Computer crash - Help!

Wala.Revolution

7579 Posts

June 29 2010 17:48 GMT

Yesterday when I was just listening to music my computer crashed. A high-pitched noise emitted from my headphones continuously and my computer froze. I turn the computer off with the on/off switch from the power supply and just let it sit there for some hours while I read a book.

Now when I try to boot up my computer will repeatedly restart by itself during the windows loading screen (black background, windows logo in middle and a progress bar underneath it). For a moment I can see a blue screen with white letters, but it doesn't stay for long as my computer just restarts (lasts about .1-3 seconds).

I tried to boot in safe mode and it indicated that I have XP with service pack 2, but I have no idea why it would boot in safe mode and what I do in it.

Please help :x I have never had a crash that didn't fix on it's own (lol). Any help is appreciated.

Pokebunny

United States10654 Posts

June 29 2010 17:53 GMT

Smells like hard drive failure to me, but I am far from a computer expert. Similar thing happened to my brother's old computer.

RumZ

United States956 Posts

June 29 2010 18:19 GMT

Sounds like a big hard drive error.

Is the hard disk drive NTFS or Fat32 type? I can help you from this information point.

(And damnit guys I set up a Blog for this stuff to avoid mass thread creation on computer problems! )

Wala.Revolution

7579 Posts

June 29 2010 18:35 GMT

On June 30 2010 03:19 Joey.rumz wrote:
Sounds like a big hard drive error.

Is the hard disk drive NTFS or Fat32 type? I can help you from this information point.

(And damnit guys I set up a Blog for this stuff to avoid mass thread creation on computer problems! )

I just noticed; will post there.

Marradron

Netherlands1586 Posts

June 29 2010 18:50 GMT

I've had this once on my laptob. It was a failure in a higher part of the RAM memory. Basicly when starting windows ram gets full. Meets the failure and crash. A friend of mine had a diagnostic program to check all hardware. But it could just be a HD failure dont have experience in that

xmShake

United States1100 Posts

June 29 2010 18:57 GMT

It's important to note, can you actually boot into safemode all the way?

Initial crash sounds like a ram problem to me.
Try running this.
http://www.memtest.org/
Use one ram stick at a time until you can isolate which one has gone bad.

Wala.Revolution

7579 Posts

June 29 2010 19:42 GMT

I don't know what 'all the way' means but I can boot to where I can navigate windows desktop. However my computer is noticebly slower and sound doesn't work.

Also my wireless adaptor program can't run in safe mode so is there a way to get around this?

Which version of the memtest am I suppose to download and run?

Marradron

Netherlands1586 Posts

June 29 2010 19:59 GMT

On June 30 2010 04:42 Wala.Revolution wrote:
I don't know what 'all the way' means but I can boot to where I can navigate windows desktop. However my computer is noticebly slower and sound doesn't work.

Also my wireless adaptor program can't run in safe mode so is there a way to get around this?

Which version of the memtest am I suppose to download and run?

I'd download it on this computer put on USB stick transfer. If usb works in safemode could be not xD

Actually just read the site for one minute.

You're supposed to make a boot-cd. Memtest doesn't require any operating system. Just insert the made boot disk and it should override your windows startup. Just read the site yourself.

Wala.Revolution

7579 Posts

June 29 2010 20:53 GMT

Ok since this computer doesn't have a burner, I downloaded the USB install version and executed the program after transferring the file, making it a bootable usb(?).

I shut down from safe mode, and started up the computer again.

Annnnd.... it starts working again?

How should I follow up? I think I seriously need to clean up the computer both physically (dust and stuff) and electronically (lol what word should I use).

Miracle!!

Marradron

Netherlands1586 Posts

June 29 2010 23:20 GMT

#10

Try running a program the uses full processor and ram and see if it crashes. I recomend still using the program to check for errors. Did you do anything inside the box like touch wires ? cause it might have something like a loose contact then.

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