Screen goes black on or after welcome screen

Sorry to bud in....but I am having the exact same problem. I was fine until I had too much spyware and I decided to reformat and reinstall everything. At first I thought it was the same thing...a hardware problem, then USB problem, etc. I tried everything you did, unplugged all USB devices, PCI add ons, added cooling, replaced my HD, actually replaced my vid card, and made sure the proper drivers were loaded. But the problem seems to come after the install when it does the huge windows update( I installed XP SP2 from disk). I noticed last time that it got progressively worse everytime I rebooted, and eventually I couldn't get in at all, and the few times before that when I could log in, it would randomly shut down for no reason. When watching the post screen, it always looked like it was freezing when loading the agp (vid) drivers...so I figured that was it. The only thing I can think of that's left is updating the firmware on my MB, and making sure the proper agp drivers are loaded for the MB. If anyone else is having this problem and knows a solution, it would be greatly appreciated! thanks

Puddy905, heres my thinking on this matter. Its fine to post as you did but if you start from the very beginning of this matter you will see its now 4 pages long and another person came on like you and i have to ask you to read what i said to him. Basically its like this. Its hard enough trying to help daveskater with his issues and i am not smart enough to read thru 4 pages and sort out 2 or 3 peoples issues, lol. So its best to start your own thread, again, i suggest you read the answer i wrote to the other person, just so you know why. Im not trying to be bossy or anything like that. Its just that we need so much info and its hard to keep track of more than one person on one thread, especially 4 pages worth!
However, you can read along and see what else we come up with here, see if it helps you, and, again, start your own thread would help you out faster.
Hope you understand i am not being rude here.

Daveskater, i am wondering. I am thinking it might be your power supply. I do have concerns that virus\malware or trojans of some sort may have messed up files\registry or whatever else that is causing this problem. But it could also be your power supply.
Can you borrow another one from someone to put in your pc to see if thats the problem? If you have a generic type power supply that came with your case that may be what is causing your problems, they get older and run out of steam, so to speak, and cant do the job that they could when new.

What is the make and model of your present power supply (ps)?
Do you have a multimeter? If so we could test the rails, or i could show you how to test the various voltage lines (called rails).

If you are able to get another ps in your pc and the problem exists then it might be that you will have to pull all hardware not totally needed to run your pc and start from there, failing which a repair install of your os, failing that a whole new install. If you had to go that far then i would suggest you also do a "zero write" on your hard drive, a program that puts your hard drive in the same condition as when it left the factory, minus the wear and tear on it.
I know we talked about possible overheating. Did we actually rule that out as your problem? If not then take the side off your case and put a table fan set to blow on your pc and run your pc and see if that stops the re-setting. If it does then its a heat issue.
Also, and this thread is so long its hard to remember, even though i just read the last 4 pages over again, does your bios have a setting where if your cpu temp gets to a certain point, it shuts the pc down. There is a difference between re-setting and shutting down so i dont see this as your exact problem, just curious if your bios has such a setting, i believe my current bios does have that setting.

i do have a photo of my psu which i can put up when i get home.
i think the make is ADT but i'm not sure what the model is. hopefully you can see it on the photo though. i don't have a multimeter but i might be able to borrow one from a friend that builds pc's.

over the weekend the pc reset a couple of times on startup but then i sent microsoft an error report and it told me that it was a problem with the on-board audio controller driver.

i don't think it has a setting like that, because a while ago when i downloaded Hard Drive Inspector, it told me that it was getting to 57 degrees and it didn't reset. i have since bought some fans speciffically to go on the bottom of the hard drive, and it keeps it much cooler. it rarely goes above 40 degrees.

i might be able to borrow a psu from one of our other pc's, but i'll see what you make of this post and the photo first.
like i said, i shall have to put the photo up when i get home, which will be in around 5 hours or so.

I've been reading the whole four pages now, and I must say I agree with nork. Seeing all things you've already tried, I would also assume you have a PSU problem. My suggestion is to unplug everything you can, and just boot with the bare necessities. So disconnect for instance floppies, extra fans, extra HDDs, DVD-ROMs etc., and give that a try. I once had a very similar problem, and it turned out to be a single faulty molex contact causing it all.

You could also try running your computer without a network cable in, just to lock out any potential network card problems. Things like these are really frustrating, so I hope you'll get it solved

Edit: Typo

Yes, it seems we are getting down to the power supply, which wouldnt surprise me a bit. As generic power supplies age their lack of capability increases.
I have googled ADT and i think you want to look around a bit better, you might even have to take the ps out of the case to get the make and model. I dont think ADT is a make, more of a specification.
Look here:
http://www.adt.com.tw/english/indexNewsData.phtml?NEWSID=50

You really do need to get your unit down to basics and swap out that power supply as i think its a good possibility that you need a better one. But we need to find out one way or another.
And if you get your pc down to the basics and its working ok then there might be a culprit among your add-ons, although i am leaning toward the ps as the culprit.
Also, i have lists of good and bad power supplies and i dont see ADT listed at all, so thats another reason i dont think that ADT is a brand name, but i certainly could be wrong as every day another new name pops up, lol.

