Computer Hardware Help → Computer wont boot intermittently

Hi guys,

I posted on this forum sometime last year regarding my computer that sometimes wouldn't boot - »[WIN7] Computer Always Freezing - Sometimes crashes.

I thought I had fixed the issue (by buying a new HDD drive), but I hadn't so I lived with it for a while instead. Basically the computer turns on and the monitor shows there is a signal, but then goes black. This can happen many times - sometimes there is just a flashing cursor in the top left. Sometimes nothing - and then if i get lucky it boots.

I posted this on a different forum and the conclusion was that it was the power supply, so I bought a new one.

Same problem. I have since upgraded to Windows 8 and am still getting the same error.

So I now have a new HDD, a new PSU and a new OS - but still this issue persists.

I have attached 2 MiniDumps to this post - please could somebody had a quick look and let me know what may the problem before I tear my hair out!

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any help.

Korpers.

Hi, no - i just let Windows find the drivers for me. Guess that's my first stop then.

But on my old OS (Win 7) I DID have the latest drivers from Nvidia - and it still had the boot up issue.

I suspect those minidumps are from when the computer boots up and crashes midway then reboots.

But there is no log (i dont think) of when the computer simply wont even boot to the bios.

I'll update the drivers now anyway. Thanks for finding this bit out for me.

Ok, so I've updated the graphics card river. And still the same issue.

But it must be something more serious than this. It doesn't even get to the BIOS - so no drivers are even running.

It either just is a black screen, or a black screen with a flashing cursor.

New battery in BIOS btw.

new motherboard required maybe? Can RAM do this?

Please help - it took 45 mins to get it back on just to reply to this thread.

It does like like a video driver issue, but can't help noticing the reference to directx files too.

1. Have you looked at the directx console:
run|dxdiag|rightclick|run as administrator|enter admin password
logs there mention anything?
2. Has directX 10 been updated at Microsoft or version 11 installed and updated from Microsoft as these are not part of the standard updates?
3. Have you swapped motherboard slots for the graphics card, reset cmos, changed power leads to the card. Tried running with out ram to see if the beeps for memory missing work or stripping all hard ware and seeing if adding 1 creates the error on powerup, DVD drive etc?

Has the memory been tested? Once I had similar problems on WinXP system and even replaced the hard drive only to have the problem persist. I tested the memory using memtest86 (a free download) and found a bad memory stick. Memory stick was replaced for about $10, and there've been no problems since. It's easy to test memory and costs much less to replace than the motherboard if bad memory is the cause.

norwegian,

I have just followed your instructions and opened DirectX Diagnostic Tool - (nothing to right click and run as admin, i just typed 'dxdiag' and it opened up immediately.

I am on Direct x 11 - and all the notes sections on the tabs show no errors. I am unsure what you mean about directx10 or 11 being updated at Microsoft. i haven't installed direct x 11 my self if that helps?

I haven't tried any of the things you've said regarding the hardware - this is my next job. To 'reseat' everything - and if that doesn't work Ill try swapping stuff about a bit and starting without RAM etc.

---------

Bevills,

I have just downloaded memtest64 and Im going to run it now. I'm really hoping to find a bad stick.

I'll post here with the results.

---------

Thanks.

For this point:
»support.microsoft.com/kb/179113
»www.microsoft.com/en-AU/ ··· px?id=35

Also check for optional updates at Microsoft update.

UPDATE

Ok so I ran memtest86 for 2 hours - and it didn't throw up any errors. It completed a pass and told me everything was A ok.

So now i can tick off the list:

PSU (bought a new one)
RAM
OS
Driver issue.

Also norwegian, thank you for the links - but im still not clear.

Are you saying I should update with the links you have provided? Despite that fact that I'm already on DX11? I'm also unsure as to how this could be the reason why I cant even get to the bios most of the time?

Thanks for your continued help guys.

I'm going with my initial "gut" feeling that your graphics card is failing. Have you tried re-seating the card at all during these latest issues? If not, give it a try but if it still craps out before getting to the "post" screen, then I believe it's time to replace it.

What method did you use to run memtest considering the issues your having?

Yes, I re-seated my graphics card recently - when thinking about swapping it for a different one. I think I may do that after all now!

To run memtest, I burnt it to a bootable disk and restarted the machine, whereupon it booted directly into the procedure.

Good process with the memtest boot disk.

Don't quite know what to make of the fact that the video didn't have any issues though.

If you have a computer, this program can produce a bootable RAM test for the video card.

»mikelab.kiev.ua/index_en ··· S/vmt_en

Once extracted there is a folder VMTCE, this has an .iso for creating bootable media to test the video card's RAM

Ignore my comments on directx for now then, as aguen mentions there is an underlying hardware issue.

What has me curious:

1. You can not get to bios but a bootable media works?
2. I'm gathering you have tried safe mode, and this is still no better than a normal boot?
3. Memtest, which does use the video card to display a GUI from bootable media shows no graphical errors? Did you test all RAM, or just with 1 stick, and was it the advanced test or short test?
4. If you can get to bios, can you turn off the secureboot?
5. How did VMT tests go?

It would be best to list hardware as well, at least the graphics card and motherboard. If everything has been replaced for motherboard and graphics card, then it is down to these 2, and as pointed out, try another graphics card, it may not be the answer, but it will tell you the motherboard has issues if the second card produces the same bugs.

This is all great advice norwegian - thanks so much.

I think I have another graphics card banging about somewhere, so I'm gonna try that first thing tomorrow.

1. I can sometimes get to the bios, but yes the bootable media worked straight away.

2. No, actually I haven't tried safe mode!(rookie error?) But again, don't I need to get to the bios first to do that? (BTW, the computer runs perfectly when it does boot - I'm actually rendering a 1000 frame scene for work in 3DS Max as I type this.)

3. No graphical errors whatsoever, I tested all 4 2GB sticks for 1:30 hrs. It notified me I could exit after 1 successful pass.

4. I will try this.

5. I have just logged on and found both your messages at the same time. I'm going to run the VMT first thing tomorrow and post my results here.

Thanks again for your excellent continued help.

Korps.

For Safe Mode you do not need to get to bios, but you need to be able to boot the desktop, F8, or the motherboard may use F5, F2, F11, also if you can get to the desktop, MSCONFIG you can select safe mode in the boot options.

If your not getting to bios all the time I doubt safe mode will make any difference, it seems to be something happening at the stage before the O/S loads from your comments.

Getting back to basics. This is an intermittent problem right? If it were a hard-condition that happened each time, then I would suggest pulling out every non-essential device until you can get it to boot. My suggestion FWIW is along those lines, remove all non-essential devices (unplug power and data cabling) e.g. DVD, BlueRay, non-system disks, extra DIMMs, etc. Not sure what kind of MB you have or USB devices/headers, but disconnect those too.

If your MB has integrated graphics, switch to that. You should end up with: A PS, 1 DIMM (2 if required by MB), 1 CPU fan, 1 HDD, 1 video card in the lowest slot # (if no integrated graphics). Give it a try from there and see if things get better. If they don't get better, remove the HDD and try to reproduce the problem without.

Note, if you don't get through the BIOS boot, then the HDD, OS don't matter, with the one exception that I've see a bad HDD (ajar data cable) cause the BIOS to not boot intermittently.