Windows won't boot

S

Sneak

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
299
This could go under several topics but I put it here since I don't know the trouble.

First Specs:
Asus Striker Extreme Mobo
2 gig Corsair 8500 RAM
BFG 280 OCX Vid
Corsair HX620 power
74 gig Raptor boot drive
150 Raptor drive
640 WD aaks drive
Samsung dvd
E6700 processor
Tuniq Tower HSF
Windows XP Pro

Everything has been fine and dandy. Went on vacation and left the comp on as it takes faxes and voice messages. It was not connected to the internet at all. Came back and turned on the monitor to find something like "Can't load OS"

Reboot and comp won't post past where it starts detecting hardware. Can't remember the bios version I have but fairly new like 15 I think. So I pull memory in and out just in case and reset the CMOS. Comp posts at that point and I get to the screen where it says windows did not load properly...................I chose to start normally.

I get the screen where windows is loading and the blue bar scrolls from left to right under the logo. It never went past that. I let it run a long while and ultimately the blue bar stops scrolling. If I let it get to that point I have to reset the CMOS to post. If I turn it off before then it will post just fine.

Short details: I can not boot into safe mode of any kind. The screen halts on the file called iomdisk.sys every time. I used to have a zip drive but that has been out for a while and uninstalled. Using the last known good config does the same as above with the scrolling blue bar. Using the Windows XP cd and having it do a recovery ends oddly. It seems to load some files, run the drive a while to check it and then I get a black screen with a few lines of text about what the recovery console does and type exit to reboot the comp. I can not type exit as it does not ever give me a command prompt.

And of course the question is "What is wrong with this thing?" I guess it could be the drive or a corrupted file but the recovery should have nailed that. Also the bios seems to find the drive OK. I have no other comp to put it in to check it unless I can hook it to my laptop through an esata and let my desktop power it. Thoughts? I am suspecting either my mobo went south or from searching around it seems more likely that my processor is gone.

Ideas? Any way to varify the processor or anything else? Keep in mind I can not even get a command prompt.

I can sure get to Fry's today to get a new processor before they close if thats what it is. Probably upgrade as well.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Get yourself a Linux live CD if you don't have one or your Windows CD and scan the file system for errors - perhaps something caused your computer to restart when you were away and the file system is corrupted. I find that's the problem about 95% of the time (it's very common, especially with the people that refuse to shut their computer down properly).
 
SharpieFiend said:
Get yourself a Linux live CD if you don't have one or your Windows CD and scan the file system for errors - perhaps something caused your computer to restart when you were away and the file system is corrupted. I find that's the problem about 95% of the time (it's very common, especially with the people that refuse to shut their computer down properly).
Click to expand...

I have not seen an option to scan for errors on the windows XP cd. How do I do that? The only options I get are to install Windows, use the recovery console, or exit.
 
Check your PC isnt trying to boot a USB pen or another drive.
Verify that your OS drive is the first drive in the boot order (in the CMOS).
 
ok - No flash drives are plugged in and the drive order in the Bios is correct. Just tried the repair console again from the XP CD, no Command Prompt. Am going to let it run a bit longer to see if anything comes up
 
OK the repair console is not going any where. After running and checking settings it went to a black screen which says "Microsoft Windows XP{TM} Recovery Console The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality. Type exit to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer."

There is nothing else, no DOS prompt or anything. I can not type exit. I have been to this spot a bunch of times now. I left it running for some time and nothing changes. All I can do is power down.

I have another idea. I have a different 74 gig Raptor here. I am going to install it in place of the other 74 gig OS drive and try to install Windows on it. If it will not install that should narrow it down to the Mobo or processor. Any other ideas?
 
Well it looks like it is the hard drive. Complete hard crash. Can't read anything off of it. Won't even come up. Will continue this over in the hard drive thread.

Thanks guys.
 
i just replaced my dead 4870 with a x1800xt just for the meanwhile and it wont go past windows loading screen, after the windows xp loading screen the screen goes inito a blank screen like it has no signal, does anyone know what it could be??? the hard drive, cpu and the ram is all good becuase i tested in another shuttle that i have, please help
 
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