Strange Trouble with Computer

S

stryker_37

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 25, 2000
Messages
158
You can see my specs in my sig below...

I came back from break to a freezing room, literally...33F and checked for condensation. None was apparent so I booted my computer, especially since it would help to heat the room. It booted fine and all my data seemed fine, but as I installed GTA3 (I had purchased the game over the break for fun) I ran into some errors, something about a possibility of the disc having corrupt files, which seemed ludicrous as I had installed and played the game on two other computers. So I forced the install and upon completion the computer seemed fine, but it soon locked up bit by bit over a period of a couple minutes: it would stutter playing MP3s and then come back and then stutter again, until it fully locked up. I rebooted and then I came across the problem I have not been able to solve...
When I boot, the computer goes thru the standard routine until Windows XP kicks in and the screen goes blank. Then a solitary progress bar appears on the bottom of the screen, a DOS type, not the standard Windows XP bar. That fills and the computer begins the Win XP Pro boot process, I get a few seconds into that and the computer just reboots itself back to the BIOS.
I wonder if it's a PSU problem...it would seem not to be CPU, RAM, Motherboard or Video card as the computer boots thru the BIOS and there is a display. So I am left wondering if it's a PSU problem (I have an Enermax 350W whisper PSU, only a couple years old) or a HDD problem resulting from the GTA3 install, which would be weird...but possible.
Also, the computer's fan make a strangely loud noise that they had never made before. They turn but make a grinding sound...I wonder if the temps got to the bearings?

Can anyone help me in diagnosing the problem with my PC? Unfortunately it would be very difficult to swap components, so any other methods would be preferable...I know there arent many others, but any ideas are very appreciated...TIA
 
memtest86 (www.google.com)
make a bootdisk w/ it, and then let it run overnight and see if it's the RAM.

seems to be the only non-swapping thing i can think of at the moment...sry.
 
Well, memtest86 has been running for over an hour now (without any errors), which tells me two things:
1. the RAM is at least decent on the surface, which makes sense as it's quality Mushkin RAM.
2. that the PSU is fine, since the test has been running for a sufficient amount of time without rebooting.

As such, the problem must be in the OS...
Does any one know where I should start when troubleshooting Win XP Pro? I'd rather not format and reinstall...but obviously if that's the only way, then that's that...

Thanks to Carnival Forces for the reminder to use MemTest86, I tend to forget such utilities.
 
well, my quick fix is always to shout "REFORMAT!!!", but if you don't want to do that...

a REPAIR install, perhaps?

or *shudder* MS tech support?
 
by reinstall do you mean by means of the recovery console?
if so, what commands should be used? if not, then i'm a little lost...
 
no, not the recovery consiole. Go a little deeper into the install and then you can 'repair' the install
 
where is this option within the WinXP setup?
once i attempt to install, it only offers two options: to delete the previous or to install to a different folder.
i do recall an option allowing repair, but i am not able to remember where it is and how to get to it


would this technique work?
http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm


well, i think that i would not be able to repair the windows installation. also, chkdsk found unrecoverable errors. i'm thinking that probably the only thing that will save this computer is a full format and reinstall of windows.
 
is there something else that i should try before just formatting the partition and reinstalling windows?
 
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