Computer fails to start up

Johnboy · External Since: Aug 04, 2007 Posts: 2

My computer just quit starting up. When I turn it on it goes through its
normal startup functions for about 20-40 seconds and then freezes or shuts
down. Occasionally I can get to the "Safe Mode", but only twice in 50
attempts. Even then as I was diagnosing some programs in just turned off and
tried to restart, which froze again. I have a Systemax computer with Vista
Business factory installed. No problems for maybe 6 months since I've owned
it. Since I can't get it to start, I don't know how to trouble shoot it!
Help!
PS: I tried to use the Vista disk for startup, but it doesn't read it.
Thanks!

Malke · External Since: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 1218

Johnboy wrote:
> My computer just quit starting up. When I turn it on it goes through its
> normal startup functions for about 20-40 seconds and then freezes or shuts
> down. Occasionally I can get to the "Safe Mode", but only twice in 50
> attempts. Even then as I was diagnosing some programs in just turned off and
> tried to restart, which froze again. I have a Systemax computer with Vista
> Business factory installed. No problems for maybe 6 months since I've owned
> it. Since I can't get it to start, I don't know how to trouble shoot it!
> Help!
> PS: I tried to use the Vista disk for startup, but it doesn't read it.
> Thanks!

From your description, this is a hardware issue and not software
(Vista). Here are some general hardware troubleshooting steps:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Standard caveat: Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out
suspected parts with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing
yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer, take the
machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local
equivalent of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad).

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

anandk · External Since: Apr 02, 2007 Posts: 27

had i been in yr place, i would have tried last known good config. else got
into safe mode and disable all startups (excepting ur av/as) from ur startup
list. run msconfig.
now c if u can reboot normally. then u will have 2 try and identify which
program is causing a problem.
--
http://www.WinVistaClub.com
Microsoft MVP 2007 Awardee.

Johnboy · External Since: Aug 04, 2007 Posts: 2

I checked your web link and one of the posibilities was overheating, so I
opened the tower and blew it out fordust bunnies and started it while it was
open. I got to try the "last safe configuration" and it almost made it
through the process before dying. Then I got to the safe mode and it booted
up. Just as I was going to disabe some of the start up programs, it flashed
the "blue screen of death" that says something like "starting physical
memory dump".

I'll keep on trying and waiting on other comments. I have a 500GB SATA HD,
might that be bad?

Thanks again!

"Malke" wrote:

> Johnboy wrote:
> > My computer just quit starting up. When I turn it on it goes through its
> > normal startup functions for about 20-40 seconds and then freezes or shuts
> > down. Occasionally I can get to the "Safe Mode", but only twice in 50
> > attempts. Even then as I was diagnosing some programs in just turned off and
> > tried to restart, which froze again. I have a Systemax computer with Vista
> > Business factory installed. No problems for maybe 6 months since I've owned
> > it. Since I can't get it to start, I don't know how to trouble shoot it!
> > Help!
> > PS: I tried to use the Vista disk for startup, but it doesn't read it.
> > Thanks!
>
> From your description, this is a hardware issue and not software
> (Vista). Here are some general hardware troubleshooting steps:
>
> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot
>
> Standard caveat: Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out
> suspected parts with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing
> yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer, take the
> machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local
> equivalent of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad).
>
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>

Malke · External Since: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 1218

Johnboy wrote:
> I checked your web link and one of the posibilities was overheating, so I
> opened the tower and blew it out fordust bunnies and started it while it was
> open. I got to try the "last safe configuration" and it almost made it
> through the process before dying. Then I got to the safe mode and it booted
> up. Just as I was going to disabe some of the start up programs, it flashed
> the "blue screen of death" that says something like "starting physical
> memory dump".
>
> I'll keep on trying and waiting on other comments. I have a 500GB SATA HD,
> might that be bad?

Any one of the many hardware components might be bad. That's why I gave
you the link to various hardware troubleshooting steps. All
troubleshooting - hardware or software - should be done systematically.
Make only one change/test at a time, make notes, see what happens after
each troubleshooting step.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Bruce Chambers · External Since: Mar 30, 2006 Posts: 523

Johnboy wrote:
> My computer just quit starting up. When I turn it on it goes through its
> normal startup functions for about 20-40 seconds and then freezes or shuts
> down. Occasionally I can get to the "Safe Mode", but only twice in 50
> attempts. Even then as I was diagnosing some programs in just turned off and
> tried to restart, which froze again. I have a Systemax computer with Vista
> Business factory installed. No problems for maybe 6 months since I've owned
> it. Since I can't get it to start, I don't know how to trouble shoot it!
> Help!
> PS: I tried to use the Vista disk for startup, but it doesn't read it.
> Thanks!

Contact the manufacturer for warranty assistance with what is very
probably a hardware failure.

--

Bruce Chambers

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