"boot Ploblem"

[griffer]

HP Pavilion...2 years old or so P4 3Ghz 1024 ram running 2 screens thro video card..genuine MSXP updated and genuine Norton updated..no copy software loaded..defragemented and disc clean-uped...

occasionally will not boot becoming more often...get nothing on screen..get power on at cd then freezes..

manage to boot by disconnecting evrything and "flashing" bios on motherboard using the plug thing on the three pins...

any ideas??? i've checked for loose connections inside box...cleaned ram in slots...

seems like bios stalls????

checked system..says no problem devices..i guess if the bios finds a problem device it stops...does it tell me this? somewhere?

further..is there anyone in BKK thats does a computer call out repair service rather than having to do an evil knieval with it on the back of a bike to Pantip?

thanks.....

[malcolmswaine]

Any clues in the Event Log (start -> run, type Eventvwr, Click Open). Occasionally get some helpful error messages in the System logs.

[griffer]

yep..i found this:

system_log_aug_6.bmp

no idea what it means.... anyone???

[griffer]

hmmm..after checking HP site..seems I am flashing the CMOS not the BIOS...

they suggest overheating as a possible problem but this is initial boot problems when computer is cold...any ideas??

thanks..

oh..i get no beeps on boot..which may have helped diagnosis.........

[RKASA]

My laptop with WinXP will often do this same thing. After I run Linux live it will always do it. If it does it at start up I just power down and use the reset on the bottom and the power light flashs it clears the cr--p in the RAM which will sometimes stay even if you pull it out and then it starts fine. Its like the BIOS won't reload that little bit it does if it thinks it is aready there it has to be gone to replace the bad stuff.

[james512]

Bad memory chips can stop your system booting during the BIOS. Try removing 1 or more if you have more than one, if not see if you can get hold of another to try. Overheating could be a possibilty as HP suggested.

[peter991]

The problem could be impending hard-drive failure. My Compaq died this week from that cause.

Peter

[nick2k]

maybe your hard drive is getting full. also check to see if your virtual memory is the problem. your virtual is set to a minimum number, but has a RANGE with which it can work in. you might want to check how many startup programs are being loaded when you boot up. there are a lot of programs you can run which allow you to manage startup programs.

doing defrag is great. but do you occasionally delete your temporary internet files? in control panel/system/ do you see any question marks? delete them.

if you have restore activated, you might want to go back to a restore point that worked.

troubleshooting is troubleshooting.

[nick2k]

TechRepublic article titled, "10 things you can do when Windows XP won't boot."

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-...tml?tag=nl.e138

[griffer]

found this in system info/storage /drives:

Drive C:

Description Local Fixed Disk

Compressed No

File System NTFS

Size 37.12 GB (39,860,641,792 bytes)

Free Space 30.63 GB (32,893,964,288 bytes)

Volume Name

Volume Serial Number A0267259

Drive D:

Description Local Fixed Disk

Compressed No

File System NTFS

Size 37.40 GB (40,162,557,952 bytes)

Free Space 37.34 GB (40,093,515,776 bytes)

Volume Name

Volume Serial Number A03AEB10

would seem drives are not full. (what seems strange is that i only have 1 hardrive yet it has been split into 2 halves, 1 of which I do not seem to use. This was done from new ...as I wouldn't know how to do it anyway...) what's the point in that???

start up programs:

AGRSMMSG agrsmmsg.exe All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Alcmtr alcmtr.exe All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

High Definition Audio Property Page Shortcut hdaudpropshortcut.exe All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

KBD c:\hp\kbd\kbd.exe All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

NVRTCLK c:\windows\system32\nvrtclk\nvrtclk.exe All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

NvCplDaemon rundll32.exe c:\windows\system32\nvcpl.dll,nvstartup All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

NvMediaCenter rundll32.exe c:\windows\system32\nvmctray.dll,nvtaskbarinit All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

SoundMan soundman.exe All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Symantec NetDriver Monitor c:\progra~1\symnet~1\sndmon.exe /consumer All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

YPOPs ypops.lnk SUKHUMVIT\Owner Startup

ccApp "c:\program files\common files\symantec shared\ccapp.exe" All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

ctfmon.exe c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe SUKHUMVIT\Owner HKU\S-1-5-21-1454471165-1637723038-839522115-1003\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

desktop desktop.ini NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Startup

desktop desktop.ini SUKHUMVIT\Owner Startup

desktop desktop.ini .DEFAULT Startup

desktop desktop.ini All Users Common Startup

nwiz nwiz.exe /install All Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

anything odd there?

virtual memeory:

was set : initial size 768 MB max size 1534 .. i have doubled these sizes to 1536/ 3068... fearless eh?

yep..temporary internet files deleted...

no question marks in system..

i will try removing one of sticks of ram and see if she boots then...

thanks everyone......back to designing the next ipod.....

[RKASA]

You have an 80 gig drive with two partitions. Normaly would be a second operatng system in other partition of a differant type with it being loged into at start up maybe from a LiLo type program. What files are on the D: drive does it show up in My Computer along with things like My documents and the CD drive etc. explore D: drive and see whats on it. It could also be an image of C: for restore? You may have to re istall everthing and delete that partition if it has one real purpose. Did OEM set it up like this or some local shop maybe a used drive.

ps second drive looks empty like its just wasted space starting to think maybe setup is wired all strange and a better install may solve much of your problem.

Edited August 7, 2007 by RKASA

[nick2k]

how can you change the virtual memory settings if you cannot boot up?

