Computer freezes during BOOTUP

F

firedancer

New Member
Hello,

I have a Gateway 500S desktop running Windows XP Home. Sometime ago it started freezing during bootup. It would arrive at the desktop and then freeze. I would have to do a forced shutdown...wait...then restart. It's worsened over time. Now, I cannot even reach the desktop. I have done many forced shutdowns/startups to try and resolve the problem. My computer is five years old - I thought it was the power supply because I could hear the fan going inside but nothing else.

It's now been sitting for a few days while I did more research. I decided to try again and this time was able to access BIOS, and when I exited it told me the computer had been abnormally shut down and did I want to startup in Safe Mode or the Last Working Configuration. I chose Last Working...but never got to see if it worked. It froze right at that screen.

Forced shutdown...wait...restart. This time, I cannot even get into BIOS or Safe Mode. That is the typical way things go with it right now. Can't even get to BIOS. There is a grinding noise inside and it freezes, but the fan is still going.

There IS a BIOS update for my computer, which I just now discovered, but cannot get the computer going long enough to install it. PLEASE HELP!!!!
 
Thank you for responding, oscaryu1.

I'm not savvy enough to articulate to you where the grinding noise originates, but it "sounds" like it's coming from directly behind the power button. I've taken the cover off and watched and listened closely, but it's hard to tell with all those cables in the way - ha.

When you say "check the RAM", what do you mean? Reseat it? Or something else?

Thanks for your help. I'd sure love to figure this out. :(
 
Yes reseat, and if you have 2 pieces take one out. If the "grinding" noise is coming from there then I'm guessing it's just the plastics rubbing against each other...
 
Grinding nose = hard drive dying? Maybe!

Grinding nose = Fans making the noise?

Grinding nose = cd/dvd player problems?

As for not booting, it could be the hard drive, or the ram, or a video card problem, or a motherboard problem, or a cpu problem or a PSU problem or even a operating system problem.

Take your pick of one of the above. Without some knowledge of what you are looking at, or hearing, it would be very hard to tell. Otherwise it is just a guessing game on our part.

Do you get any error messages? Do you hear any beeping nosies when you try turning the system on? Do you have anti virus software installed and do you do regular scans of your system?

Any information you can supply would make it much easier for us to help you.


(oscaryu1, grinding nosies from the ram??)
 
paratwa said:
Grinding nose = hard drive dying? Maybe!

Grinding nose = Fans making the noise?

Grinding nose = cd/dvd player problems?
Click to expand...

Hard drive- could be

Fans - I doubt one second of the fan stopping would freeze the computer... and I doubt that there is an fan behind the switch


Try booting into safe mode. I am lookin in on paratwa's HDD idea. He may be right, I suggest unplugging your HDD and seeing if the noise persists.
 
Thank you so much for your suggestions everyone. It's so appreciated.

Grinding nose = hard drive dying? Maybe!

Grinding nose = Fans making the noise?

Grinding nose = cd/dvd player problems?
Click to expand...

The fan is smooth as silk and there is no unusual noise coming from it. It's been the one consistent thing through this mess. I know it's not the fan.

The grinding noise is not coming from the cd/dvd player - and I also haven't had any problems with that at all.

Of those three, sadly, I'm thinking the harddrive. :(

As for not booting, it could be the hard drive, or the ram, or a video card problem, or a motherboard problem, or a cpu problem or a PSU problem or even a operating system problem.

Do you get any error messages? Do you hear any beeping nosies when you try turning the system on? Do you have anti virus software installed and do you do regular scans of your system?

Any information you can supply would make it much easier for us to help you.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry I'm not more knowledgeable about the computer guts, but I am learning, and I'm trying! I will reseat the ram and the video card to start.

There are no error messages. There are no beeping noises when it starts. When I press the power button, for the first four seconds or so everything is smooth. Then the grinding noise...then it freezes.

I do have antivirus software installed and do regular scans.

***NOTE: I just listened again. The grinding noise is coming from the harddrive. I reseated the RAM and disconnected/reconnected the power supply cable to the harddrive. Guess what - it started and is now in Windows and I'm quickly running all updates. But I've come this far before and it starts freezing again.

Sounds like it's a harddrive problem, huh? What's my next step if it is?? Just get a new one?
 
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