PC freezing on start up.

**Ja'chyra** · 04-17-2009, 12:36

Afternoon all, looking for some advice again.

I've had a problem on my pc since I got it about 2 years ago but it seems to be getting worse recently. The problem is when I switch the pc on is flashes past the first few screens until it gets to the green windows loading bar, you know the one that looks like a green version of night rider, about 90% of the time now it is freezing at this point. It doesn't always freeze at exactly the same point but most of the time the bar will stop and nothing will work from then on, I've even tried leaving it over night in case it was just slowing down.

I'm running Windows Vista Home edition and never had any other problems with it and have also recently replaced the hard drives and re-installed Vista and while it got slightly better it seems to be getting worse again.

Anyone got any ideas what could be causing it?

**Xiahou** · 04-17-2009, 17:40

Do you have any new USB devices plugged in?

**Ja'chyra** · 04-17-2009, 19:50

Nope, it doesn't seem to matter if I have anything plugged in or not.

**Veho Nex** · 04-17-2009, 20:28

Sounds like a corrupt data file. Next time you get it on, I recomend uploading all important documents to a data storage spot, and wiping your HD clean and starting fresh.

**Quietus** · 04-18-2009, 00:24

Originally Posted by Ja'chyra

Afternoon all, looking for some advice again.

I've had a problem on my pc since I got it about 2 years ago but it seems to be getting worse recently. The problem is when I switch the pc on is flashes past the first few screens until it gets to the green windows loading bar, you know the one that looks like a green version of night rider, about 90% of the time now it is freezing at this point. It doesn't always freeze at exactly the same point but most of the time the bar will stop and nothing will work from then on, I've even tried leaving it over night in case it was just slowing down.

I'm running Windows Vista Home edition and never had any other problems with it and have also recently replaced the hard drives and re-installed Vista and while it got slightly better it seems to be getting worse again.

Anyone got any ideas what could be causing it?

Can it go safe mode? Or Windows diagnostics?

**Ja'chyra** · 04-18-2009, 11:34

Originally Posted by Veho Nex

Sounds like a corrupt data file. Next time you get it on, I recomend uploading all important documents to a data storage spot, and wiping your HD clean and starting fresh.

I've changed the hard drives for new ones and re-installed the OS from a different disk and it still happens.

Originally Posted by Quietus

Can it go safe mode? Or Windows diagnostics?

Nope, it freezes on the green bar screen and wont move from there.

My first thought was obviously the OS but it can't be that, my only other thought is the motherboard but I don't see how?

**Quietus** · 04-18-2009, 12:51

Originally Posted by Ja'chyra

Nope, it freezes on the green bar screen and wont move from there.

My first thought was obviously the OS but it can't be that, my only other thought is the motherboard but I don't see how?

I meant hardware diagnostics (F9 or F10) or safe mode (F8) even before that screen. I only asked safe mode too see if it's a video card problem. If it still can go safe mode, then it's probably the video card.

**Ja'chyra** · 04-20-2009, 08:23

Originally Posted by Quietus

I meant hardware diagnostics (F9 or F10) or safe mode (F8) even before that screen. I only asked safe mode too see if it's a video card problem. If it still can go safe mode, then it's probably the video card.

Oh right, I get you know.

Yes I can access all the screens up until the green bar shows so I can go to the set up screens and safe mode.

**Veho Nex** · 04-20-2009, 16:21

Maybe, it is your video card is dieing. Have you noticed a bunch of lines or a grid like appearence that just seems to be in the background when you start up? and if you get it to run in safemode is there a grid in the background. If so your Video Card is well on its way to death. See if you are still under warenty and ask to get it RMA'd(That is the term I'm looking for right?)

**Quietus** · 04-21-2009, 11:58

Originally Posted by Ja'chyra

Oh right, I get you know.

Yes I can access all the screens up until the green bar shows so I can go to the set up screens and safe mode.

So it runs fine on safe mode? Then, it's likely the graphics card. There's no blue-screen error, garbled colors, or vertical lines when it freezes?

Find the Hardware Diagnostic tool during start-up. See if it's inside the set-up menu. Run it and it will check your hardware. It's good sniffing out problems.

**Ja'chyra** · 07-10-2009, 11:28

The bloody thing is getting worse, it used to be it would start on the third or fourth attempt now it wont start in anything but safe mode.

Is it likely that I need a new graphics card?

**Hooahguy** · 07-10-2009, 15:34

or a new fan. my laptop did the same thing and i figured out that because my fan broke it melted part of my motherboard.

**Ja'chyra** · 07-12-2009, 14:45

Fixed it I think.

I loaded it up in safe mode and updated the video driver, even though I was sure I had already done it, this brought up another windows update which I installed, I also up dated the BIOS for good measure and it has started first time the last four attempts.

Saved me £1k on a new computer, but on the down side it means I've no excuse to buy a new one :(