd format and install Windows 7. I almost actually think Windows 7 is almost tolerable, and that's saying something from a Mac user!

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    • #3
      Re: Windows Startup problems

      Why in the hell can't they make these things last longer than two or three years? The previous one lasted from January 2005 until October 2008, when I bought the one I'm now having trouble with.

      I've got recovery disks, but I can't boot from them (despite being told during the creation process that I could). The "bootable" CD diagnostics disk I've also created doesn't boot either. And of course Vista was pre-installed with no disks included in the purchase.

      I'm ticked off.
      http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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      • #4
        Re: Windows Startup problems

        And now the sound has gone out, right in the middle of the 4th quarter of the UH game while I was listening to the live stream of ESPN 1420. I've tried other music from iTunes and from YouTube, but nothing.

        This is beyond annoying and rapidly verging on sudden system collapse.
        http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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        • #5
          Re: Windows Startup problems

          Oh, boy. You should see this kluge setup I'm using. Asus EEE netbook with HP monitor plugged into the VGA plug, speakers plugged into the netbook's out plugs, 4-in-1 USB hub plugged into one of the three ports so printer can work, Ethernet cable attached to netbook.

          Wires and cables everywhere.
          http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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          • #6
            Re: Windows Startup problems

            If a bootable disk doesn't work (ie Ubuntu start up disk), and all you get is the splash screen, it could be as simple as the CMOS battery getting weak.

            If it does load up a bootable disk, but cannot get to the Windows Operating system, I'd say it's the OS itself being corrupted.

            If you are slowly losing start up items like sound, and other "driver-related" items (such as NIC, video card, printer items), it could be the start of the end of your hard drive...start backing your data up like really fast.

            Why do computers last only five years on average? Because the Lithium battery lasts about that long. Even Macs have em, called PRAM batteries. In PC's it called a CMOS Battery. Essentially the same thing and they die like all batteries but can be replaced.
            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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            • #7
              Re: Windows Startup problems

              For once, Craig, I'm pretty well backed up and prepared for a disaster. I've even managed to get GMail to recognize all my other email accounts and fetch them into my GMail inbox.

              I'm thinking of taking the box in to get a diagnosis, but I shudder at the cost. Anyone know any computer repair place that's reputable and relatively inexpensive?
              http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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              • #8
                Re: Windows Startup problems

                start with the basics of computer troubleshooting. First off does the computer's clock seem to be slowing down? If so it's your battery.

                If it loads the BIOS (everything up to the Windows Splash screen) then more than likely your OS is corrupted. Best advice is to simply reinstall it if you have the back up or recovery disks that came with it.

                If the BIOS seems to take forever (everything before the Windows Splash screen) then it could be a peripheral such as your optical drives or even the hard drive. When the BIOS loads up, it searches for onboard devices. First is the I/O devices such as the keyboard and mouse, then optical devices and finally the hard drive. Sometimes it's as simple as a defective keyboard or mouse. The mouse you can boot up without, however removing the keyboard will result in an I/O error message during the BIOS boot sequence. Do you have USB devices plugged in? Remove them first and reboot. Some BIOS' don't like some flash drives such as Sandisk that incorporates the U3 system.

                From your original post it seems it hangs at the Windows Splash screen (the one right before it loads to the desktop or the welcome/log on screen. If this is the case your OS is corrupt. It is not loading up the appropriate run.dll files necessary for boot up to the OS.

                Also if this is the case there is absolutely nothing wrong physically with your computer, it's all software related. Do you have your recovery disks that came with your computer? On some computers you have to burn a bootable disk that will launch a hidden partition on your hard drive that contains the OS and related drivers and support software.
                Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Windows Startup problems

                  Originally posted by Linkmeister View Post
                  Why in the hell can't they make these things last longer than two or three years? The previous one lasted from January 2005 until October 2008, when I bought the one I'm now having trouble with.

                  I've got recovery disks, but I can't boot from them (despite being told during the creation process that I could). The "bootable" CD diagnostics disk I've also created doesn't boot either. And of course Vista was pre-installed with no disks included in the purchase.

                  I'm ticked off.
                  Sorry I didn't read this part. Do you know how to enter your "Setup" screen during the BIOS bootup? Sometimes it takes repeated pressings of either the ESC or the F1 or the F8, F9, or the DEL key while the BIOS is booting up.

                  Once inside the SETUP screen navigate to the Boot portion and select the CD/DVD ROM drive as the first bootable device followed by your hard drive. Save this and reboot with the recovery disk inside. Now when the computer loads the BIOS it will search for the CD/DVD ROM drive first then the hard drive. If there is a recovery disk installed it should boot to it instead of the hard drive with a DOS message to press any key to load from the CD/DVD.

                  At that point the CD recovery disk takes over and you can start the reinstall at that point. BEware though when it asks to format the hard drive partition you selected to mount the OS on, it will wipe it clean meaning you will lose any data you stored on that computer.
                  Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Windows Startup problems

                    Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
                    Once inside the SETUP screen navigate to the Boot portion and select the CD/DVD ROM drive as the first bootable device followed by your hard drive. Save this and reboot with the recovery disk inside. Now when the computer loads the BIOS it will search for the CD/DVD ROM drive first then the hard drive. If there is a recovery disk installed it should boot to it instead of the hard drive with a DOS message to press any key to load from the CD/DVD.

                    At that point the CD recovery disk takes over and you can start the reinstall at that point. BEware though when it asks to format the hard drive partition you selected to mount the OS on, it will wipe it clean meaning you will lose any data you stored on that computer.
                    Ah. Well, getting to the Setup screen was dodgy; I could probably access it once every ten tries. I'll try to remember that with the next box.

                    I didn't get any disks with the machine. The OS was pre-installed. I'm not sure what I can do at this point. I'm still working with the netbook and muttering grimly.
                    http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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                    • #11
                      Re: Windows Startup problems

                      it comes down to timing. You have to know when to hit the appropriate button during the BIOS boot sequence. If you wait too long, the hard drive will start accessing the OS. At that point you may as well reboot and try again.
                      Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Windows Startup problems

                        I'm on my second computer since 1997, thought I've destroyed 4 hard drives during that time (still working on the fifth). I've had other peripherals die (2 monitors, cd player, 2 printers, modem [pre-DSL]), but I'd bet your hard drive is losing it.
                        May I always be found beneath your contempt.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Windows Startup problems

                          does it boot up in safemode? Perhaps the manufacturer created a system restore point all the way to the original factory settings?
                          -kp!

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