Another Start Up Problem

[rahnee]

Another Start Up Problem (PLEASE HELP!)

ok, so i am in safe mode and everything is working fine.

problem = after windows xp start-up loading screen, black screen comes up, mouse arrow briefly shows up, windows hangs. monitor goes to stand-by. optical mouse light is sometimes on. try ctrl alt del, nothing works. try windows key and U twice, to shut it down. also does not work. computer is pretty much not responding. press reset button and computer beeps then floppy disk light goes on. press power button and it shuts down.

Intel Pentium 4 2.0GHZ
Gigabyte GA8PE677 board
256mb RAM (single wafer in 1 slot) (Already tried changing slots)
Windows XP pro 2002 sp1

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this is from www.driveragent.com
cross denotes more recent driver exists.
however i can't find the updates for these.

-used to happen only after computer had been off overnight, now it never starts up unless in safe mode.
-tried system restore before i recently installed everything, didn't work.
-tried re-installing as many drivers as i could find, still nothing
-opened up box, everything seems fine.

please please please help meee. do you think re-installing windows xp would work? re-formating perhaps?? i take it this is a software problem?? pretty clueless right now, really need your helps. thanks.

rod

 

[Rik]

What make and wattage power supply do you have?

 

[rahnee]

sorry..

power supply

ATX P4 power supply unit
300 W

 

[Rik]

Go here http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp and see how much power your pc needs.

 

[rahnee]

thanks for the help, but it's not the power.

i've had this computer for about 5 years and there's been no problems like this in the past.

 

[Rik]

If its been upgraded at all or had any extra cards added then its more than possible the standard psu may not be upto the job anymore. If its been run close to its maximum output for a long time it can certainly cause problems. Humour me, tell me your result for the psu calculator!!

 

[rahnee]

i did check the link and it was 411W

sorry, it did not mean to come across as critism or denial, just giving some extra info on how old this piece of junk actually is.

 

[Rik]

No offence taken

411 is a considerable amount more than 300, and don't forget that the 300 is peak power not everyday output.

I wouldn't rule out psu being on its way out.

Psu's are an often overlooked component in a pc, the amount of problems ive seen that can be put down to lack of power is almost beyond belief!

A psu running close to its maximum capacity gets hotter, the components expand in the heat then contract when the pc is cooling down. This process repeated hundreds of times over long periods of time can cause solder joints to break down and in some cases cause cheap components to break down too.