Computer crashes and won't start up

[cheshirekat]

My computer has been crashing for the last two weeks and not starting up. It will just die for no apparent reason and won't start back up, if I switch back on it doesn't boot up just stays on a blue coloured screen with the HP logo that says text across bottom to press esc to enter set up and what have you but I can't press anything to even get safe mode or anything because nothing works no mouse or keyboard.

If I leave it a while it will eventually start up again ok, but I have to leave it atleast a few hours maybe even 24 hours then it will start and willl be ok for a while could be a few hours and then will do it again just die and be the blue screen. So it sounds like something overheating and needing lots of time to cool down but what? and how do fix it?

It is a Media Center PC m700 made by HP and has windows xp running it. It has been slowing down a lot in recent months don't know if that was a sign something wrong or not.

There is no viruses being found, fans are seem to be working, there has been no upgrades added hardwear or anything and have not added any new softwear recently.

Anyone know what the issue is and how to fix? Please, I am not very knowledgeable about the inside of a computer so any advice need be in layman terms lol.

[cheshirekat]

To update, the computer appears to be completely dead now. It's been 36 hours since the last crash and it hasn't started up after a cool down this time at all.

Please, there must be someone that knows about computers.

[Allan]

Exactly what happens (what do you see and hear) when you press the power button?

[cheshirekat]

When I switch the computer on, I hear the usual whirring noise that has always been there since day one, and a there's a faint clicking sound (very quick double click) which again has always been present on starting up so nothing unusual. The DVD rewriter lights up and opens and closes ok, the power light shows at the back and the internet connection is lit up. Inside the case if I take the side panel off I can see that all three fans are working ok. All that occurs on the screen is it goes straight to the HP logo screen (blue screen with hp logo in centre, v3.15 in bottom left, <Esc=Boot Menu> <F1=Setup> <F10=System Recovery> at the bottom right of screen). 

[Allan]

Well, I'm not really a hardware expert but it sounds like the power supply is okay so my guess is either the mobo, hd, or ram. The easiest to test is the hd - download the diagnostic utility from the hd manufacturer's website and run it. Report back and let's see where we are at that point.

[deargodpleasehelp]

Well, I'm not really a hardware expert but it sounds like the power supply is okay so my guess is either the mobo, hd, or ram. The easiest to test is the hd - download the diagnostic utility from the hd manufacturer's website and run it. Report back and let's see where we are at that point.

This makes no sense... If the HDD was bad/damaged, then why would it still boot?

@OP:
For how long was your computer able to boot OK and damaged before it stopped working/booting completely??

Did you hear any clicks from the harddrive? (You know the HDD, not to be confused with 90's styled 'Hard Disks').

[cheshirekat]

Thanks for the replies.

The first time the computer crashed and was able to restart after a cool down was about 3 weeks ago, since then I'd estimate it crashed a further 7 or 8 times, each time being able to restart after being left to cool down for a considerable time, until now, this time it won't. I never heard any unusual clicks or noises.

With regard to the drives. There are two 300gb drives. One of them (the D drive) is located on the bottom of the case and easy to remove, this one appears to be working ok as I've been able to put it in an external enclosure and back up the data that was on it. The C drive however is in such a position that I just cannot reach it. I don't know how to describe it but these PC's seem badly designed as if the case really ought to have been bigger, there's all cables and cages in front of the C drive preventing me from even seeing it let alone getting access to it and I can just about see the cables to the drive but even to remove these would require the big fan over the CPU to be removed, and don't even mention the memory lol as that's behind even further. I think to get the C drive out or get to the memory, the PC would need to be completely stripped down and I'm not confident enough to tackle that.

[deargodpleasehelp]

Thanks for the replies.

The first time the computer crashed and was able to restart after a cool down was about 3 weeks ago, since then I'd estimate it crashed a further 7 or 8 times, each time being able to restart after being left to cool down for a considerable time, until now, this time it won't. I never heard any unusual clicks or noises.

With regard to the drives. There are two 300gb drives. One of them (the D drive) is located on the bottom of the case and easy to remove, this one appears to be working ok as I've been able to put it in an external enclosure and back up the data that was on it. The C drive however is in such a position that I just cannot reach it. I don't know how to describe it but these PC's seem badly designed as if the case really ought to have been bigger, there's all cables and cages in front of the C drive preventing me from even seeing it let alone getting access to it and I can just about see the cables to the drive but even to remove these would require the big fan over the CPU to be removed, and don't even mention the memory lol as that's behind even further. I think to get the C drive out or get to the memory, the PC would need to be completely stripped down and I'm not confident enough to tackle that.

Regaurding this, do it at your OWN RISK.

