computer won't boot past bios loading image.

rovingcowboy · Joined: Jan 26, 2003 Posts: 1515

something going on here happened just last night some time.
went to sleep got up at 3am on the 4th. and the computer was not working sitting here with monitor turned on but only the standby light was on. the computer was on. so tried mouse it did not bring it up so it was not in hibernation.
been trying all day to get this to work.
can't boot it from backup cd' cant boot it from safemode cause i can't get in to safe mode. but the longer i leave it off the farther i get it to load.
but while i'm able sometimes to press the enter set up buttons
when 'im in the bois trying to find the way to get it to load default settings.

the monitor shuts off.

if i try to reboot computer then it just shows me a fast glimpse of the bios loading screen, but its so fast i can't press on the enter buttons and then the monitor shuts off again. only way to get it to try and load again is to press the off button on the tower and wait for it to shut down seems like it is working but can't be sure.
now and then when i get it to load past the bios loading screen it shows me a cant load op system error and shuts monitor down.

when trying to boot it i can see it running the boot sequ.. by lighting up the computer drive lights trying to find a bootable os system. don't know why it can't find the one on the hd.

not sure what is going on. it was working fine just sitting here running screen saver waiting for the nightly av to run and it seems to have done this before the ave had time to start up. so some thing is strange.
it is an xp pro sp3 system on a batterie back up supply so the spikes and drops of the power dont get to the unit.

had been getting bosd saying it was shut down to protect system a few times over the last 3 or 4 months.
i was able to get in to the safemode and run maintance and fix what every was wrong. but this time i can't even get it to show me the boot up page. shucks it wont even show me the windows loading screen.

anyone have any idea what is making this happen.
and how to fix it

goretsky · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:29 am Post subject:

Hello,

Please post hardware specifications (brand, model and age of component, if known). That may be helpful in isolating the problem.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

First - unhook it from the UPS & try. In some rare cases, they can go bad & cause all kinds of troubles, like yours.

Second - get a bootable disk of some sort, floppy, CD or whatever your machine will support & see if it will boot off that.

Also, note any POST BEEPS it may be making. Then report back...

rovingcowboy · Joined: Jan 26, 2003 Posts: 1515

can't get the spec's from it

only that it is a lenovo xp pro came with xp on it.
back up partition from company won't even load.
the drive is a ata 160 gb drive has no floppy.

won't even boot with ultimate boot disk.

looks like it trys to boot up about 3 times before it stops.
but the logo screen that flashes on for the bio's and says lenovo
just flashs on the screen for like a ten of a second or so.
no time to press any button. not sure what is going on with it.
going to try some time to take the hd to the other computer which i just set up for my jukebox because its the only other one with ata support

if the drive is viewable in it and i can scan and fix it there then i'll get it fixed if in deed its software. but if it is the video chip on the mb. then i'm guessing its another trip to the online stores to find one out there that fits this case and has ata support. and is cheap.
will have to fit this intell cpu on it though? i got the stuff already from the last purchess of hardware,

but i hope i can get it fixed with it being just a software issue.

Confused

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

I assume that it's not giving any POST error beeps?

Checking that HD, isn't a bad idea as it will tell you if your data is OK but since it won't boot AT ALL (form CD), I'd say it's probably OK, & at least NOT your main problem.

Since you plan to open it anyway, check the boards. Any bad components, not seated, etc. Plus plugs, especially power. - may as well check the CMOS batt., too.

There could be a NUMBER of things causing this (memory, video, etc), just need to "go down the list" & eliminated them. Time consuming as <censored> but it's the only way I see, at the moment.

If you need specifics, let me know - as I'm assuming that you've done this enough that you already have a pretty good idea of what the "list" is.

goretsky · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 9:17 pm Post subject:

Hello,

Is there a model number, part number or FRU tag listed on the Lenovo computer? If so, what does it say?

