computer down please help!!

arnoldma

arnoldma

arnoldma

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Joined
23 Nov 2004
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314
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!!
 
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!
 
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.
 
I'm confused, what is your HHD set-up?

Did you replace one of the RAID drives or a single disk?

Check the manufacturer of each drive and download the disk diagnostics tool for each. Samgsung for example is HUTIL. The utilities are normally launched from a live CD which you need to create so remember to change the BIOS to boot from the CD. Follow screen instructions and run a full disk scan.
 
most likely its BSODing and auto restarting, you might be able to start up and disable auto restart if you press F8 after post/raid but before windows.

Id say that you corrupted a file when you held down the power button, or something else at teh same time cocked it up, rare but it does happen.

Depending on what the BSOD is, you may be able to jsut replace a single file, but if its all backed up etc id just format it.
 
^ you need to make sure it isn't a hardware fault first. Pointless doing a restore or format if the underlying problems remain. Once you're happy that all drives are working (as per previous post) then think about a re-format, but even then, only once you've ruled out all hardware possibilities.
 
If you put in your windows cd and boot from it, Eventually on the first screen it will say press R for repair, Do that.

Then when the black screen comes up select your OS ( usually option 1 ) and press enter, Then type in these commands. fixboot ( enter press y enter ) fixmbr ( enter y enter ) then chkdsk /p ( enter )

What that will do is fix the boot file, fix the master boot record and the checkdisk should find what files are missing and re-insert them.

This isnt always a 100% assured fix but I'd say about 90% of my customers computers I can fix this way.

Good luck!
 
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