I know i am getting ahead of myself, but here are lists of good and bad power supplies:


http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=142753
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=98650
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=131195
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=792566

troubleshoot power supply with multimeter:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-10...g=feed&subj=tr#

atx format:
http://www.formfactors.org/

Also, you can google info on how to test your own power supply with a multimeter that you can pick up for about $10 US. If you go to techrepublic.com there is a very good tutorial there with pics. You can use screen capture to make a copy of it. You have to register but its free, a great site, and they dont bug you.

ok, well i'll try taking stuff out later, because i have to go out soon.
i tried unplugging my other hard drive once but it wouldn't start past the bios.

but ok, i'll try unplugging stuff and see how it goes.

oh, and i know i said i'd post this yesterday but i've got the picture of my psu
it was too big to attach it here so here's a thumbnail with a link:

i don't know if it would be relevant or not, but i just remembered that our electricity bill has been going up and we can't work out why.
could it be related to having a bad psu?

just a thought

This has been working for me

Hi,
I had the same problem, albeit on an older system: screen would often go black a few seconds after the colored desktop appeared, requiring reset. Rebooting often got the system into Windows, after which everything ran fine - could play games etc. I've organized this post into two parts:

i. Approach
ii. Execution

I am running BFG 6600 OC 256 MB on
Windows 98 SE
P3 933 Mhz Dell w/ 384 RDRAM
Brand New (for card) 360W PSU from PC Power & Cooling

i. Approach: The randomness of success suggested to me that my system was experiencing some difficulty communicating with the card right at the cusp of Windows - i.e. the card and system were trying to figure out what to do with each other re: resources. Sometimes they reached agreement, sometimes there was confusion and then failure. I had tried (short of a reinstall) pretty much everything in this thread (thanks for all the suggestions). The fact that my PSU is brand new from a reputable manufacturer and that the card/games worked flawlessly once I got into Windows made me believe power was not an issue (I have about 60W leeway over the 300W requirement of the card)

My goal was to make all settings at Windows start-up as "easy" as possible for the card - i.e. so system and card would not have to "think" as much.

ii. Execution - I had played around during previous troubleshooting with different drivers and found one or two to be more stable (successful) than others - I worked with these drivers (not the latest).

Made Windows startup as light as possible - again, my goal was to help Windows in every way to negotiate a clean interaction with my Card - I uninstalled all antivirus and firewall (and anything that appears in program tray) - you can add them back slowly later.

The requirements for my card are 128MB RAM. I found in my BIOS that my AGP Aperture was 64 MB. I set AGP Aperture to 256MB. This may have had the most impact on improvement and has nothing to do with my "Approach" (call it a lucky accident that I discovered it) but I did notice that AGP Aperture change alone did not improve successful boot rate.

I run my desktop at 1280 x 1024 x 32. I looked up the optimal refresh for my monitor (75Mhz). I MANUALLY set this refresh in the Display Properties. I also changed my Display Driver to a GENERIC one (not one that says the name of your monitor model) that is specific to this setting. I found a Standard Super VGA 1280 x 1024 @ 75 Mhz driver. This way (at least the way I see it) system and card know exactly what's what right way.

Results

I've noticed a vast improvement in successful boots (majority) - as you can see at a 256MB AGP Aperture it's allocating the majority of my available RAM - so I think that's still a remaining issue. You can do a search on AGP Aperture and find different info, but half of system RAM seems to be recommended. Intuitively, it makes sense that you provide at least as much as the RAM requirement of your card (originally I did not).

As I mentioned earlier - you can try to slowly add back programs and default settings and see if there is a negative effect. I've tried reverting back to my monitor's manufacturer's driver, but it doesn't seem to work as well as the specific standard/generic driver for resolution and refresh.

I have been able to add back firewall and antivirus to startup - but to be on the safe side, have changed to just waiting and opening them manually after I get safely into Windows.

Good luck.

cool, thanks for the tips.
just as an update for anyone that looks at this thread: i haven't had much trouble lately, i did have a spot where my pc reset when i opened a certain program but that sorted itself out. if anything comes up then i'll let you know straight away but at the moment everything seems pretty much ok.

Daveskater, you really should replace that power supply. You can get one new or used cheap. The one you have is only 150 watts.
The hydro thing, i really dont think so as pc power supplies dont draw that much, especially yours, even if left on 24/7. So i think its some other cause for your comsumption. Actually, i learned that an older fridge that needs defrosting can be a major cause, you know, like an old beer fridge or a second fridge, even a bar type fridge.

we have an old fridge outside so that may be it.
yeah i'll replace the power supply when i get paid, which is unfortunately in 3 weeks because i only just started work.
i didn't know it was 150 watts, what do you think i should get instead, about 300 or less than that? i don't really know.

Bingo on the outdoor fridge, especially if you live in the south (long live the south!)
As for the power supply, this thread is now 4 pages and i dont know your system
It depends, if you just want one to work now and not carry you into the future, then look around your town for a used ps around 300 watts is more than enuf for a standard system. You wouldnt believe me if i told you what i have on my system, but its a good enermax, but only 350 watts. So you can even get a used one since your system will get by, sort of, with a 150 watt system as it is then a half decent 300 watt will do you.
Normally i dont believe in buying a used power supply but when you are replacing a 150 watter then why not.

