XP SP3 freezes at same point even after re-install

HLA91 · 23 Nov 2010 at 09:51

Hi all,

Yesterday morning my PC froze so I held the button in and then waited a few minutes then powered it back up again. It was going fine until the windows loading screen where the blue bar scrolls across and it froze just as the bar was halfway through leaving the little bubble it scrolls through

I thought bugger this I have a backup image I created with paragon when I re-installed a couple of months ago. After lectures I came back and using the image I restored the PC and after about an hour it froze again so I killed it then started it up and it froze at what I believe to be exactly the same point in the windows loading screen. Now I have no idea what is the cause of this, freezing at the same point indicates it could be something windows related instead of HDD related. I am currently running Ubuntu on the same HDD and so far fingers crossed no problems.
So basically I would like to know does anyone know what caused the 2 freezes at the same location? And what can I do to rectify it as Ubuntu is fine but I need Fireworks CS5 for an assignment project so I would like my XP back if possible.

Many thanks

HLA91

Duke · 23 Nov 2010 at 09:56

I would check memory and hard disk tests first - www.ultimatebootcd.com

HLA91 · 29 Nov 2010 at 10:09

I tested the Memory with Ubuntu Memtest and all seemed well. I have a copy of UBCD4WIN which I assume is similar to UBCD but I couldnt get to grips with the hard disk tools on it so any help would be grateful.

I have ubuntu installed on the suspect disk 250GB and so far it has been fine.
I have re-used the backup XP image onto my spare 80GB disk and that has been running fine for the past week. I haven't used Ubuntu much so I cant comment on if it is stable on that disk but the fact that the image has been running on another HDD for almost a week without 1 fault does indicate to me that the image is fine.

Apart form running the HDD tools is their anything else I can do to nail down the source of this problem?

Many thanks

HLA91

James_200sx · 29 Nov 2010 at 11:47

Check RAM. (remove some sticks and try one at once if you can.)
Check HDD. (not sure if easy way do this, could stick image on another HDD)
Check PSU. (try different one.)

HLA91 · 1 Dec 2010 at 13:12

So far there have been no problems with the backup image running on the other HDD so I personally would discount RAM as its the same RAM and memtest came up clean.
I havent got another PSU so thats a no no.

Check HDD. (not sure if easy way do this, could stick image on another HDD)

well it is already on another HDD I just want proof of some kind that it is down to a faulty HDD before I go and buy another one.

Toughnoodle · 1 Dec 2010 at 13:50

You need to download, burn and run the drive testing CD from your hard drive manufacturer. Do a long test and it'll find any faults on the drive.