start up freeze...

[jdreher]

My computer keeps on locking up during the start up sequence... here's some background on what lead up to the current problem...

Whever I tried to access a certain file (an MP3 on a hard drive not containing any system files) the computer would lock up and I would have to restart. After a few reboots, it locked up and told me it couldn't locate an operating system to start up with (but recognized both hard drives). After a couple more restarts it just freezes during the start up sequence, specifically in the middle of the PCI device listing that usually just takes a second on a normal start up. The last line on the screen before it just gets stuck on a blinking cursor in the lower left corner lists a device class "ACPI Controller" with an IRQ of 8...that final listing does not identify a Bus No., Device No., Func No. or any of the other columns listed for all the other PCI devices.

Does anyone have any idea what could be locking it up and how I can fix it?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[dexmanone]

What OS are you running? Have you tried boot disks, or start up with cd? If you can get into the start up and remove everything and see how that goes.

 

[jdreher]

I'm running win2k. I've reached a point now where the computer will get past the "verifying PMI pool data..." line after the PCI device listing and usually the last step before it starts loading the OS. Right when it would usually start loading the OS, though, the screen blacks out (it's still on and receiving a signal, it's just totally black and blank) and the disk light goes on for about 30 seconds then stops. I've tried a Win2k boot disk but it gives me a disk error or doesn't like the disk.

Any ideas?

 

[NyCxSpyder]

I'm not 100% certain but I would try to check your HDD. What HDs do you have? Sometimes with these problems, we think of all hardware related and software related problems but never think of the HDD itself. The HDD itself is what stores everything and if something is wrong with the HDD, then the computer, doesn't die but is corrupted. I think your problem is either your HDD or your OS. Would you happen to have any HDD-checking utility? I know IBM has one but it only works for IBM HDDs I think. Like I said before, I think your problem is that either your OS system files are corrupted or just your OS (unlikely, but possible) or your HDD are having problems. Good Luck.

 

[NyCxSpyder]

I have one more solution. First, make sure your BIOS/PC is set to boot from your CD BEFORE your HDD. Insert your Win2k disk and let it load. When everything loads, and it asks what you want to do, choose Recovery. When it enters this MSDOS screen, type in "chkdisk" (i think that's it, if I'm wrong please correct me) It should check your HDD and your OS (i think). Hopefully that will at least help out a bit.

 

[jdreher]

Now I've gotten as far as getting a Win2k boot disk to start to load. It keeps giving me the error "INF file txtsetup.sif is corrupt or missing" and it tells me that setup cannot continue. I've tried using two different disks and different images for a Win2k boot disk and I've got the same error on each. Also, when I have the Win2k CD in the drive and have the BIOS set to load from CD first, it says "Boot from CD : " twice and then just blanks out again without even accessing the CD. The CD disk light doesn't come on at this point (both of my CD drives are recognized after the CPU posts) and it just does the same thing where the HDD light on the case comes on for 30 seconds and then quits with the screen still blacked out.

I'll keep trying different things but anymore suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[NyCxSpyder]

About the CD, you did it right. But please note to BOOT from CD, you have to press a key. It should say...
Boot From CD... Press A Key To Boot From CD
I think it's your OS now that has happened because your OS isn't loading and because you didn't boot from CD, it went to your OS which is corrupted I think.

 

[NyCxSpyder]

BTW What PC are you on right now?

 

[jdreher]

I'm on a laptop right now right next to the busted computer (hooked into the school network). I ran the IBM HDD diagnostic/repair tools and it found a bad sector on the IBM HDD that my OS is on so I'm going to try to fix that. I'll let you know how that goes but I have to go now and won't be able to get back to work on it until this evening.

 

[NyCxSpyder]

I was right ^^ hehe...It's a good idea to scan disk and defrag once a week (well maybe not that much but I do it when i'm zZzing so....) Just a thought ^^ GL