My computer wont start properly

hey guys, I have a windows xp computer and it wont start properly,then it gives me a list of choices,like start windows normaly,or in safe mode,it has hp diagnostics stuff, i dont know much bout computers,I have tried all i could and Im wondering if any of you know how to get it working. Thanks for your time

Ok, so it appears the issue is with starting windows, can you be more specific as to what is wrong when it starts up and how it "Won't start properly"?

When it starts up it will offer you 'Start with last 'good' configaration!

If its not too busted that should sort it!


Mic

Originally posted by MickeyDee
When it starts up it will offer you 'Start with last 'good' configaration!

If its not too busted that should sort it!


Mic

hey, thanks for the tip, but I tried that, It didnt work

Maybe go into safe mode, then run any antivirus, anti spybot, anti adware programs, then reboot? It may take a while to run all of those...

Originally posted by cheesy1907
hey guys, I have a windows xp computer and it wont start properly,then it gives me a list of choices,like start windows normaly,or in safe mode,it has hp diagnostics stuff, i dont know much bout computers,I have tried all i could and Im wondering if any of you know how to get it working. Thanks for your time

After booting to your desktop , click start , run, type "msconfig" without quotes. check your bootini tab to see what is checked. your probably have "safeboot" checked. If not then look at your startup selection to see what you have checked.

Good luck

Sounds like a serious problem. Or did you get it solved?

Originally posted by NetStorm

Originally posted by cheesy1907
hey guys, I have a windows xp computer and it wont start properly,then it gives me a list of choices,like start windows normaly,or in safe mode,it has hp diagnostics stuff, i dont know much bout computers,I have tried all i could and Im wondering if any of you know how to get it working. Thanks for your time

After booting to your desktop , click start , run, type "msconfig" without quotes. check your bootini tab to see what is checked. your probably have "safeboot" checked. If not then look at your startup selection to see what you have checked.

Good luck

thats the problem, it wont boot to my desktop

Originally posted by Kalapadea
Sounds like a serious problem. Or did you get it solved?

yes, this is a HUGE problem,and nope, i havent fixed it yet,but thanks for the advice guys,and keep it coming please

Well, if I were in that situation, I'd get a new HD, load a copy of Windows, and make your old HD a slave drive. That way you can investigate your files and see if anything is wrong, or if the HD itself is bad.

I have some tools if you want to try something. Let me know.

Doesnt sound like a HDD to me, being itts getting to the windows XP Safe menu means the HDD is still reading.

Maybe stick the HDD into another PC as a secondary and make sure you can read it, run a scandisk

Put the XP cd in and reinstall windows over the top,

Did you change alter ANYTHING?
Maybe remove everything peripheral, IE Sound card, Modem, TV Card, Burner
Leave only the RAM, CPU HDD plugged in.
Ive had a TV Tuner card cook and halt my pc..

Maybe if you have multiple RAM stix try one at a time.

If all else fails..... well that part pisses ya off cause then u have to start guessing, which costs money!

Just because he gets into safe mode means the HD is ok, lol. First thing I think of is RAM, PSU, Mobo, in that order. Forget guessing about RAM sticks, use another computer to download memtest from www.memtest.org
Open the zip file, use the utility with a floppy and boot to floppy on the computer with problems. It will run an extensive memory test and will tell you where if any your RAM problems are.

Ummm yeah kalapadea, thats a pretty significant thing.
If it gets through the post, detects the Drive and doesnt halt..
if it reads enough of the windows directory to load up safe menu
In my opinion thast enough of the HDD to say it hasnt burnt out, or lost its partition.

Powersupply?.... why would you check that?.. i mean if that wasnt working it wouldnt start, if the fan wasnt working it would stop by overheating? then not turn on at all until it was cool?

Ram is a possibility.. as I said if u have multiple ram chips use one at a time... check them to see if there HOT...
Have you got any swollen diodes on the motherboard?

But Id get everything back to an extreme MINIMUM.. 1HDD 1Ram 1 CPU 1 MBOard and 1 Video card..

If this doesnt boot, try removing ALL ram chips. If the Bios BEEPS at you when you boot up you know the motherboard still reads the RAM.

Other than that, unless you have spaer pieces of hardware your gunna have to take it to a techy mate or a shop.

Agit8d, IMHO you have it spot on. I am assuming software at this point.

As Netstorm suggested after booting to your desktop in safe mode, click start , run, type "msconfig" without quotes. check your bootini tab to see what is checked. your probably have "safeboot" checked. If not then look at your startup selection to see what you have checked. (Could be you have selective startup checked.)

If you can't get to your desktop in safe mode, tell us what errors you are receiving.

Cheesy help us out with more info.
Type of machine?
Service packs installed?
Error messages?
How many/what type drives?
Can you boot from a floppy?
Have you tried the restore cd?
Can you boot to a command prompt?

1. Boot into safe mode with networking
2. Right click "my computer" go to manage
3. expand event viewer and view both system and applications. Check to see exactly what happened. continue to the microsoft helpand support site. Follow their instructions.
4. run - msconfig, go to startup tab and deselect anything you don't want starting
5. click www.pandasoftware.com... or google panda activescan, and run an online virus scan. Viruses often delete definitions that could delete the affectinng virus.

He just said he couldn't get into safe mode, lol.

I'm tellin ya, the next best step is to either change out the HD, or use memtest on the RAM currently in the machine.

BUT HE CAN Get to the SAFE Mode menu is what im saying.
If the HDD Was buggard, it would either HAULT THe post process,
it could say UNABLE To READ Disk, and it WOULDNT read a partition and run system files to process Safemode MENU.
Plus the HDD would TICK, its a process called seeking.
Im not saying the HDD is 100% Fantastic condition.. But being its getting to the point its getting to Id be looking ELSEWHERE before buying New HDD's and trashing your data.

THE hdd physically is OK! The software running on it, at a certain point, or someharware device being loaded by its drivers ISNT!

Whats the use in going through the bS of downloading, installing and running memtest, when u can just use trial and error on multiple RAM chips, or remove them all together to test?
Chances are if the RAMS buggard, it will either BEEP at Bios, it will Not turn on at all, the post test again would fail, or it would have a window protection fault at startup.

Being u can load Safemenu, it seems to me a device if failing, or the drivers trying to load it are haulting it.
Where does my opinion come from?
8yrs Network Administration for the Stock Exchange.


[edit on 27-9-2005 by Agit8dChop]

[edit on 27-9-2005 by Agit8dChop]

[edit on 27-9-2005 by Agit8dChop]

thats the problem, it wont boot to my desktop

he just said he couldn't.

Edit: GAH! You never tell someone to get into their own computer before having to. This is what I do every single day, I fix computers. The rule is, DONT tell an INEXPERIENCED user to open up their case. That may cause more problems than you think. Consider jumpers, static, cables, things that maybe you and I see and consider, but the average desktop user has no real idea about. Don't ask a "newbie" for lack of a better word, to start unplugging things.

Kid, my ass, I've got an MCSE, A+, and security+. I know what I'm doing most of the time (Though I do have a funny habit of forgetting websites...)

[edit on 9/27/2005 by Kalapadea]

Kid... Safe mode MENU and safe mode are different things....

i'm really not in the mood to argue when we're supposed to be helping this guy. So I apologize. Sorry that I'm attacking you, my opinion is so underappreciated lately I go a little nuts. Please, Please lets just see if this guy is even going to post further details.