Anyway, i already posted some info and lists of good and bad power supplies, its only a few posts back, lol. Have a look there and maybe you can get a decent used Antec or Enermax, or Fortron, like that.
Or, you can go to newegg.com and pull up a list which will have some good and bad, you can make the list under $40 and go from there.

So yo dont have to go look for the other post:

Here are lists of good and bad power supplies:
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=4146

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=142753
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=98650
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=131195
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=792566

atx format:


Example of good but low-priced power supply. Look for the Fortons, Antecs, Enermax. If this url fails, all i did was go to newegg.com, then go to power supplies, then ask for the list of power supplies from $25 to $50:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2010320058 4025&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=58

There are some poor ones there so best to ask us if you are going to buy one from there. Url is working, just did it.

From a pc mag:

"Three little words, but loaded with such destructive potential. Faulty power supplies are by far and away the most common source of computer mortality. In our reader survey, power issues accounted for over 30% of all dead or badly performing PC tales, and after working in a computer store for a few years I'm surprised it wasn't actually higher. We saw system after system come into the store for service with the immortal words "it just won't turn on" or "smoke came out of the back... Will it be ok?"

Most Common Pc Problems:

26% PSU and power issues
23% Bad gear and user negligence
13% Heatsink related
15% Assembly and moving
10% Lightning strike and static
3% Computer cruelty
6% USB related
2% Overclocking

i just had a quick look on ebay for enermax and i found this: a link

i'll have another look around later for some other ones but that just struck me really because it was cheap and i'm not exactly rich at the moment

but yeah let me know if it looks any good

I apologize for not having enuf brain power to note that you are in the UK!
If you look closer you will see its a starting bid price so its an auction. In addition its used. It doesnt say for how long. I happen to be running an Enermax whisper 350 watt ps on my 5 yr old pc. I have a 64 mb geforce vid card, tv tuner, 2 extra usb cards, 4 ide slots used up and i usually run from 2 to 4 usb enclosures with hard drives, so thats a fair amount of goodies and power usage. But i dont go gaming. The enermax has never let me down, runs from 9 am to midnite and more each day.
If you can get the unit, including shipping for whatever $20 to $25 US works out to be in British pounds then you might have a good buy. But being used, its hard to say. I would shy away from it as it appears to be an older unit, maybe even the same as i have.
If you can get a decent used one at a shop near you that might be a better way to go. That way you can judge the wear and tear on it as they usually dont bother to clean them up, lol. This fellow put no info on how much usage this ps has had, that scares me a bit. But if you can get it cheap then maybe its worth it. So give it a low bid you might be the winner, but dont go too high on it!
Give us the websites for a UK site or 2 and we can pick a few new ps's out for you. For your system your needs arent that great, we should be able to pick out a decent unit for a low price for you, although some names we might not even know about, being in the UK. But surely there are other Uk'ers here at techspot that can help out.

haha that's ok :grinthumb
i asked the seller of the psu how old it was and how long it's been used for and he said: "The unit was bought 2001 and has been used in 1 of my 2 main pc's. It has had average use (I could not guess at hours). The unit still runs as new ie the fan is still quiet with no evidence of bearing wear."
next time i'm out and about i can have a look in the computer shop and see if they have any old psu's, but i'll keep in mind the makes that you said.

See what i mean, thats what i was afraid of, the ps being that old and how much use. At least the guy was honest about it. I kind of felt that he could have been more honest right off the bat by typing that info into the comment section of his ad when he placed the ad. But at least he told you the truth!
On the other hand, good quality power supplies can have a 100,000 hour mtbf (mean time before failure). At, say, as per his description of usage, 5 hrs per day x 365 = 1,780 hrs. Over 10 yrs thats 17,800 hrs.
Therefore the unit should have a few yrs left in it. So, again, if you bid on it and use a bidder to do it for you, set a max and give it a try. I understand that prices for pc items are higher in Britain that in the U.S. In my previous post i said to set a maximum of around $20 to $25 incl postage. I got that figure by going with a shipped price of $60 for that unit and then went with a bit less than half. So you can do the same, find out the cost to you, then go for less than half, say a third.

i was just looking on ebat again and found these 2 supplies, if they'd be any good or better than that other one.
first one
second one
because they're both relatively new then i was just thinking about if they'd work with my mobo and stuff, because it's all pretty old now. i'm not exactly sure how old, but probably around 5 years or so.

They are nearly identical and would do you fine. They are also, if recall, pretty much the same as the one on your other post, only the first one you showed is used and these other 2 seem new in box, a much better deal. But if you can get the used one real cheap it may be fine for your older system anyway. It really depends on trusting either one of the 3 and the price you pay. I would bid low on the used one and higher on the 2 newer ones.
The only real difference is some have adjustable fan and others dont, cant quite remember, but quite possibly the last 2 have adjustable fan and the first, used one doesnt, if i recall correctly.
Any of them will more than do fine for your rig. And, as stated, i am running the same power supply on my rig.