computer down please help!!

arnoldma · 18 May 2011 at 19:57

This is a bit random and has never happened to me before, this computer is pretty old, but always kept in good condition.

i'm on:

abit ic-7 max3, intel p4 prescott, radeon x800xt pe, enermax noisetaker 475 psu, wd 1tb black.

i switched off my computer last night by the power button (holding it down). hope thats not what caused it...

this afternoon, booted it up, i selected normal at normal or safe mode etc... (tried all other modes too), it got the black windows xp loading screen (where the bar goes back and forth below winxp logo),

BUT

where the bar stops and it normally loads into windows, it goes back to POST again (intel logo). and it just loops!!

the strangest thing is - after a few attempts, my motherboard warning siren starts going as well (much like a fire siren), it starts just after RAID loading screen (after intel logo). but the same thing still happens at black windows xp loading screen... and loops back to POST.

Does this sound famliar to anyone? the PSU is making a funny noise, so i thought it might be that, but surely it wont boot up at all if its PSU?

Please help guys, any input is appreciated, as im really stuck here...

i dont even know if its a hardware or software problem!

THANK YOU!!

arnoldma · 18 May 2011 at 22:17

Hi All, just a quick update, i realised the siren is to do with the northbrdige fan, i unplugged it ages ago, and you have to tell bios to not warn you about it. it came back because i reset the bios while trouble shooting.

my psu i think has been making that noise for ages, prob fan problem...

i guess it srot of narrows it down to a software problem?

still no luck to solving the problem...

Thanks guys!

arnoldma · 19 May 2011 at 14:51

anyone have any ideas? thanks!

arnoldma · 19 May 2011 at 14:56

no failed drives at raid screen, sorry i should have clarified about the NB fan, i unplugged it aaaaaggggges ago, it was a known issue with the abit ic-7, the fans are crap basically. HS is still attached though temps are fine.

i have a bit of an update, too:

i managed to boot into windows xp last night, i simply removed the current HDD and plugged in an old one i had before a format (windows xp fully installed), and it booted up ok.

So does that mean its a problem with windows on the other HDD thats doing the boot loop?

Thanks.