Boot to OS fails, sometimes!

[Guest Tony Batchelor]

I have an odd fault that I can't understand.

I have XP Pro sp3/IE7

 

When I start my computer after switching on the power, usually, but not

always, it gets as far as the XP "3 blue dots travelling from left to right"

loading bar. and then freezes. Sometimes without any blue dots appearing, but

also with the blue dots stuck halfway across.

 

Now for the strange thing - if I press the power reset button on the PC

itself, it starts again, but completes the XP boot and I can use the PC for

the rest of the day.

 

Where do I start looking? I have checked Event Viewer, but I suppose that is

no use as for the first failure the event log has not yet started.

 

Tony

PS What is LightScribeService? Event Viewer show it starting normally, but

I had not heard of it before.

[Guest Malke]

Re: Boot to OS fails, sometimes!

 

donotspam wrote:

> I have an odd fault that I can't understand.

> I have XP Pro sp3/IE7

>

> When I start my computer after switching on the power, usually, but not

> always, it gets as far as the XP "3 blue dots travelling from left to

> right" loading bar. and then freezes. Sometimes without any blue dots

> appearing, but also with the blue dots stuck halfway across.

>

> Now for the strange thing - if I press the power reset button on the PC

> itself, it starts again, but completes the XP boot and I can use the PC

> for the rest of the day.

>

> Where do I start looking? I have checked Event Viewer, but I suppose that

> is no use as for the first failure the event log has not yet started.

>

> Tony

> PS What is LightScribeService? Event Viewer show it starting normally,

> but I had not heard of it before.

 

This sounds like a classic case of a failing power supply. While other

hardware components could be failing, I'd start by swapping out the psu for

a known-working one. What happens is that there isn't enough "juice" to get

the hard drive up and spinning the first time. The drive's own momentum

will get it going when you try again.

 

LightScribe is a function of your optical drive. A quick Google is the place

to look for questions like that:

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=what+is+LightScribe&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

 

Lots of good links there.

 

Malke

--

MS-MVP

Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

[Guest Tony Batchelor]

Re: Boot to OS fails, sometimes!

 

eThanks

 

It is a brand new PC, so the psu should be OK. The monitor shows all the

voltages correct.

Next time I start I will have to chack again to see if the HDD light flashes.

 

Tony

PS Fascinating about LightScribe - I wonder why it appears as an

application when the supplied hardware isn't lightscribe featured <G>

 

"Malke" wrote:

> donotspam wrote:

>

> > I have an odd fault that I can't understand.

> > I have XP Pro sp3/IE7

> >

> > When I start my computer after switching on the power, usually, but not

> > always, it gets as far as the XP "3 blue dots travelling from left to

> > right" loading bar. and then freezes. Sometimes without any blue dots

> > appearing, but also with the blue dots stuck halfway across.

> >

> > Now for the strange thing - if I press the power reset button on the PC

> > itself, it starts again, but completes the XP boot and I can use the PC

> > for the rest of the day.

> >

> > Where do I start looking? I have checked Event Viewer, but I suppose that

> > is no use as for the first failure the event log has not yet started.

> >

> > Tony

> > PS What is LightScribeService? Event Viewer show it starting normally,

> > but I had not heard of it before.

>

> This sounds like a classic case of a failing power supply. While other

> hardware components could be failing, I'd start by swapping out the psu for

> a known-working one. What happens is that there isn't enough "juice" to get

> the hard drive up and spinning the first time. The drive's own momentum

> will get it going when you try again.

>

> LightScribe is a function of your optical drive. A quick Google is the place

> to look for questions like that:

>

> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=what+is+LightScribe&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

>

> Lots of good links there.

>

> Malke

> --

> MS-MVP

> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

>

>

[Guest Bill Sharpe]

Re: Boot to OS fails, sometimes!

 

Tony Batchelor wrote:

> eThanks

>

> It is a brand new PC, so the psu should be OK. The monitor shows all the

> voltages correct.

> Next time I start I will have to chack again to see if the HDD light flashes.

>

> Tony

> PS Fascinating about LightScribe - I wonder why it appears as an

> application when the supplied hardware isn't lightscribe featured <G>

>

 

Is it an HP or Compaq computer? LightScribe, if corresponding hardware

is installed, can label your DVD's or CD's, but you need to buy blank

discs that are marked for that process.

 

Bill

[Guest Lem]

Re: Boot to OS fails, sometimes!

 

Tony Batchelor wrote:

> eThanks

>

> It is a brand new PC, so the psu should be OK. The monitor shows all the

> voltages correct.

> Next time I start I will have to chack again to see if the HDD light flashes.

>

> Tony

> PS Fascinating about LightScribe - I wonder why it appears as an

> application when the supplied hardware isn't lightscribe featured <G>

>

> "Malke" wrote:

>

>> donotspam wrote:

>>

>>> I have an odd fault that I can't understand.

>>> I have XP Pro sp3/IE7

>>>

>>> When I start my computer after switching on the power, usually, but not

>>> always, it gets as far as the XP "3 blue dots travelling from left to

>>> right" loading bar. and then freezes. Sometimes without any blue dots

>>> appearing, but also with the blue dots stuck halfway across.

>>>

>>> Now for the strange thing - if I press the power reset button on the PC

>>> itself, it starts again, but completes the XP boot and I can use the PC

>>> for the rest of the day.

>>>

>>> Where do I start looking? I have checked Event Viewer, but I suppose that

>>> is no use as for the first failure the event log has not yet started.

>>>

>>> Tony

>>> PS What is LightScribeService? Event Viewer show it starting normally,

>>> but I had not heard of it before.

>> This sounds like a classic case of a failing power supply. While other

>> hardware components could be failing, I'd start by swapping out the psu for

>> a known-working one. What happens is that there isn't enough "juice" to get

>> the hard drive up and spinning the first time. The drive's own momentum

>> will get it going when you try again.

>>

>> LightScribe is a function of your optical drive. A quick Google is the place

>> to look for questions like that:

>>

>> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=what+is+LightScribe&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

>>

>> Lots of good links there.

>>

>> Malke

>> --

>> MS-MVP

>> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

>> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

>>

>>

 

If it's a brand new pc, get in touch with the vendor or manufacturer for

warranty service.

 

--

Lem -- MS-MVP

 

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

[Guest Tony Batchelor]

Re: Boot to OS fails, sometimes!

 

I have tried a few general tidy up procedures, and can definitely say that it

is not a psu problem.

 

Now what usually happens is that I get as far as showing a full desktop on

the first boot, and after a minute everything freezes.

 

After a reboot, then all is well for hours!

 

Except that yesterday I suddenly got a blue screen with the message

STOP: 0x000000c5 (oxoa250005, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x805515a1)

 

Hasn't happened today though.

 

Tony

PS Lem asked about what computer I have - it is an Acer T661. Acer don't

have anywhere to get answers. Not even a Forum. Their after purchase support

is appalling!

 

"Tony Batchelor" wrote:

> eThanks

>

> It is a brand new PC, so the psu should be OK. The monitor shows all the

> voltages correct.

> Next time I start I will have to chack again to see if the HDD light flashes.

>

> Tony

>