Support NeoGAF

[Mason]

The title says it all. I was just doing work and the computer started getting slow, like it does when I'm doing a lot of stuff and haven't rebooted in a long time. It all started with Excel, I believe; it would take a second to minimize and come back up and that type of thing (nothing that's never happened before). So I did a CTRLALTDELETE and chose restart Windows. Now it won't boot. It starts booting up like normal, then it sits there at the Windows XP Home Edition loading screen and after several minutes, it flashes a blue screen for an instant and restarts, asking me to choose between safe mode, normal, etc.

I've got Knoppix up and running and everything's still on the HDD and all that. I don't have any idea what is wrong or where to go from here. Should I insert the XP installation disc and choose that one "repair Windows" option (or whatever it's called)? I just don't want to lose any data. And how do I burn DVDs with Knoppix? In case I need to backup data.

 

[Crow357]

Can you boot into safe mode?
Also, I believe there is a way to boot up with logging turned on.
It will create a log of all the device drivers that are loading.
There is probably one that isn't loading.
As a last resort, you could reinstall windows without formatting your hard drive. You'd have to re-install your windows software.

 

[Mason]

When I choose safe mode, it starts listing out .dlls and stuff, so I assume that's the listing thing you're talking about. After it gets done listing, it reboots the computer.

And about the last resort thing, what do you mean I'd have to reinstall my Windows software? Just like Microsoft products or every program? I think last time I reinstalled Windows without reformatting, I had to reinstall all my programs, but at least all my files and data were there.

 

[Shazapp]

I had a similar problem earlier this year. I could go into safe mode and everything seemed OK, but my computer refused to boot Windows normally. It turned out to be a corrupted video card driver.

 

[Mason]

I had a similar problem earlier this year. I could go into safe mode and everything seemed OK, but my computer refused to boot Windows normally. It turned out to be a corrupted video card driver.

Well I can't even get into safe mode, it just reboots.

But now that you mention it, when I tried to play a couple different games yesterday, I was getting weird problems where certain parts of the picture would flicker on and off or turn black. It's hard to explain. So I think it could possibly be a videocard thing. How would I go about fixing that? And why did it happen? I haven't updated my drivers since the last ForceWare release in early November.

 

[Ill Saint]

Had a similar problem too... amazingly enough, Windows 2000 repair (booted from start-up) fixed whatever the problem was.

 

[Mason]

Had a similar problem too... amazingly enough, Windows 2000 repair (booted from start-up) fixed whatever the problem was.

So I guess I should stick the XP CD in and do a repair? I'm just so terrified of losing anything.

 

[Crow357]

Hopefully you wouldn't lose any data, but trying the repair option is a good idea.

 

[Catapult Beetle]

Some months ago I had a similar problem, and the solution was to flash the motherboard's BIOS. If nothing else works, might as well give this a try.

 

[Mason]

I'm in the process of backing up important files to DVD with Knoppix. Then I'm gonna try the repair option on the XP install disc, but I think that didn't work last time I had a problem like this. I guess we'll see.

 

[Heezzi]

Try doing a System Restore from a previous state first.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

In safe mode, there's an option to boot to the 'Last Known Good Configuration'.

Tried that?

 

[fart]

hmm, this is tricky. here's what i think:

note this is all assuming you haven't changed anything configuration-related recently that would cause a software issue to pop up. if you have, start by undoing that change.

you're definitely starting off right. back up everything you can

then, start by running a drive utility to check your format (ie, chkdsk, norton, etc.)

whether or not this fixes the problem, run a low level drive checker (your drive manufacturer's site should have an appropriate utility). if it doesn't pass, you're either going to need to low level the drive to map out bad blocks (and likely buy a new drive you can trust) or toss the thing out and start over again. if it does pass, and also passed chkdsk, but still doesn't boot, you probably have a different hardware problem.

this is the trickiest part. you'll want to pull everything you can from the computer; leave only your motherboard + processor + psu (natch), a video board, a stick of ram, and your boot drive. now, try to boot. if it still doesn't boot, swap each component piece by piece with a known good replacement until it does. otherwise, add components until it starts booting.

if none of this works, or you're totally lost, have someone else look at it.

good luck!

 

[DaCocoBrova]

^^

Fuck all that... Just backup and re-build.

 

[Heezzi]

In safe mode, there's an option to boot to the 'Last Known Good Configuration'.

Tried that?

^^^^ that one saved me many times.

 

[fart]

my guess is that the slowdown and blue screens are evidence that the drive is going. you can't just "backup and re-build" on bad hardware. you have to isolate the problem and remove it first.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

It doesn't seem like the hard drive tho. There was no real system instability prior to all this. None of the signs say 'HD failure' to me.

*shrug*

 

[fart]

actually i just read it again and it sounds like he rebooted in the middle of a ton of drive activity and corrupted some important data (i'm guessing the other slowdown was in his head). he should be good after a chkdsk.

 

[Mason]

I'm doing the repair, but it asks for the Windows Administrator password. There is only one account and I tried that password but it doesn't work. What is the default administrator password? I couldn't have changed it.

 

[Mason]

Ok, I got it figured out and Windows reinstalled. But when I boot my system, right before Windows starts loading I get a black screen with a white progress bar that takes at least 5 minutes to load.

My problem is EXACTLY the same as the one described here:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1101762122

They say to install DX9.0c and the latest videocard drivers and I have done both of those things, yet this still happens. Does anyone have any idea what this is?