Computer won't start

[Nukewarm]

A few months ago my PC contracted a bundle of spyware/viruses. I restarted so my spyware/virus programs could scan/delete the malware before it was loaded, but after I turned my computer off, it wouldn't restart. Every time it would shut down right before windows was loaded.

While I'd like to get help with that situation, it's not why I'm here. As is usual with me, when I attempt to fix PC problems in a hurry I end up making it worse, which seems to be this situation's case.

After my PC became stuck in the endless startup loop, I booted to cmos and selected some option that had to do with loading a previous state (Sorry for being vague. This happened months ago), and now when I try to turn on my PC, it powers up and just sits there. It can't even get to the bios screen.

I have a DFI Lanparty Expert motherboard. All 4 LED lights were showing until I cleared my CMOS settings by flipping the jumper (JP2). Now 3 red LED lights are showing. This should mean there's a problem with my ram, but they're both connected properly, and worked fine until my PC crashed. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

[Broni]

Will it boot to Windows CD?

[Nukewarm]

I don't know. So far it won't even boot to CMOS.

[Broni]

I don't know.

Do you want ME to try?

[Nukewarm]

Maybe I phrased it poorly. It won't boot to anything, which includes the screen that lets me change the boot device to my CD drive.

[RayDude]

Lets ignore the virus problem for a moment and assume the hardware has died.

Does it beep when you turn it on?

Do the fans and hard drives spin up?

Does the power LED turn on?

Raydude

[Zylstra]

Have you actually tried replacing the RAM? You say that the RAM is fine, how did you test it?

This could, if not RAM, be a power supply unit.

The following is from Dell Support Center:

Cause: The BIOS is not executing.
Ensure that the microprocessor is seated correctly and restart the computer.
If the problem is still not resolved, contact Dell for technical assistance.keep talking to us, were free.

Cause: No Memory Modules were Detected
   1. Reseat the memory modules to ensure that your computer is successfully communicating with the memory.
   2. Restart the computer.
   3. If the problem still exists, remove all the memory modules and install one memory module in memory module connector 4.
   4. Restart the computer.

The following message appears: Alert! Operating in Debug Mode. Please Populate Memory in Pairs for Normal Operation.
   5. Press <F1> to boot to the operating system.
   6. Run the Dell Diagnostics.
   7. If the memory module passes, shutdown the computer, remove the memory module, and repeat the process with the remaining memory modules until a memory error occurs during start-up or diagnostic testing.

If the first memory module tested is defective, repeat the process with the remaining modules to ensure the remaining modules are not defective.

   8. When the defective memory module is identified, contact Dell for a replacement.

NOTE: If necessary, the computer can operate in debug mode until new memory modules are installed.

If neither of those lights are what your system is representing, look here:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ws450/en/ug/advanced.htm#1170800
and let us know what it says.

[Nukewarm]

I've made a little headway.

It turns out after resetting cmos by placing the jumper from the #1 and #2 pins to the #2 and #3 pins, I had to move it back into it's first position for the PC to startup properly.

Now I can get to the CMOS screen, and even as far as the "Select OS to boot" screen. When I select my OS, however, I might as well be hitting the restart button because my PC immediately shuts down and boots back up.

As for the questions, if they still apply: I don't have my windows CD anymore, but I'll borrow a friend's and reply when I find out if I can boot to CD. Everything starts up perfectly. One LED light shows, which means I just need to boot windows.

Thanks a lot for helping me out with this so far. I really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Chris

[RayDude]

I've made a little headway.

It turns out after resetting cmos by placing the jumper from the #1 and #2 pins to the #2 and #3 pins, I had to move it back into it's first position for the PC to startup properly.

Now I can get to the CMOS screen, and even as far as the "Select OS to boot" screen. When I select my OS, however, I might as well be hitting the restart button because my PC immediately shuts down and boots back up.

As for the questions, if they still apply: I don't have my windows CD anymore, but I'll borrow a friend's and reply when I find out if I can boot to CD. Everything starts up perfectly. One LED light shows, which means I just need to boot windows.

