Freezes at Windows Logo

[jwhitens]

Emachine T5026
1+gb RAM
new 400w PSU
original MOBO
Pentium 4 processor
all else is original equipment
Windows XP Pro

my problem is my machine will not do a full boot, it stops at the Windows Logo.
I was told it might be a hardware problem so I changed out the PSU as reccommended, upped the RAM with a 1gb stick to go along with the 512mb I already had, still no luck. I tried booting from the dvd and all that happen is it get to "windows is starting up" and freezes up there also. I also got a new harddrive to try and install windows on the new harddrive and the same thing happens. My machine did not come with an internal so I have an external USB floppy. I am also unlucky enough not to have the ability to boot from a USB port, so I can't use a recovery disk.
Again, as I said in the hardware section, all suggestions and comments are appreciated

 

[fastco]

Well first take out the 512mb ram and see if it still happens with just the 1gb. Unplug all unnecessary devices, USB stuff, printers. Let us know?

 

[jwhitens]

Ok, this is where I am so for, I installed windows 2000 on my new clean harddrive with the intention of then upgrading to XP. Now my problem is I have yellow question marks in my hard manager:

ethernet controller
pci device (2 question marks)
pci simple communications controller
video controller
video controller (vga compatible)
Can anyone tell me where I can find the drivers for the above problems, I when to the emachine site and downloaded drivers from that site but for some reason, the thumb drive I use to download the drives via my laptop to download to my desktop won't put the drivers in so I can fix these problems. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong to get my system up and running with XP.

 

[saleem1305]

Did u upgaded ur pc from 2000 to xp or ur using dual booting both in one hard drive....

If u have upgraded it then try to repair Windows Xp using bootble XP cd ..if it freezes when u try to boot from cd or dvd then try booting up by taking out 512 MB RAM also 1GB RAm but atleast one RAM shud be installed on mother board....
Or If ur using dual booting then try to format or delete 2000 OS partition and boot with XP...if it freezes then try to repair the OS and install the latest drivers that come up with ur system....


Saleem Pasha.

 

[captaincranky]

Did You Think I Was Lying...?

Mr whiten, I had thought I explained thoroughly that you likely can't install any OS but the one from an Emachines restore disc for your particular model.

To do that, you'll need the COA (certificate of authenticity) which comes affixed to the rear of the case, and the restore DVD . The COA is necessary to reactivate Windows.

Now, if you trashed the "D:/" partition when you installed Win2K you're SOL.

If not, you can try installing Ubuntu Linux. Allow the Linux to create a small partition, (5GB). When you install Linux, it will add "GRUB" (the Linux bootloader), GRUB, will recognize "WindowsNT" (if it's still there) as an "other operating system". Select that on startup, and you may be able to effect a restore installation. This will only work with the ORIGINAL HDD, and then only if the restore partition is still intact.

You could also contact Emachines/Gateway and purchase the restore DVD, or you might resort to the "Geek Squad" at Best Buy, since they sold these originally, and will probably have the restore DVD on hand. But, here again, you'll need the COA
to reactivate Windows.

Win2K doesn't have the correct drivers for your board, that's why everything is yellowed out.

Which is also the reason that you need the ORIGINAL RESTORE DVD, since it contains all the drivers for your board.

 

[jwhitens]

it is dual boot, I can get into 2000 but XP will not do a full boot, decided to reformat the drive and reinstall 2000 the see if I can upgrade to XP. Now if I can remember how to reformat but I want to whip the harddrive clean first.

 

[captaincranky]

As you like.

Before you do that, down load the drivers from their respective manufacturers, otherwise nothing will work.

 

[saleem1305]

b4 whipping take a full back up of wanted data in external drive.....


Saleem Pasha...

 

[captaincranky]

b4 whipping take a full back up of wanted data in external drive.....

Saleem Pasha...

Just as a point of interest, "whipping" is the act of stirring something very vigorously, (as in "whipped cream"), or the act of beating something or someone with a lash.

So, go ahead, beat that motherboard, make it work!

PS, I think you meant "wiping"

 

[jwhitens]

Captain, I understand what you are saying. The harddrive I am going to format is the new one that has nothing on it but the XP attempt and 2000. Nothing has been put on the harddrive except those OS's. The old harddrive is not being used until I can get a good OS to try and get the files off of it before I trash it. I did not received a disk with the emachine when I purchased, been try to find the boot disk with very little luck. If I install Ubuntu, do I do that on the old harddrive or the new one?

 

[captaincranky]

This would only work on the OLD drive!

