Both computers down! help please!

[lincsman]

Both of my systems are either not functioning or barely running.
I'll start with the vista system. I had trouble where it wouldn't boot because it had this blue screen that kept saying something different every time. Then I started it in Safe Mode, but it wouldn't boot entirely (just stopped booting). Shortly after I managed to boot windows, but windows only runs the bare minimum of programs and I can only go into my computer and view photos, none of the audio/video programs work, and I can't open internet explorer or firefox. What should I do? It's a custom computer so I'm not sure how many shops will take it in to get fixed.

Okay, now for my xp system. Apparently I had only shut it down in hibernate mode before we moved. So, now, when I hook it up and start it up, the screen often won't even show anything, and if it does windows doesn't start up. Help please?

 

[The_Other_One]

On your vista machine, did you get it into normal windows or was it safe mode? Because if your running safe mode, it's pretty normal for said things not to function. Hmm... But things to try; it could be the RAM or hard drive. RAM would be the quickest/easiest test. Remove all but one stick and see how it works. Try all sticks individually. If the problem persists, try the hard drive. Window's CHKDSK works pretty well. Boot to safe mode/command prompt/remove the drive/etc and run it on the drive. See if there are any errors. If not, it's probably something with the install of windows. You could run a system repair, or just reload.

Now for the XP machine. However you left it has no relevance to the problem. What happens when Windows doesn't start? Anything? Blue screen? Restart? Lockup? My first guess would be a power supply issue, but could be the hard drive or RAM.

 

[lincsman]

Thanks for the suggestions. As far as the xp machine is concerned, it just doesn't show anything - a blank screen. On some almost successful attempts windows shows the loading screen and then blanks out after that.