Curse

awesome sauce · Jan 30, 2010, 07:55 PM // 19:55

Computer gets to windows (xp) loading screen, shifts about two bars to the right, and freezes completely. It also freezes when loading in safe mode and from the reinstall menu off of the partition.

Thanks

Dre · Jan 30, 2010, 08:34 PM // 20:34

Try starting your PC with the install disk
You might be able to repair your system

Braxton619 · Jan 30, 2010, 08:51 PM // 20:51

It might be corrupt Windows files. Try booting from your OS disc and attempt to repair your system. If it still occurs, try formatting and re-installing the OS. If it still occurs, I would replace the HDD.

Abedeus · Jan 30, 2010, 08:54 PM // 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braxton619

It might be corrupt Windows files. Try booting from your OS disc and attempt to repair your system. If it still occurs, try formatting and re-installing the OS. If it still occurs, I would replace the HDD.

Or he could try booting Linux from USB, with SeaTools installed, and run all tests. If the HDD fails any of them, that'll be your answer. HD Tune Pro also can help you check for damaged sectors or other diagnostician stuff.

Bob Slydell · Jan 31, 2010, 01:02 AM // 01:02

That's a corruption in your operating system files somewhere. It CAN also be dying RAM or simply a driver that turned bad. But if your HDD was dying, you'd most likely know it (clicks of death, loud motor) but there could also be bad sectors that usually can be repaired.

awesome sauce · Jan 31, 2010, 04:12 PM // 16:12

Hmm alright I'll try and reinstall. Thanks guys.

Tarun · Jan 31, 2010, 05:12 PM // 17:12

Try booting into Safe Mode first. If you're able to do that, attempt an sfc /purgecache followed by sfc /scannow.

awesome sauce · Feb 02, 2010, 03:37 AM // 03:37

Hmm... I just tried loading from a boot disk and it froze again. Does this mean it must be a RAM/driver problem?

Elder III · Feb 02, 2010, 12:03 PM // 12:03

It sounds like a dead hard drive. You need to try to run some hard drive tests, or pull it and put it in a different computer to test it.

Quaker · Feb 02, 2010, 10:52 PM // 22:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by awesome sauce

Hmm... I just tried loading from a boot disk and it froze again. Does this mean it must be a RAM/driver problem?

Actually, it could be a few things. Off the top of my head:
Bad RAM
Bad HDD
Bad motherboard (the result of faulty capacitors usually)
Bad Power Supply
Bad almost anything else.

awesome sauce · Feb 06, 2010, 02:36 AM // 02:36

Well, it appears that it is magically working again. I removed a bunch of hardware to test, then put everything back, tried booting again, and it was successful. I did what Tarun said as soon as it booted, just in case.

Good story though: I went to my brother's to test the hard drive, which turned out to be working fine, and on the way back I forgot that I had placed it on top of the car. It fell off while I was driving, and I had to run into the middle of the street to get it. Still works!

Elder III · Feb 06, 2010, 03:18 AM // 03:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by awesome sauce

Good story though: I went to my brother's to test the hard drive, which turned out to be working fine, and on the way back I forgot that I had placed it on top of the car. It fell off while I was driving, and I had to run into the middle of the street to get it. Still works!

*shakes head* ..............

Master Ketsu · Feb 06, 2010, 05:53 AM // 05:53

Generally if it's HD failure you wont make it past the boot screen as it wont even recognize that you have an OS.

One way to tell in the future is get a Linux live CD ( like Ubuntu ) which are free, and see if your computer can boot Ubuntu from the CD without installing it. If you can get to the linux Gnome desktop, your HD is most likely fine. If you get some shitty sda0/sda1 errors that repeat themselves and never boot, your HD is likely borked.

It a good idea to have a live CD regardless of what you are doing. There are a bunch of diagnostic/Partition tools you can run from it to save a broken system.

Quaker · Feb 07, 2010, 04:31 PM // 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by awesome sauce

Well, it appears that it is magically working again. I removed a bunch of hardware to test, then put everything back, tried booting again, and it was successful.

I should have thought of that. Often times a bit of dust or corrosion can get on a connector. Unplugging and re-plugging can fix that.

Quote:

Good story though: I went to my brother's to test the hard drive, which turned out to be working fine, and on the way back I forgot that I had placed it on top of the car. It fell off while I was driving, and I had to run into the middle of the street to get it. Still works!

Lol! Was it a Timex?