You install Ubuntu on your old hard drive. It won't damage any data unless the drive is nearing full. Just make a small partition, as I said 5GB. Ubuntu can read NTFS files, so if nothing else, you'll be able to use it to transfer the files to DVD or an external drive, so you won't lose anything.

If you haven't damaged the restore partition, you may be able to do the repair install by clicking into WindowsNT @ boot. This is because the OS is set to do a "non-destructive" restore from the "D:/" partition. If that still exists, you can get a fresh copy of XP using the Linux "GRUB" bootloader.

As I said before, if you can find a restore disc, it will install your new drive as primary.
If not, you may be able to continue using the original HDD as primary, and the new one as a "volume" (storage only). If you have the COA still on the machine, you might be able to make all this go away for about $35.00 USD.

If the stupid thing will boot into XP one more time (Old HDD), perhaps the restore discs were never burned. (You are only allowed to make them one time)Look under "all programs" > system recovery > create recovery media. I don't know if you would have this option in safe mode. Doesn't hurt to try. Here you would boot fully into "Safe Mode".

Meantime try booting into "Safe Mode" press F-8 after BIOS (Old HDD) and choose the "Last Known Good" option.

As a last resort, you can use the Linux CD in the "live" mode (Ubuntu now calls this the "test" mode), right offthe CD to retrieve your files. Boot form your optical drive, choose "test" and explore the HDD.

 

[jwhitens]

Captain, apparently I'm not computer savy as I thought I was, this problem is so fustrating. I tried everything you suggested and I am still at square one. My computer won't even let me go to safe mode, when I try, all get alot of DOS scripts. I downloaded the Ubuntu, not luck there either. Now, here is my question, why do my machine not let me use F8 after I boot? I know their is something I can do but everything I fails and I will not give up until this computer die.
I understand that brand name machines are set but why can't I restore those settings and why can't I use my new HDD to open 2000 and upgrade to XP?

 

[captaincranky]

OK, first when you download the Ubuntu file, it must be burned as an "image". If you just copy the file to a CD it won't work. If you know someone who has a retail version of "Nero" on their computer, they could burn the disc for you. You would use "CD" and then click on "disc image or saved project" You can also download "Image Burn", which is free, and install it on another machine. (check for that on our download page).

Now, when you boot into safe mode, you will see the hardware poll before you get to the safe mode selection screen. Then you use the arrow keys to make your choice of what you want to do.

The Emachine BIOS is "tatooed" so that the recovery discs are the only thing you can use to reinstall XP. The discs contain the OS plus all the board drivers that coincide with the additional hardware the machine had as OEM.

I doube the any make or model Windows OS can be installed. You could physically install Linux, the BIOS ignores that.

Now, as I've tried to explain unsuccessfully thus far, the recovery disc rebuilds the drive from an "image", and it's the only thing you can use to install a fresh HDD.

The process is very simple. You install the new drive, Press "F-11" at boot, then pop in the recovery disc and tell it to do a full restore. It takes a bit more than a half hour.

The only thing you need to do , is only have 1 HDD installed, and plugged into the SATA 0 socket, and the board is marked.

I'm not so sure you weren't in safe mode and didn't know it. Now as I said before, if you got this thing new, and you're saying that the "you didn't get restore discs with it", nobody does, the disc has to be burned from the image that is on the machines HDD when it ships.

Your best chance of getting this thing to start, is to reinstall the old HDD, and see if it will boot with that!

 

[tw0rld]

Had a similar problem with a T6003. To resolve the issue I had to reinstall the OS using the Recovery Partition. So you are likely on the right track.

 

[jwhitens]

Captain,
another question, if I use the UBUNTU disk let's say off of e-bay, do I still need to make an image? Also, does it have to be NERO or IMAGEMAKER, can a burning system that came with the computer work just as well? Thanks again for the help.

 

[captaincranky]

Ubuntu Linux is free, open source software, so why in God's name would you be looking for it on Ebay. DOWNLOAD IT!

Any burning software that supports taking an ISO image file and burning it to disc will work.

 

[jwhitens]

Captain, sorry for taking so long to respond, been really busy at work, little time to work on my problem. I still have it, I have a good image of ubuntu. I have tried to install ubuntu several but was hesitant because it wants to delete everything on the HDD and start fresh and so I say no for now until I find out exactly what is happening. I know nothing about ubuntu so it ask questions I can't answer. I don't mind installing ot on my new HDD but don't want to use the old HDD. Once I'm up and running, I want to make my old HDD external. Any suggestion?