[Solved] Windows XP continually freezes

[Jelly Bean]

Yes Nasher....

 

New mainboard means you have to reinstall windows......

 

Or have you already reinstalled windows?

 

EDIT.....As the mainboard is not new,if it was lets say used for Windows XP Pro in the past and your hard drive contains XP Pro.........

 

You should be able to start the computer and repeatedly tap F8 key then from the menu choose last known good config....

 

But it has to be the exact same XP,not Pro and Home mix.....

[Nasher]

Hi Jelly Bean,

 

I don't know which OS was used by the previous owner of the motherboard.

I just thought that as Windows XP is already on my hard drive that it would boot automatically, especially as the Windows XP logo shows briefly.

Unfortunately, I only have a recovery disk and not the original XP CD.

As I was on XP service pack 3 will I have to reinstall service packs 1, 2 and 3 after I install XP from the recovery disk.

To load the XP recovery disk will I have to change the 1st Boot Option to Cd-Rom in the BIOS as curreently it is set to Hard Disk.

 

Cheers,

Nasher.

[Nasher]

Hi Jelly Bean,

 

I thought things were starting to go well, but......

As I said I only have a Recovery Disk, but I know XP can be loaded from it but I have another problem.

I managed to get the Windows set up to start from the recovery disk and it went through various stages and then asked if I wanted to install XP or repair an old version and it showed that I had versions on the C and D drives. I decided on a repair but then it asked me for the Administrators Password and I am certain I have never set an administrators password for the PC so I was stuck.

I restarted and went through the stages again and this time decided to install Windows XP. It Checked my system and started to install and came up with the Licensing Agreement and at the bottom of the page it states F8= I agree, ESC= I do not agree, Page down=next page so I tapped F8 and absolutely nothing.

If I hit ESC it comes up Windows XP not installed and restarts, I can Page Up and Page Down to my hearts content but no matter how many times I try and agree by hitting F8 nothing happens, so I appear stuck.

I can't repair as i don't have a password and I can't install because it won't let me agree to the EULA.

Any suggestions as to what I can do to get around these problems.

 

After all the other problems I've had I decided to try a new motherboard for £30 before buying a new PC. Adding the new motherboard has certainly stopped the freezing of the PC but if I can't boot into XP I'm just as stuck as before.

Help.

 

Cheers,

Nasher.

Edited August 15, 2011 by Nasher

[RandyL]

OK. First of all I seriously doubt that you can use a recovery/restore disk to install Windows. These are almost always tied to the original mobo. So unless the new mobo is the exact same one you are probably out of luck.

 

As far as a repair goes I doubt that you can use a recovery/restore disk to do that either. You need a full retail disk. A borrowed one should work for a repair.

 

You can try though. When prompted for a password just press enter. If you get by that and are prompted for the recovery console do not select it. Read more here. http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Nasher]

Hi all again,

 

As I stated in my #25 post when I installed the "new" motherboard I also used the graphics card that came with the motherboard and although I couldn't boot into Windows XP the computer was on and active for hours and hours while I was trying things.

Today I removed the second hand graphics card and reinstalled my originl nVidia 7600GT card and let the computer run, although, of course still not booting and would you believe it within 5 minutes the computer had frozen while checking through the BIOS.

 

Not once in all these posts did anyone say that the problem could be the Graphics card whereas it does seem that the card is the problem.

I was going to install Ubuntu instead of persisting with XP just so I can get the PC running but I think my best bet now is to purchase another AGP Graphics card (if I can still get them) and reinstall my original motherboard as it looks as though the problem was not the motherboard. If I do that and that solves the problem of the crashing then XP should load up alright as I will be using the motherboard that goes with the hard drives that hold XP.

 

What do you think.

Any comments about why no-one thought is was the Graphics Card that is if I'm correct and it is the card. I certainly think it is worth spending a little bit more money and try a different card especially as I was getting prepared to spend up to £500 - £600 on a new PC.

 

Cheers,

Nasher.

[Jelly Bean]

What is needed is a full install disk.....

 

Recovery can only be used when the operating system is already fully installed......

 

Borrowing a full install disk is an idea,however you cannot use a XP retail disk it has to be OEM.....

 

Retail is bought with its own COA key,OEM comes supplied with a new computer,however using OEM means driver updates will be needed,wich is not a problem as drivers usaly need a reinstall with a format.....

