Windows doesn't load - BIOS?

[stevenrw]

Good morning everybody.
Has anybody experienced anything like this before...

My desktop machine has developed an unusual fault, and I'm a bit at a loss to know what it might be.
Symptoms as follows.

When I start the machine all the fans start up as usual and it seems to be running but nothing comes up on the screen.
Normally, I get the motherboard (Biostar) splash screen, followed by a second mobo screen giving some data readings (CPU temp etc etc) then after a few seconds the "Windows is starting up" screen followed by the Windows (XP Home) logon. I normally get some signs of life from the scanner at this point also (Just a brief noise as the scanner starts) and the mouse and keyboard lights come on.

Currently none of this is appearing, and the drivers for the mouse and keyboard are not loading (No lights on either). The machine just continues to run but the screen remains black.

I then have to keep the power button pressed to power it down then switch off at the mains and try again. Currently that seems to be doing the trick but I fear it won't be long before it refuses to respond to that either.

The only thing I can think is that the Mobo is on the way out and/or there is an issue with the BIOS that is stopping the boot routine. I don't think its a power issue to the C drive as it does start when I power down and try again. I haven't moved the machine so I don't think its a connection problem either.

Once it does start up it works fine, no checkdisc screen (because Windows never actually started up), and nothing to suggest anything untoward is going on.

Any ideas anybody?

[Glenn]

So it boots, but you only get a black screen when it changes resolution? Boot from an XP CD and run a chkdsk /r, it is normally a corrupt video driver.

[stevenrw]

Good morning Glen
thanks for the help.
I thought it might have been a graphics card issue at first, but I discounted that on the grounds that if it was a graphics card driver corruption that wouldn't stop the mouse and KB drivers load would it? Also, when I switch off and restart it (at the moment at least) it boots up into Windows OK and from then on it behaves itself. Once corrupt always corrupt?
Would a system restore help?

[Glenn]

Try one from when it was last working, it can't make things any worse.

[Rik]

It might be worth making sure all the cards, memory etc are well-seated, Steven, it could be temperature related.

[Fox]

When did you last change the CMOS battery in your PC? I had similar symptoms on an old PC and battery change solved it - might be worth a try

[stevenrw]

Hi Fox
its a fairly new mobo, maybe 6 months old, so I assume the battery is new(ish). But even if it was dead the machine wouldn't start at all. Currently it does on the second attempt.
I'm gonna check all the connections and seatings again just to be sure, then I'll try a restore.
watch this space...

[esh]

If the PSU turns on (ie. the system gets power) but there is no output of any kind, no lights on the keyboard, no POST-beep etc then it usually implies the CPU cannot start, which the mainboard needs to bootstrap and get the system going. Usually if it is a graphics card that requires extra power but is not getting it, then it complains very loudly from the PC speaker. Obviously nothing at all, no fans etc, means the PSU is dead.

On some high-end boards this issue can be reproduced by putting the wrong sort of RAM in the wrong slot, but this is not usually the case with consumer mainboards.

Try taking the graphics card and RAM out altogether and try and boot it. If the system does not wail loudly saying "you are being an idiot" then either the mainboard or CPU is quite dead.

Not sure what you mean by 'start on the second attempt'. Does it boot fine/normal on the second attempt? If this is the case, my money is on a bad power supply as I have seen this issue personally, but mainboard is not out of the question.

[Steve]

I agree with you about the power supply and its struggling on a cold boot,I had a similar sceanario but this seemed to be caused by four sticks of ram and no matter what voltage combinations I tried it wouldn't boot reliably,although it had worked flawlessly for several months previously. I gave up,pulled 2 sticks and its been fine ever since.

[Niall]

This is exactly what I saw recently when my graphics card died. Try replacing it with another (if you have the option) to test it.

[stevenrw]

Thanks Niall (and everybody else) for taking the time to respond and help.

If the Graphics card had died, surely it would stay dead?

What I'm getting is a failed attempt at starting, followed (so far at least) by a successful one. When the startup fails, the fans, case illumination etc keep running, but nothing gets to the monitor(s) and the mouse and KB are both dead. In fact I noticed last night that what happens is the fans etc start, run for a couple of seconds, then stop for a moment (couple of seconds again) then seem to restart, but nothing else loads. I can leave it like that presumably indefinitely, with the case ligts on, fans running, but black screens. Strangely, I also noticed that as soon as I switch on at the wall (not at the machine) I get a light on one of the optical drives as if its operating.
It is a modular power supply about 6 months old.
I did a system restore last night, lets see tonight if that has any effect.

[Steve]

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=9224.msg205209#msg205209 Any use? Curtesay of Alan. Worth a sticky?

[Rik]

Stuck.

[Ann]

When that happened to me it was the motherboard which completely died a few weeks later.  Good luck!
 

[stevenrw]

Well, we might have located the fault...

This is really strange. I had installed a new Trust 7 port USB2 powered hub in place of the old USB1 hub. I disconnected it and so far it seems to have done the trick. I'll leave it for a few days and see if it really has solved the problem then I'll try connecting it via a different usb connection. I really can't see how a USB hub can cause such a problem.

I'll keep you all posted, maybe after the weeked to give it time to establish normal operation.. Meanwhile thanks to everybody who took the time to respond. We have a great bunch of guys here don't we?

[Rik]

We do, Steven.

Hubs can really screw with the mobo USB controller, so hopefully you have found the cause.

[stevenrw]

Im fairly confident that its the hub, before switching the machine on I get a green light on one of the optical drives. If I unplug the hum usb the light goes out. Without the hub connected it boots up as normal.
I guess that means I can't use this hub unless I connect it after bootup.
Bugger.
Well at least we seem to have found the culprit.

[talos]

I'm no expert, but a past experience may be relevant,   I connected a powered hub and had simler problems and symptoms, after much messing about, I disconnected the power from the hub and all worked fine.

[Rik]

Same here, Bob. Unless you use high current appliances, the power is usually superfluous.

[Steve]

I think my iphone requires a powered hub according to the manual, well it is a high power device afterall 

[Simon]

Mine does too, but only for charging. It still connects to the PC without additional power.

[Steve]

The iphone does need frequent charging though unless your just using it as a phone.

[Rik]

Mine does too, but only for charging. It still connects to the PC without additional power.

I didn't know you had one... yet. 

[Simon]

I meant my BlackBerry. 

[Rik]