[RKASA]

I think he means it does it sometimes and can be hard to start. I know what it means the Hp laptop I am on right now did it just this morning. Power light comes on and that is all. Not a hard drive problem the drive never got involved. Not a CD drive problem never get that far. Don't even get to see the BOIS option flash on the screen just nothing happens. I power off and use the reset button under the PC the power light will flash as it clears the ram and the CPU will reload the BOIS from the CMOS chip at the next start up and it works fine again for weeks. But it also looks like some wired install because of the empty NTFS part. which is half the drive?

[griffer]

i can boot up...i'm using the beast now...

its just that "sometimes " it will not boot and just hangs until i flash the CMOS.

even "sometimes" is a pain as the 'puter is important to me...

the partition is OEM setup..bought from IT city pantip..she was fresh outa the box.....i checked...

i understand the disc is partitioned....the D partition has nothing on it..double click and it shows nothing...properties shows 65 MB used out of 37 GB...hmmmm..

thanks...

[RKASA]

I may have missed something back at the start did he say that the CD went active and is hanging at the CD during boot. If the cd drive is empty it should look to the HD if its hanging on an empty cd drive then the cd drive could be not communicating all the time. Had that happen with a A drive and went into BOIS changed start up to disable drive at start and started using the cd for boot never replaced the old A drive. This same problem can also be intermit and just hard to get booted.

[RKASA]

i can boot up...i'm using the beast now...

its just that "sometimes " it will not boot and just hangs until i flash the CMOS.

even "sometimes" is a pain as the 'puter is important to me...

the partition is OEM setup..bought from IT city pantip..she was fresh outa the box.....i checked...

i understand the disc is partitioned....the D partition has nothing on it..double click and it shows nothing...properties shows 65 MB used out of 37 GB...hmmmm..

thanks...

Wher does it hang at the power light? or do you get any drive active first.

[griffer]

ok..so i press the power button.it lights up a nice shade of blue..

the little yellow light underneath it then flashes on once (hard drive power?)

the disk drive flashes once..

then we are stuck....still got the blue power button on but nothing else....nothing on the screens..

hasn't happened the last 10 starts...maybe she has got better...must like the attention...

thanks again..

[RKASA]

Yea really sounds like the same thing it is not even getting to the start of the boot up. Sometimes the BOIS is crupted and sometimes it is OK that is when it goes into boot up. When I do the reset it is forced to re read the BIOS from the CMOS chip which it seems to try to save time and skip that if it thinks the BOIS is good. You said you were flashing the BIOS to get it to boot, But Flashing the BIOS means you would download a new BIOS program and burn it into the CMOS chip in order to upgarde or patch it which is a rare thing. BIOS is hardwired program in the CMOS chip EPROM in the old school. What I think you are doing is a reset but purhaps you have no ext reset button like I have on the under side of my lap top. I don't think you have a ser. problem just the same Hp hang up that I have had for several years. Maybe easyest to hard wire the pins you have been jumping to a reset button. then you can just push it before you hit the power button and naver see the problem again.

[OxfordWill]

Is there a battery on the motherboard?

Edited August 8, 2007 by OxfordWill

[RKASA]

I think he would have said something about the clock needing reset. It boots fine most the time noth wronge but BIOS init

[OxfordWill]

Yes- my question was stupid.

Wonder if it could be a power issue? Checking all the pins connections might be worthwhile?

[RKASA]

Yes- my question was stupid.

Wonder if it could be a power issue? Checking all the pins connections might be worthwhile?

no no not a stupit ? I should have used ?? mark after what I typed just making conversation. it's a good point things like that get overlooked.

[nick2k]

did you read my last post? that link I provided you to this article that talks about your problem is very informative.

if you can get your system to boot up, try and do a restore. if you get a blue death screen, then, maybe something wrong with software. maybe start fresh, and reinstall windows.

[RKASA]

That is a good ref art. to keep around, but this start up problem with Hp and is interrmit does not get even to the BooT.ini it is in the CPU step with the chip set not a software problem. Because I have naver seen this but in an Hp or Compaq I would say design fault. I don't think even another new BIOS patch would fix it. I have been dealing with it for near two years. I am lucky to have a reset button, but even before I found that I could use the reset button with the power off. I could always try again agian and then it would start. I also have a small USB problem that is hardware related and replacing parts won't fix it. They just don't match up well. It s like the noise my truck makes that I can't find, but four years on it runs fine. I have rebuild the files and downloaded and flashed the best BIOS run ever test, had Hp do it all remotely as well. Hp gave up they don't know Nothing. still does it Sometimes. Really do suggest aviod hair lose and get a reset button installed. and I might note the year of production of his PC is the same as mine. I bet his is a remanufacture PC sold as new just like mine.

[nick2k]

do you know how they manufacture the cpu chips? one of my friends used to work for AMD. and he told me that the engineers use the same process to make all their chips basically. after the chips are made, they put them through these QA tests to see how well they perform. it is at this time when they calibrate how well the chips function. if they perform at a certain speed, they get tagged and packaged for that speed.

maybe the chip you have in your pc somehow got through the QA testing by mistake.

there are software out there that you can run to test all the components in your pc.

another thing, maybe your model has some problems that many people have reported. if this is the case, I would do a search on google to determine if there are other reports of these problems. there may even have been a recall that you were not aware of.

[RKASA]

I got mine at Costco in the US. It was clearly marked as a rebuild which means someone returned it to Hp in the past. It was vary cheap (like me) I got what I paid for. I can live with using the reset from time to time. If his is realy doing like mine its not that big a deal to push one button before the power button. Its just fine after it starts. Its not crashing and losing data. Just being hard to start sometimes like an other wise good car can do.