 

Freezing on a computer can be caused by a number of things.

 

A driver missing,needs updating or corrupt.

 

Hard drive.

Graphics card,.

Mainboard issues.

Monitor issues.

Bad cable.

CD/DVD rom drive.

Corruption of operating system.

Installed software.

Memory.

Or plain and simple a bad slot on the mainboard....

 

The list goes on.......

 

It may not be the graphics card but a bad driver or a driver not installed correctly.PSU issues.....

 

Even a BIOS update may of been needed.....

 

The GPU should of been tested in another computer with fully installed drivers and software with compatable PSU etc......

 

It could be plain and simple a bottlekeck has been created between lets say the CPU and the GPU.....Miss matched hardware such as power or lack of and over time the CPU over runs the GPU......Or over powers the GPU...Ok I find explaining bottlekneck a little hard.....

 

I see this was origonaly a Medion PC.....In my opinion not good at all.....I would not buy one,they are prone to faults....

 

Medions computers are built cheap and aimed at the cheaper end of the computer market.....There life span is pritty short in my experience....

 

Have you tried a diffrent power supply?

 

Your PSU maybe degraded and proberly is degraded and one GPU needs less power than another....Your PSU may just not be putting out enough power to run the origonal card but can run the new one.....

 

I have quickly read through your thread and going by what you stated about the PC symptoms your own words pointed towards the hard drive being the issue,hence staff and long term users were drawn to help more to this issue.....

 

In reading your thread a little late I would of sugested all the checks that were given to you then if all else failed I would of sugested a new computer.....

 

I see no point in buying another graphics card when your power supply could be the issue....

 

Can you borrow a decent PSU to test the system,just because a PSU powers up a computer dont mean its fully working and without faults.....

[Nasher]

Hi Jelly Bean,

 

I don't think it is the PSU as this was updated to 550 W quite recently.

You may be correct about Medion PCs but at the time when I bought it (about 7-8 years ago or longer, I can't remember) the Spec for the money was very good. There is virtually nothing left of the old Medion PC now, anyway - only the floppy and the 80Gb slave drive are from the original PC - everything else has been renewed.

 

PCs can be very frustrating beasts.

I just think it is worth persevering a little longer with it before ditching it and buying a new PC.

I've already ordered a new Graphics card so if that doesn't work with the old motherboard and gets XP up and running again I'll run the PC with the repalcement motherboard and install Linux Ubuntu (I've already got an installation disk).

Before I reinstalled my nVidia Geforce 7600GT graphics card the PC was on and left on for a number of hours without freezing but only lasted 5 mins with the 7600GT.

The drivers for the 7600GT are 2011 drivers.

 

I agree with you that at some point things looked like a Hard Drive problem, but I have been clutching at straws and was hoping it was as simple as a hard drive problem, but that and the OS were definitely ruled out when the PC still froze when all the hard drives were removed.

 

Unfortunately it isn't always easy to just try another PSU or other things when you don't have them to hand. I thought I still had the old 250W PSU in the garage but I couldn't find it so I think I threw it.

 

I'll try the replacement graphics card when it arrives and let you know the outcome.

I'll soon be able to build a second PC from some of the replacement bits I've bought since this problem started:-

2Gb DDR400 (PC 3200) memory, a motherboard, another graphics card, another 320Gb IDE Hard Drive, a hard drive caddy - about £130 so far but if it works in the end it will still be cheaper than a new PC.

 

Cheers,

Nasher.

Edited August 15, 2011 by Nasher

[Jelly Bean]

Its a shame realy that our old trust worthy computers are coming to the end of there lives,,,,,

 

I have an older computer as a spare,it is in the cupboard under the stairs that I use for testing other peoples hardware.....Its a shame realy that your hardware could not of been tested on another computer,something basic would of done the job....

 

7-8 years for a Medion,ahh but your replaced most of her inners.....

 

Its possible I could pop your GPU in my tester system and have no issues but I have diffrent hardawre etc....

 

Some may of sugested that old 80 gig HDD was the problem.I dont think it is,they were built better some years ago....

 

Its possible power consumption,could be your CPU getting hot/over heating......

 

It could be a case of resetting the BIOS as the mainboard has had so many changes to it.

BIOS update.

