I have a fairly nice pc running Windows XP Home. I thought I was having a hardware problem, but it has been at the computer shop for almost a week and they have run every test on the hardware they can and nothing shows up, so it must be the software..??..

This has been going on for about 6 months now and I have reinstalled Windows at least 4 times and the same thing keeps happening.

It runs fine for about a week or so then I start having problems on boot up. It will go through the post and somewhere before the windows screen it will reboot itself, then come up with the Safe Mode screen. I tell it to start normally which it does and Windows comes up.

But if I go into a program (doesnt matter which program) or IE it will lock up and I have to use the reset button. If I instead log out and restart my computer through windows, it comes back up fine and everything works great.

Problem is as time goes on after I do the Start Windows Normally thing, it will come up with an exception error.... or say the computer has recovered from a critical error, or it will blow my ATI graphics driver, or my AVG anti virus software, or some other driver or program. But always when I reboot the 3rd time, it works.

Then as time goes on more, I start getting a blue screen after the Start Windows Normally thing...and it flashes by so fast I cant read what it says. Then after a few more times it crashes for good. I cant get into windows at all and I have to reinstall everything on my computer. The last time this happend was this past Saturday.. I reinstalled everything and within 3 days I got the blue screen again, so I took it to the computer shop thinking it must be either the memory or motherboard since all the problems seem to happen on the boot up. They have stress tested everything and can not find any hardware problems.

Just so you know.. I have updated all drivers, the bios, and even used my husbands windows disk to install windows, just in case I had a bad file or something. I have install windows and not installed anything else except for World of Warcraft, and within a weeks time it still starts having problems on the boot up.

I don't know what else to try and I am really tired of having to reinstall windows every few months... (once I think I installed it 3 times in on week) so if you have any ideas, they would be VERY appreciated. Guess I will go pick up my computer Monday and start all over again

Are there any programs that log what happens during the boot up? Thats the only thing I haven't tried.

Thanks

Welcome to techhelpforum.

From your problem description, it sounds as though there may be three (main) possibilities;

1. Hard disk
2. RAM
3. Power Supply

If none of the above, it also may be motherboard, connections/cables, incompatable drivers, or heat problems to mention a couple.

You mentioned you upgraded the machines bios. Are you absolutely certain you used the proper bios upgrade version for your machine?

Is this a proprietary machine? (ie; Brand_Name - Gateway, Dell, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Lenovo, Compaq, eMachine, etc.) If it is, please post the make, and the exact model number. If there is a Service Tag number, post this info as well.

Or if the machine is a custom built Desktop, in either case (once you get the machine back);

Download, install, and run Everest Home Edition on this machine. (Clean FreeWare) Once it's finished loading and running, click on the Report Wizard in the Menu Bar. Save all hardware related pages (the default) to a TEXT file in a location of your choice. (It will default the location to C:\Program Files\Lavalys\EVEREST Home Edition\Reports, unless you redirect it.)

Compress (zip) the Everest Report text file and attach that zipped text document to your next posting. (When posting, click on Advanced, and just below the posting box you'll see "Additional Options", and within that, "Attach Files". Click on "Manage Attachments" and follow the prompts. Browse to the file and choose UPLOAD.)

This will provide me with a complete hardware report so I can obtain, or direct you to, the proper utilities for testing the various hardware components.

... I start getting a blue screen after the Start Windows Normally thing...and it flashes by so fast I cant read what it says.

To set the machine to stop at the BSOD, right click on My Computer, choose Properties, then the Advanced tab. Under Startup and Recovery click on Settings. Under System Failure, remove the check mark from the Automatically restart box.

Dan,

Thank you for all the information.

I also thought it would be the RAM or Motherboard, but according to the Computer Shop I took it too, so far all of the hardware including the power supply has checked out fine, even after stress testing. When I first took the computer in the tech did say he has seen similar problems and it turned out to be the hard drive. I may go ahead and buy a new one just see. If that isnt it, I am sure we can use the old hard drive somewhere.

I am sure I updated the bios with the correct upgrade. My bios pretty much upgrades itself with just a few clicks of the buttons.. Also the problem I was having was happening months before I upgraded the bios. That was one of the last things I tried in desperation.

My computer is not a proprietary machine, it is custom built.

I should get it back from the shop Monday, unless he has other things he may want to try. As long as its there, might as well let him have a good go at it.

When I get it back, I will reload windows again and see if it is still happening. Sometimes after a reinstall it takes awhile for the problem to happen again, and sometimes I don't even get the the first program installed before it starts.

Once I get all the drivers installed, and before I put any other software on it, I will run Everest Home Edition on it and get you the file you asked for while it is still good and clean info. I will also change my settings so I can see the BSOD if it pops up again.

Thank you so much for your help. I am an old Dos & FoxPro programmer, but have not kept up with all things Windows, so I know just enough to be dangerous I can fix alot of problems, but this one has me totally baffled.

I will get back to you as soon as I get my computer and find the time to reinstall everything.

Thanks again

Kay

I too suspect that it's a hard disk problem. That's why I listed it at the top of the three possibilities. It sounds like bad sectors are starting to develop. Either that or some RAM is starting to die.