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

zzron357 · Joined: Oct 14, 2004 Posts: 65

Hi Keith,
Check for minimum 3.0 volts bios battery.
Lower volts could explain some of your symptoms.
Best wishes, zzron

rovingcowboy · Joined: Jan 26, 2003 Posts: 1515

the lenovo is dead in the water.

its demise was the onboard video chip something dealing with it caused the mb to be toast. can't find what it was but i do see several caps that have their tops looking like some body hit the inside of a car trunk lid bending it to try and get out. so it seems they got hot or too much power at one time. not sure which but i remember getting hit with a power surge just not sure when, and i had the computer on a battery backup.
maybe two complete computer setups was too much for the battery backup.? it is old.

still the motherboard is the cause of the not booting up. the symtoms are and might include these

1. computer wont shut done it keeps restarting even if you press the power button on the unit.
you have to hold it until the computer shuts off.

2. flakie memory of locations of desktop icons. even with program to keep them loaded in your set location.

3. boot up time not taking any set time its either long or short bootup time.

those are what the computer was doing but i gave 2 and 3 little thought. and i could not find any good info about number 1,

but all those started about a month before it crapped the av chip set on me.

Confused

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

Sorry to hear that but glad you were able to find the problem. It's not surprising though, as there are a lot of CHEAP caps that "sneak" onto MB's now of days & believe it or not, will swell like that just from "age" (usage).

Well I guess now you can start the salvage part of the game. Crying or Very sad

BTW: one COULD try replacing the bad caps, but it would be a crap shot as to whether it took out any other components as well. & given what you said, I imagine it did. So, one would have to ask themselves, is it worth it? - probably not.

goretsky · Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 8:33 pm Post subject:

Hello,

I would strongly suggest you check with Lenovo. Many computer manufacturers provide free repairs for capacitor damage, even on systems which are otherwise out of warranty.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

rovingcowboy · Joined: Jan 26, 2003 Posts: 1515

thanks guys but the checking with the lenovo company is not an option, it is a 2004 motherboard. i just bought a new gigabyte borad.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?E...o=53173

got a cpu cooler also so to keep that cool but i could not get a mb, for my intel cpu that would use the ddr2 ram i had just bought, so i had to switch to amd.
so the lenovo case is going to have new ram, new mb, and new pw supply.

anyone want to buy this 4 year old intel cpu, i know its old tech so im stuck with it. i'll stick it in the box with the 900 hrz amd maybe i'll use them sometime. like the rest of the old parts. its a mad plan to get every one having a pile of un usable computer parts in their closets. Surprised

all that about how to switch motherboards cause i forgot how.?

i typed that on this computer which i had switched the motherboard in 3 to 4 years ago. and i kept the drive and data from the old board with it.
nothing like using the items your asking for help with and not remembering you did that. i said my mind hurt from trying to fix that lenovo. Rolling Eyes

LDonegan · Joined: Jan 20, 2010 Posts: 2

Keith;
I am suspecting that the I/O Controller or cable either on the mother board for a IDE Drive or a cable for the SATA Drive may be the culprit.

You do not say what type of drive this machine has within it. However irregardless you need find out inside the machine on types of cables it has. Most computer shops, or for that matter maybe Radio Shack Store may have a IDE cable or SATA cable. Once you get a new cable and try it out that may help and if it does not it tells me that either the I/O Connection on the Motherboard or the Drive may be defective. I would do the conservative approach by checking CABLES first but you do need find out what type first.

L. Donegan Ph.D. C.I.S.

rovingcowboy · Joined: Jan 26, 2003 Posts: 1515

thanks but i got the new mb listed at the link in my last post above.
and i now can get it to load the bio's and set it up but when it starts to load windows it then gives me the error alert that says.

an fatal error has accoured and windows has been stopped to protect your system. scan for virus's or check the hd config. then restart system.
but i can't do any thing it locks at that point.

it has new cable for the sata drive. not for the ide dvdrw unit though. would that cause the error cause its old gray cable?
Surprised