Vista Boot Problem, PC Freezes During boot up.

[Swickle09]

As far as i know the motherboard is running at stock speed, nothing has been changed by me, i would'nt know if it had auto changed itself.

 

Looing at the Bios, overclock mode is set to auto, cpu frequency is 333MHz and PCIE frequency is 115 if that info helps.

Edited June 17, 2008 by Swickle09

[Dalo Harkin]

Ok - go into the BIOS and check that the order of the HDD's are as follows

You need the NEW HDD to be at the top of the list

and the OLD HDD below it

The HDD options are in there someehere - sounds like the old HDD is still at the top of the list and it's trying to boot that one.

[Swickle09]

Ok - go into the BIOS and check that the order of the HDD's are as follows

You need the NEW HDD to be at the top of the list

and the OLD HDD below it

The HDD options are in there someehere - sounds like the old HDD is still at the top of the list and it's trying to boot that one.

 

The old HDD is not connected so i am assuming the HDD listed in the boot settings is the new one, ok just checked and the new HDD is def connected and the bios is picking it up as the only HDD.

 

I am running set up again, its loading from Cd rom drive with the XP install disk inserted, got the blue screen with the message windows is loading files, and then..............freezies once "setup is starting windows" message appears.

Edited June 17, 2008 by Swickle09

[Dalo Harkin]

have you tried just one stick of RAM?

[Dalo Harkin]

Is the first boot device definately CD ROM

[Swickle09]

have you tried just one stick of RAM?

 

Yeah i tried that yesterday, but will try again and get back to you.

 

Thanks for your help BTW i really appreciate it :)

[Swickle09]

Is the first boot device definately CD ROM

 

 

Ok nothing doing on the single memory stick, tried both singurly, and CD Rom is def first boot device.

 

I dont understand how it can starts the windows setup and loads the files but freezes every time it gets to starting windows, is must be loading files onto the HDD? As its a new drive should it not give me the option to format the drive at some point?

[Goku]

Ok nothing doing on the single memory stick, tried both singurly, and CD Rom is def first boot device.

 

I dont understand how it can starts the windows setup and loads the files but freezes every time it gets to starting windows, is must be loading files onto the HDD? As its a new drive should it not give me the option to format the drive at some point?

Hello and Welcome to FPCH Swickle. :)

 

Have you tried checking the Hard Drive for any errors? As you said the drive is new, so there is not much probability of any damage but it might be a bad boot sector. Try to perform a check disk and see if it helps or not. Good Luck. :)

 

-- Goku

[Dalo Harkin]

It should give you you the option to format the drive.

If it's freezing its HARDWARE no doubt.

have you tried popping the CMOS battery out and turning the PC off for 30 secs and then reinserting the battery and starting.

[Swickle09]

Hello and Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help Swickle. :)

 

Have you tried checking the Hard Drive for any errors? As you said the drive is new, so there is not much probability of any damage but it might be a bad boot sector. Try to perform a check disk and see if it helps or not. Good Luck. :)

 

-- Goku

 

Is there any way of running a checkdisk without having to put the HDD into another pc as my HDD is SATA and i dont know anyone with a compatible PC, can check disk be run from one of the boot/bios menu's?

[Dalo Harkin]

Is the HDD NEW??

if it is then I doubt there will be any errors

[Swickle09]

It should give you you the option to format the drive.

If it's freezing its HARDWARE no doubt.

have you tried popping the CMOS battery out and turning the PC off for 30 secs and then reinserting the battery and starting.

 

No not tried that one yet, will do now, def no option to format drive.

[Seth]

Is there any way of running a checkdisk without having to put the HDD into another pc as my HDD is SATA and i dont know anyone with a compatible PC, can check disk be run from one of the boot/bios menu's?

 

I haven't kept up with the latter part of this thread, but to answer your question:

 

When you choose a full format as opposed to a quick format, then any bad sectors on the drive will be flagged as unusable.

Edited June 17, 2008 by Seth

[Swickle09]

Is the HDD NEW??

if it is then I doubt there will be any errors

 

 

Yeah i bough the HDD brand new today, so i would of thought it should not have any errors.

 

Right i have popped out CMOS battery, made sure thee boot up settings are correct and same old same old, freezes on Blue "setup is starting windows" screen.

[Swickle09]

I haven't kept up with the latter part of this thread, but to answer your question:

 

When you choose a full format as opposed to a quick format, then any bad sectors on the drive will be flagged as unusable.

 

 

Hey Seth,

 

i am not getting an option to format the drive, dont think i am getting that far.

[Swickle09]

Could it be a driver problem?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Can I just ask why your trying to put XP on it Swickle when the machine had Vista on it originally?

[Swickle09]

Can I just ask why your trying to put XP on it Swickle when the machine had Vista on it originally?

 

 

As its a new hard drive with no operating system on it and XP loads quicker, I have also tried my Vista DVD with no luck too, i would'nt of though it would make any difference as its a new HDD ??

[Guest Wolfeymole]

What you have to bear in mind here Swickle is that the other hardware in your pc is designed strictly for Vista and that is the only disk you should be using.

Have you created any restore disks from the recovery partition when the machine was in good health at all?

[Swickle09]

What you have to bear in mind here Swickle is that the other hardware in your pc is designed strictly for Vista and that is the only disk you should be using.

Have you created any restore disks from the recovery partition when the machine was in good health at all?

 

 

Fair enough, it was running Vista before and i first tried the vista dvd when put in new hard drive, just tried it again, and it starts to load the setup files and freezes when it gets to the black screen with the nightrider esq status bar at the bottom. No restore disks.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Put the old hard drive back in and go into the bios and alter the boot sequence to CDROM first.

 

Make sure you save the setting when exiting the bios and make sure the Vista disk is in the drive.

 

Hopefully this will do a new install of Vista.

 

Try this and get back to us.

[Swickle09]

Put the old hard drive back in and go into the bios and alter the boot sequence to CDROM first.

 

Make sure you save the setting when exiting the bios and make sure the Vista disk is in the drive.

 

Hopefully this will do a new install of Vista.

 

Try this and get back to us.

 

Hi, tried that yesterday, weird thing just happened though, changed HDD's over, hit F2 checked boot sequence, hit F10 now keyboard does not work? its has been fine untill then?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Do you have a PS2 keyboard that you can plug in and retry?

[Swickle09]

Do you have a PS2 keyboard that you can plug in and retry?

 

ok tried old HDD as suggested, nothing, same thing.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

What exactly does it say on that Vista disk you have Swickle?