Vista Computer freezes on startup w 2 RAM modules, works with either one alone

[hbograd]

I'm baffled. I'm trying to troubleshoot a Compaq Presario SR5510F computer that has been freezing on startup more often than not (but not always) and also has been freezing at other times, also intermittently. The OS is Vista Home Premium 32 bit.

 

I've already wiped the hard drive and returned the computer to the factory condition, but then I installed Firefox 5 and AVG Antivirus 2011, and I also installed Windows Updates.

 

The computer has two identical Samsung 1 GB memory modules. I read on one of your great threads (about a Vista computer that froze on startup) that I should try using just one ram module at a time. When I remove EITHER memory module, the computer boots OK most or all of the time (I'm not sure if it froze once). But when I put back BOTH memory modules, then it freezes most but not all of the time.

 

By now I've changed the boot settings in msconfig so I'm booting with basic video, I've switched back to a PS/2 mouse. The only PCI card in the computer is a modem.

 

I'm trying to figure out if it makes sense to purchase new memory (I'd like to buy 2 modules of 2 GB each) to see if that improves things. But I'd prefer not to spend the money if this is unlikely to solve the problem.

 

More background:

 

• I've run the hardware diagnostics tool powered by PC Doctor that came with the computer, both from CD and from the hard drive, and it reports that everything passed. (But I just found a newer version on the HP web site, and I'm getting ready to install and run that).
  
• It appears that I have the same problems with freezing on startup whether I boot from a CD (either the system recovery CD, or the hardware diagnostic CD that runs in DR-DOS), or when I boot from the hard drive.
  
• I've changed the boot order so it checks for a CD/DVD first, before booting from the hard drive.
  

 

Thanks.

 

Harriet

Edited June 26, 2011 by hbograd

[hbograd]

How can I subscribe to this thread? I only found the options and opted to automatically subscribe to my own posts after I started this thread. Can I subscribe to this thread now?

 

Thanks.

 

Harriet

[RandyL]

Hi.

At the top of the first post click on Thread Tools. The option to subscribe should be there.

[NaRu]

From my experience, PC Doctor isn't the greatest. Go to: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security_essentials/default.aspx and download this and use it first to run a quick scan; then a full scan. I had some viruses that were taking up processes making me freeze then I found that out.

[hbograd]

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

As I understand it, PC Doctor is a diagnostic tool, and Microsoft Security Essentials is an antivirus program. I'm using AVG Antivirus Free, and I have the impression that is just as good.

 

More important, I've had these problems for about a month, and perhaps a week ago I completely reformatted the hard drive and reinstalled the operating system and restored the computer to its factory settings (and then I've been updating from there). The problems I'm having after the system recovery seem similar to the problems I had before. Is it possible for a virus to survive the complete recovery process, including formatting the hard drive?

 

Finally, I learned about memtest86, a memory test, and created a bootable disk with memtest86 on it. I ran it overnight, it ran the standard test 6 times, and it didn't find any problems with the memory. I ran it when both 1 GB memory modules were inserted in my computer.

 

Thanks.

 

Harriet

[NaRu]

Is it possible for a virus to survive the complete recovery process, including formatting the hard drive?

 

Harriet

 

As far as I know a virus can't survive that unless the same virus/ other viruses found their way into your factory reset drive(don't know if you have one of these).

[hbograd]

I do have a factory reset drive, and I used that in the past few days to create a set of recovery CD's, and then I ran the factory restore from the CD drive. I suppose I could now put those CD's in my own working computer and let AVG Antivirus test them.

 

Harriet

[Plastic Nev]

I doubt very much that there is a presence of virus, those disks were created when the machine was new, taking the recover data from the partition it is on, which is not likely to have been infected at all. so I think that can be ruled out.

 

MEMtest has checked the RAM, and though a little suspicious as you say just one and it boots OK, but can freeze with both in. However that is only a suspicion.

 

Do you get any blue screens or is the freeze up complete with whatever is on display at the time?

If a blue screen comes up and it restarts, you have probably seen how to get the message to stay up by turning off automatic restart in safe mode.

 

Just one thing before we start looking at perhaps the hard drive or motherboard, would be to remove the PCI modem card, even if not in use, a fault on it could freeze things as a perhaps.

 

Also have you tried both removing the BIOS or CMos battery for a short time, say five minutes and then replace, or better, replace the battery anyway. At the price of a new battery it is both worth a try, and also then you know you have a new one in.

 

Tracing the reasons for freezing can sometimes be a long winded thing as there are so many possibilities.

Nev.

[hbograd]

Thanks for reminding me about the CMOS battery. I'd seen a suggestion about this on another thread, and then the other day I got a warning for the first time that the time was wrong on my computer. But then I forgot to follow through. I've just pulled out the CMOS battery and the PCI modem card, and I'll replace the CMOS battery tomorrow (I don't need the modem).

 

I've just also scanned each of the 3 recovery CD's - I did the scan using a Windows 7 computer with up-to-date AVG antivirus. I had made the recovery CD's in the past week, not when the computer was new.

 

In the meantime, I've ordered a newer, more powerful computer for my colleague who was using this Compaq - we couldn't wait to solve this. If I get the Compaq working again, I can replace an even older computer for someone else to use.

 

Thanks for the tip about turning off automatic restart in Safe Mode! Most of the freezes are at startup, and I see a black screen with two lines of text - one about the processor, one saying "Memory testing:" and then saying the memory size and that it's OK. But sometimes I do get a blue screen at some point after the computer boots, and some of those times it reboots so fast I can't read the message.

 

Thanks!

 

Harriet

Edited June 28, 2011 by hbograd

[Plastic Nev]

OK, lets go a bit further, I know you have tried one stick of RAM at a time, but you weren't sure if one of them did give a freeze up.

I suggest doing that again, but leave just the one in for some time, say continuous use of at least a day if not longer. If no freeze up then swap in the other stick and do the same. If you do get a freeze with only one, I would be suspicious of that one.

If the newly created recovery disks show up as clean with AVG, it isn't the end, I would suggest using Malwarebytes to scan them as well, there is a lot more than just a common virus that could have got into the disks.

Next of course is to see what happens with a new electric penny, (CMOS Battery)

Nev.

[hbograd]

Thanks for sticking with me on this!

 

Since I last wrote, we've bought a new computer and focused our energy on getting all needed programs and data installed on that. I've also replaced the CMOS battery on Compaq Presario SR5510F and have purchased two 2GB memory modules from crucial.com to replace the two 1 GB memory modules I've been working with.

 

It may be some time before I get back to working with this, since our nonprofit office now has working computers for each worker. If I got the Compaq Presario SR5510F working again, it would be a stronger computer than one of the others we're now using. But we still may not get to it for some time.

 

Harriet

 

When we do try again, I'll let you know what happens.

[Plastic Nev]

Thanks for the update, we will still be here if you need us again.

Nev.