Computer Not Starting

[ajbrun]

I am currently typing this on my parents PC, because mine doesn't start....

It has been like this for a few hours now. People may remember, I made a thread about my computer being slow during startup and loggin onto the internet. This maybe related - I'm not sure .

When it starts up, it gets to the bit where it detects the IDE drives. It succeeds at this time. Then it goes to the "loading windows XP" screen. Then I get the "detecting IDE drives" screen again. I'm sure I don't usually get this twice....

This time, it just sticks at this screen, and doesn't get any furthur .

What I've done:
* The problem to all this could be that I downloaded 2 zip files shortly before the problems started today. However, I didn't open them, so I don't know if this could be true.

* About a week ago, I downloaded a knoppix demo thing, where you burn an ISO image onto a disk and boot from it. It then boots a knoppix demo. I have just tried this, and the demo still works - I can even see some all the files that are usually on my computer. This I think shows that the hard drive is intact and it has detected it.

* I have opened the case of my computer, and the wires to all my drives seem "normal".

If anyone can give any reason to why this has happened/how I can sort it out, then I'd love to hear from you!!!!

EDIT: I've also tried to start in safe mode etc, but it still does the same thing .

[steve-o]

Grab your windows XP cd and insert it into the computer. On startup, make sure you have the pc to boot from the cdrom drive. Once it detects the cd, press any key for it to load it. If you missed that and the pc is already loading windows, then you need to restart the pc.

Once its loaded windows setup you should be presented with 3 options, I'm not sure what they all are but pick the one that says Install Windows XP now, or similar. It will detect that you have XP installed already, and ask you to either repair it or go to the recovery console, select the option to repair it.

HTH

[the insaan]

yeah, but first you must change the boot sequence in bios so that the pc boots off the cd before it tries to boot off the hard drive

[ajbrun]

Grab your windows XP cd and insert it into the computer. On startup, make sure you have the pc to boot from the cdrom drive. Once it detects the cd, press any key for it to load it. If you missed that and the pc is already loading windows, then you need to restart the pc.

Once its loaded windows setup you should be presented with 3 options, I'm not sure what they all are but pick the one that says Install Windows XP now, or similar. It will detect that you have XP installed already, and ask you to either repair it or go to the recovery console, select the option to repair it.

HTH

OK, but if I do this, I won't lose any data that is on the hard disk will I? It'll just re-install windows?

[ajbrun]

This is just getting worse....

I have put in the windows disk, in the hope of repairing windows. I have changed the bios setting, so that it boots from the CD. I then press any key to boot from the CD, after that, it does the same as it always does.

A grey loading bar goes across the screen, then it goes to the "detecting IDE drives" screen.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? (except buy a new hard drive, which I may have to do )

I really need some help with this, as it's just not loading ANYTHING!!!!!

[ajbrun]

No offence people, but I still need some help with this. It just doesn't feel right without my PC! Even a small suggestion might be useful....

[Pands]

sounds like a memory / harddrive issue to me, burn this to cd image if possible..

www.memtest86.com

if not, run a drive fitness test on your hard drive(s), i presume your using a seagate..

http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/

hope this helps

[ajbrun]

sounds like a memory / harddrive issue to me, burn this to cd image if possible..

www.memtest86.com

if not, run a drive fitness test on your hard drive(s), i presume your using a seagate..

http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/

hope this helps

Yeah - I've found evidence on the net that points to that now. You may want to check out my other thread - "Memory Trouble".