Drivers.

But if you can borrow a full install disk of XP then you maybe able to resolve a fesh issues....

 

I would put the computer down for now and relax a bit.

 

Me I would of kicked it or shook it by now LOL.....

 

Ask around one of your mates may have an old computer in a cupboard somewere they may lend you.....This would help in testing parts...Other than that I realy dont know what to sugest....

 

Did you at least try F8 and last known good config?

 

You never know it may of had the same XP on it....

[Nasher]

Hi Jelly Bean,

 

Oh yes, I tried F8 and last known good config but no go.

 

If it wasn't for the fact that I have a Laptop and a netbook that I can use I'm sure I would have lost patience with the DeskTop PC when the problems first started and would have chucked it by now and bought a new one.

All my data etc is on the Laptop and netbook as well as the PC and also backed up to Virginmedia so I haven't lost anything either which helps keep me calm.

 

I'll let you know the outcome of the new Graphics card when it arrives.

 

Anyone want a probably dodgy old nVidia Geforce 7600GT Graphics card?

 

Cheers,

Nasher.

[Jelly Bean]

I should of read this thread when it started,may of saved a bit of time.....

 

Ahh yes trusty netbook,mine goes most places with me as well as USB pen drives 80 gig pocket HDD.....Im backed up to two PCs,two external hard drives,and my netbook,I sold a third PC a few weeks ago with all my backups left on that....

 

Well yes wait until the new GPU arrives and hopefully the computer will get up and running....

 

I would start to save for a new build though.......

 

There is nothing like building your own and it boots first time......

 

Even if the old PC is up and running I would be building your own....I want dual GPUs so I can at least add a third monitor to my system,so nah your card to old for me.....

 

Dont you have a small local PC shop near you?

I know we have one in Swansea wich is a bit far for me to travel now and they test hardware for free,in the hope you will buy from them in the future.....

[jayden-lee]

ok sorry i dont have much time so i dont know if someone has already said this but check you bios settings because sometimes there is a setting in there that can slow you computer down and sometimes make your start bar hang

i hope this help :)

[Nasher]

Hi all,

Have been on holiday for a while but at long last yesterday I reassembled my PC.

I've gone back to my original motherboard, original memory, original hard drives, original PSU, original CPU and I've installed a new Graphics Card:- a PNY Geforce 6200, OK, not as powerful as my original Geforce 7600GT but I needed a dual monitor card and I like nVidia.

Anyway, switched on and absolutley nothing and then the CPU fan spun a few times and one of the LEDs flashed on and off a few times and then stopped. This cycle repeated itself a few times so unplugged, removed all wiring to front panel and cleaned all contacts and connected up again and yes, we have lift off.

PC fired up. Removed all drivers from old graphics card and installed the new drivers for the Geforce 6200 and yes, at long last I have a PC running without freezing. Used it for 5 hours yesterday and no problems at all.

 

So, having bought new memory, a new hard drive, a replacement motherboard, bought various registry fixers and cleaners the bottom line was that I only needed a new Graphics Card.

I'm sure some of you will say that it was probably the drivers on the old card that caused the problem and it may well have been but I had renewed them and still had the problem but the new card is in and the PC is working again so I'm happy.

 

I'm greatful for all the advice and help in trying to fix my PCbut in the end I managed it myself. I'm certainly a dab hand in stripping PC's down now.

If anyone is interested in buying a spare motherboard, spare memory, a spare 320Gb hard drive, a slightly suspect Geforce 7600 GT graphics card, then just let me know.

Cheers, Nasher

[KenB]

Congratulations.

 

Putting a system back together and getting it up and running is no mean achievement. Well done.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, and congratulations from me to, the graphics card was one of those things we might have got to, but as it was, none of the symptoms pointed in that direction.

Usually you would see strange things happening on screen when they go wrong, which would have put us straight in that direction.

 

I hope all now is well, and please stay away from registry cleaners, C.Cleaner is a great tool, just as long as you don't use the registry side of it, as it will help keeping the accumulated ordinary junk files out of the system that do cause slow downs.

 

Someone with much more knowledge than myself some years ago described the fact that so called orphaned files, or damaged files in the registry are totally ignored by the Windows operating system, it is clever enough to recognise and step over them without slowing anything down, so the registry is best left alone for Windows itself to manage.