If you know the manufacturer of the hard disk, diagnostics can be downloaded and run on the disk. These manufacturers diagnostics usually bypass the machines bios etc and "talk" directly to the disks logic board.

Hard Disk Analysis & Setup Tools - Major Manufacturers
There are bootable floppy and bootable CD based downloads.

If you don't know the manufacturer, Everest will provide that information.

I am an old Dos & FoxPro programmer ...

Heh, we have something in common here. ;>)

Dan,

Finally got my computer home and reinstalled Windows. I bought a new hard drive and I am hoping that was the problem...yeah right lol

I downloaded the software and have attached the report you asked for. The tech updated my bios again and said it must be a software problem Just dont see that. Reminds me of an old joke... How many Programmers does it take to remove a light bulb? None... Thats a hardware problem

ok.. I digress..

After installing all the motherboard drivers, I went to Gigabyte website download center and had it check, it only updated the Audio driver, but I think I will check the versions on the other drivers for myself just in case.

No problems so far, but I'm not holding my breath.

Thanks again for all the help!

Kay

The report shows the following storage devices;

SCSI/RAID Controller GIGABYTE GBB36X Controller (Controls the Maxtor 120 GB SCSI hard disk listed below)
Disk Drive ST3500820AS (465 GB, IDE) (This is a Seagate (E)IDE hard disk)
Disk Drive Maxtor 6 Y120P0 SCSI Disk Device (120 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/133) (Maxtor 120 GB SCSI hard disk)
Optical Drive Optiarc DVD RW AD-7200S

And your machines SMART elements report; SMART Hard Disks Status OK


Did you purchase a new hard disk?
EDIT: Upon re-reading, I see you did obtain a new hard disk.

If so, is the 500(465) GB Seagate disk the original hard disk? (I anticipate the Maxtor 120 GB SCSI is the "new" hard disk if you purchased one.)

If the Maxtor is new, is the O/S now installed on this hard disk?

If so, then the following may be moot, with the exception of the Seagate hard disk.


I would still test the hard disks with the disk manufacturers diagnostics. Seagate now owns Maxtor. If the Maxtor SCSI disk is new and running the O/S, test the Seagate first.

Direct Download Links

Maxtor Disk Diagnostics:
Bootable CD ISO Image - (Recommended)
http://www.tacktech.com/download.cfm...PwrMx423En.iso

http://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/m...ds/scsimax.exe

Alternative:
http://www.tacktech.com/download.cfm...or/PwrMxEn.exe



Seagate Disk Diagnostics:

DOS version: (Which runs at a very basic machine level. I recommend running it)
Floppy and CD (ISO Image) - http://www.seagate.com/support/seato...toold_reg.html

For Windows: (If the above passes, run this next level)
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.js...00dd04090aRCRD

All of the above are from: Hard Disk Analysis & Setup Tools - Major Manufacturers



Then move on to RAM testing: (Pick at least two, and run each for an hour minimum)

Microsoft Memory Tester:
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

MemTest86:
[MEMTEST86]
http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip

[MEMTEST86+]
Download and run MemTest86+.
http://www.memtest.org/

[MemScope Memory Tester]
http://www.micro2000.co.uk/products/...e-download.htm

Use the appropriate downloaded file to create either a floppy bootdisk or a bootable CD.

For a floppy, unzip the files to an empty directory and (with a floppy in your drive) run the install.bat file. When complete, you won't see any files on the floppy, but they are there.

Just boot the machine with the chosen media, and run it as long as you can afford to. If there are errors, run it on one memory module at a time to narrow down the possibilities. (ie; Remove all but one module.) You may have to set your bios boot device sequence to boot from the floppy or CDROM drive first (if it's currently set to boot from a Hard Disk first).

Post back with your results and any further questions.

The Seagate is the new hard drive. The Maxtor is an old hard drive that I use to back up my files so when my computer crashes I can easily copy them back. The previous hard drive that I took out today is also a Seagate.

The O/S is on the new Seagate. So I will run the test on the Maxtor first.

I will run the test when I can. Too much work around Christmas. I will let you know what happens.

Merry Christmas!

Kay

Not barely 24 hours and already the BSOD...

This is what it said..

A problem has been deltected and windows has been shut down...

The problem seems to be caused by the following file. ati2dvag.dll

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

Disable BIOS memory options such as caching aor shadowing.

I wrote down the address stuff as well, just in case you need that.

Then it said... Beginning Dump of Physical memory
Dump of Physical memory complete.

When I rebooted I got the error message... This computer has recovered from a crital error... I sent it to MS just to see what it would say, and it said the Blue Screen Error caused by device or driver.

This is my graphics card driver. I just downloaded the newest version from ATI yesterday.

Is the driver the problem? or was it just at a bad place in the memory?

Should I do as the blue screen said and turn off the memory options?

Cant believe this is already happened again I havent had the time to do the hardware checks yet. And I have to get ready for work now, wont be in until very late. But I am off tomorrow and will try to get them started. Any ideas as to which to run first now that you know what the blue screen said?

Thanks again for all the help

Kay