Thanks a lot for helping me out with this so far. I really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Chris

Do you happen to have a camcorder or a still camera with movie mode?

I had this problem once where a system was BSODing and rebooting so fast that I couldn't read it. I video taped it and watched the play back one frame at a time to see what error message I was actually getting.

Your goal is to figure out if its the memory (or mobo related) restart or if it has something to do with the hard drive failing or if there's a software problem.

The error message (that should be displayed) before the reboot should tell you what's wrong.

If you don't get an error message, then chances are its hardware. I'd start with a new drive and install the OS and see what happens from there. A new drive makes it easier to eliminate the hard drive as the culprit plus it keeps your data on the old hard drive safe (assuming the drive isn't already dead).

Raydude

[Nukewarm]

Replaced my HDD with an old one with windows XP, and ran into the same problem (Immediate restart when clicking the "Start Windows Normally" button) with this HDD.

I'll replace my current sticks with an old stick of ram around here somewhere when I find it.

Thanks,
Chris

[RayDude]

Generally you shouldn't boot a Windows XP installed on one system on a different system unless they happen to have exactly the same hardware. Although it may boot, it will install new drivers for the different motherboard and processor and these drivers may conflict with existing drivers.

It does sound like a memory / cpu / motherboard issue at this point though so I think you're headed in the right direction. Let us know how it goes.

Raydude

[Nukewarm]

Could the virus bomb my PC contracted have somehow triggered this? If not, I find it hard to believe my mobo, cpu, or both sticks of ram (I tried each individually/mixed them up and got the same boot problem) died right as I got all of that malware.

Oh, and there's no error message. It just restarts.

[RayDude]

I'd still try a reinstall to a different (new) hard drive.

If that reboots instantaneously then its likely a hard ware problem.

If you have two sticks of ram its likely that you can boot with just one present, you could try each of them independently to see if one of them is bad.

The other thing to try is disconnect / remove everything except the hard drive, video card, monitor, keyboard and power connector (remove DVD / CD, all usb, ethernet, modem, etc) and try to boot that way. This at least eliminate the superfluous hardware from the suspect list.

Once you've checked the RAM, and removed the other devices, then you'll pretty much know its the motherboard, cpu, power supply or possibly the IDE (SATA) cable (not bloody likely).

I can't say for sure that you've eliminated the hard drive as the source of failure because the OS in the other drive wasn't specifically for the system you are testing. There's a possibility that it could reboot because Windows saw the difference in the hardware and panicked.

If it comes down to a motherboard issue (cause its not likely a CPU problem, silicon usually doesn't go bad unless its been stressed with high voltage, static electricity, foreign liquids, or heat) then you'll have to consider trying another mother board. That is a lot of work, especially for someone who doesn't build systems as a way of life.

There was a suggestion earlier to try and boot the windows CD. You should do that. If it boots then the implication is that the problem is the hard drive.

So, to summarize:

1) Boot the Windows CD. If it boots and runs, chances are you need a new hard drive (be prepared to call your data a loss).
2) If the windows CD doesn't work, try playing with the ram to see if it will boot with one stick or the other. Or if you have other memory around to test, try that out.
3) Failing those two things, you may want to consider a new motherboard...

Let us know how it goes.

Raydude

[Broni]

Generally you shouldn't boot a Windows XP installed on one system on a different system unless they happen to have exactly the same hardware. Although it may boot, it will install new drivers for the different motherboard and processor and these drivers may conflict with existing drivers.

If you're talking about Windows CD, the above is incorrect. All Windows CDs are equal. They may have different SP slipstreamed, though.

Nukewarm
Why don't we start with basics...
Run memtest: http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic62524.html to see, if your RAM is OK.
Run HD diagnostic test: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287 to see, if your HD is OK.
Both programs are free, and both create bootable CDs.

[merlin]

<After my PC became stuck in the endless startup loop, I booted to cmos and selected some option that had to do with loading a previous state (Sorry for being vague. This happened months ago), and now when I try to turn on my PC, it powers up and just sits there. It can't even get to the bios screen.
...
What beeps do you get on boot......