Here's what my advice is, carefully remove the CPU fan (if you're will enough), or not, take a can of compressed air, and spray around the whole inside of the case. as I said Compressed Air[/I], do not use anything like Lysol or such, as this will damage the Motherboard causing unrepairable consequences.[/U]

Sorry about the wait, it's hard to type on this keyboard. I'm not really used to Apples.

Anyways, hope you got your share of information.
If there's anything else I can help you with, just ask! The CH community is glad to help you.

[Citizen Swooboo]

You mentioned a few times that your computer appears to get too hot and then will turn off.  Do you mean that literally?  Computer overheating will definitely shut down your PC and eventually even terminate it for good.  We'll want to download a program to check your interior temperatures.

However before any of that we'll need to figure out why your computer isn't starting up.

[cheshirekat]

Tried the compressed air today but made no difference.

I only suspected overheating because to me it seemed the obvious. However, having spent ages reading various articles, I am now convinced that it's a hard drive failure with the main C drive which has the operating system on because I read that these type crashes can be a sign of hard drive starting to fail and it will eventually fail for good, also what convinces me is I also read that before hard drives fail they can lose files and thinking about it now it makes sense because the other day I noticed there was about 30 GB more free space on the C drive than there was a few weeks ago but I hadn't deleted or removed anything (I thought it was odd at the time but didn't have a clue why it was until now).

So, now that it appears that it is a failed drive, is there anyway to actually confirm this for definite? and if it is a failed drive, unfortunately I don't have the windows xp disc so would need a new drive and a windows xp disc and I don't think replacing the drive would be something I could do myself (I suppose I maybe could but wouldn't feel confident doing so). So do I just accept that it's the end of this computers life and throw it in the wheelie bin, OR, as I have several external drives kicking about would it be possible for me to just pick up a windows xp disc of ebay and use an external drive?

[Allan]

Go to the website of your HD manufacturer and download their hd diagnostic utility. Burn it to disc, boot to it and run it.

[Citizen Swooboo]

Assuming it is corrupt, installing a new hard drive isabout the easiest piece of hardware to install.  Especially just keep notice of how it is hooked up and then mirror the cords the exact same way... just a power plug and a data plug.  And mind the static electricity.    We can advise you further if you decide to go that course.

[BC_Programmer]

This makes no sense... If the HDD was bad/damaged, then why would it still boot?

It makes perfect sense.

Did you hear any clicks from the harddrive? (You know the HDD, not to be confused with 90's styled 'Hard Disks').

Please, stop trying to make jokes. You are terrible at it. I'm assuming this is a joke because you said harddrive as a single word, then HDD (hard disk drive) and then said not to get it confused with "Hard Disks", which is impossible because they are the same thing.

So, now that it appears that it is a failed drive, is there anyway to actually confirm this for definite? and if it is a failed drive, unfortunately I don't have the windows xp disc so would need a new drive and a windows xp disc and I don't think replacing the drive would be something I could do myself (I suppose I maybe could but wouldn't feel confident doing so). So do I just accept that it's the end of this computers life and throw it in the wheelie bin, OR, as I have several external drives kicking about would it be possible for me to just pick up a windows xp disc of ebay and use an external drive?

You can replace the internal drive easily, or you can get somebody else to do it. Either way, it would be much cheaper then actually buying a new computer. Replacing a computer because you have a hard drive failure is like buying a brand new car because your old one needs a new spark plug. 

[cheshirekat]

Thanks everyone, but I know it might be an easy thing for people like yourselves but I have never changed anything inside a computer before and the hard disk as I've said previous is not easy to reach. Inside the case, there is three sideways compartments to the right that are attached to the front of the case, the hard drive is in the middle one, so to get to it I think the cage in front would need to be removed first if that is at all possible, and even if that could be removed, the big cpu fan and grill thing is stopping the cables from the drive being removed so that would need removing too. So what I'm saying is for me it isn't easy and isn't cheap. I don't want to get a computer repair guy out because last time I had one out a few years back for a different computer it cost £100 and that was without anything needing replacing (it was a virus, and all the guy did was reformat), if it was going to cost the price of buying a new hard drive, plus the price of buying windows xp, plus a repair mans bill to do it, then it gets into that area where if I'm having to spend that sort of money it'd make better sense for that money to be put towards a new computer. Of course I'd rather not have to bin it, a new computer is an expense I'd rather avoid, would like to fix it and keep it going if possible, so I may aswell have a bash at doing it myself, nothing to lose I suppose but I'll need to get a hard drive and windows xp disc first and then maybe I should take a picture of the inside of the computer case so you can see exactly what I'm talking about because I'm probably not doing a good job describing.

[Allan]

The hd should be easily accessible and removable from the inside of the case. There are either small screws on the side of the drive enclosure or, if it's a reasonably modern system just a couple of tabs on the side of the drive rails that you can pinch to slide the drive rearward.