I cannot get my computer to boot...

Status
Not open for further replies.

Darien42

Posts: 13   +0
Hi all,
I am having quite the ordeal with my computer at the moment. It seems that after I returned from an outting that my computer refuses to boot up.
To help in any way possible in identifying a solution, here are the specs to my computer;

520W PS
ASUS P4P800 mobo
1GB Ram
P4 2.4 HT enabled
120 GB Maxtor IDE HDD
250 GB Seagate SATA HDD
GeForce FX 5600 256MB GPU
Windows XP professional SP2

Here's what happens when I boot up the computer. I hit the power and the computer goes about the booting proceedure until just after the windows icon with the progress bar, after that, I get the dreaded 'blue screen of death'.
At the bottom of the message telling me to restart and disable all of my anti-viruses and what not, there is a stop message. The primary code for the stop message is 0x00000024 with 0x00190203, 0x876A0508, 0xc0000102 and 0x00000000 in brackets after it.
I checked the board here and found that the code is a result of an error in the NTFS.sys file.
Although I have tried numerous means of trying to fix the problem, I have had no luck at all. If there is anybody here that can offer some assistance to me on this topic, it would be most greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

- Darien 42
 
No Post

read: Computer Won't POST? (How to troubleshoot)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You just built a computer, or the one you have suddenly won't boot up.... what you have now is a P.O.S.T. Failure. (Power On Self Test).
This document is intended to help users who are experiencing issues with POST and may have any of the below symptoms.

1.Computer beeps irregularly when the computer is turned on.
2.Computer turns on but does not boot.

Note: Not all computers have beep codes, some of the newer computers have LED's that light up that indicate the error or have a sound file to indicate the error.

A POST failure can be caused by any of the following situations.
1.New hardware conflicting with old hardware
2.Bad or failing hardware device.
3.Other hardware issue. (electrical shorts or incompatibilities.)

Warning: Some of the below steps recommend removing physical parts within the computer. While in the computer it is highly recommend that you be aware of electro-static discharge and its potential hazards. ALWAYS ground yourself and your equipment. Ensure your computer is unplugged!

Note: Make sure your computer is turning on, if you press the power button and nothing happens (no lights, no sound, no fans, etc.) then this issue is not a NO POST but is an power related issue.

If any new hardware has been recently added to the computer, remove that hardware to make sure it is not the cause of your issue. If after removing the new hardware your computer works it's likely the computer is either not compatible with the new hardware or a system setting needs to be changed to work with the new hardware device.

1.Remove everything from the back of the computer except the power cable. Turn on the computer and see if it beeps normally. If the computer has never beeped also connect a monitor to the computer to see if any change occurs.

2.Check the stand-offs (the metal or plastic insulators) that keep your motherboard off and away from the case or housing. Ensure they are not grounding or shorting the motherboard out. If they are metal, ensure that the cardboard insulators are present. Ensure the motherboard is not grounding out to the case also at any other point.

3.If you are receiving a sequence of beeps consult your motherboard manual or the motherboard manufacturer's website for a listing of different beep codes and their explanation. These beep codes are meant as a method of quickly identifying what computer component is failing or bad.

4.Check to make sure power cables are not grounding or shorting to the case or other components. Ensure all ends are connected properly, securely, and snugly.

5.Make sure all fans are running in the computer. If a fan has failed (especially the heat sink fan for the CPU) your computer could be overheating and/or detecting the fan failure causing the computer not to boot.

6.If you were unable to determine by the beep code what is failing or do not have a beep code disconnect the IDE cables from the CD-ROM, Hard Drive, and Floppy drive from the Motherboard. If this resolves your post failure, attempt to connect each device one at a time to determine which device and or cable is causing the issue.

7.If the above recommendations still have not resolved the irregular POST, start disconnecting your expansion riser cards, these are the cards that are not essential to system operation. Break your motherboard down to the bare basics. Disconnect your floppy drive, CD/DVD Rom, and hard drives Your motherboard basics should have just the following: video card, RAM, motherboard and PSU (power supply unit). If this resolves the issue or allows the computer to post connect one card or device at a time until you determine which card or device is causing the issue.

8.If you continue to to receive the same problem with all the above hardware removed attempt to disconnect the CPU and RAM from the Motherboard. Once done insert the CPU and RAM back into the computer to see doing this resolves your issue.

9.Ensure your PSU is of the correct size and power requirements for your system. Many newer motherboards and graphics cards are power intensive. Some newer graphics cards require their own separate power supplies. An underpowered PSU, will also cause system failure. Most new systems will not run well with less than 450W PSUs.

10.If after doing all of the above recommendations you continue to have the same issues unfortunately it is likely that you have bad or incompatible components, in particular RAM. Ensure your RAM is compatible with the motherboard. Many newer motherboards are very specific about what RAM sticks they will accept. Don't mix and match RAM speeds, type, or size.

11.If you have determined your components are compatible, then you have faulty hardware. The next step would be to test each component separately. You will need to find a working motherboard to test RAM with a diagnostic program like Memtest 86+. A faulty motherboard will need to be simply replaced. A bad PSU can only be replaced. Don't attempt to repair a bad or failing PSU. This is quite dangerous. High voltages and hazardous chemicals are present in PSU capacitors and other components – even when main power is disconnected. You can only replace a bad PSU.
 
What I have tried thus far...

To solve my problem, I have made boot disks for for Windows XP professional SP2 that I obtained off of the microsoft website. The disks work and allow me to get as far as the setup options of Installing Windows and Repairing Windows. I cannot however, install windows as my windows disk is missing right now.
Other things that I have done is tried to load it in safe mode of various types and that only brings up the screen too. I have tried to run a chkdsk but for some reason, while running it through DOS, it seems to have problems.
I get to the DOS menu and type in the command of chkdsk c: when the computer proceeds to tell me that it cant find the file Autochk.exe. It then asks me to type in the directory location of the file and when I do so, it says it still cant find it (I believe the location is c:\windows\system32).

Tedsters recommendations seem like they may fix the problem but considering the amount of work involved in gutting my computer, if I can avoid doing so, I would like to.

Also Tedster (and other readers), this computer is about 3-4 years old and has already had the PSU swapped for a new one (about 4-5 months ago). If it matters for any consolation, I keep my computer on pretty much all the time and only shut it off when I need to reboot.

I hope this information provides some help in narrowing down the problem. Thanks for all your help thus far.

-Darien 42
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back