computer locking up on windows starting screen

topher_csr

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1
Location
usa
hello,

I have an old desktop PC that is running windows 7 in my garage that is hooked up to a 32" LED on the wall above my workbench. it has been running great for about a year, but now it starts up and freezes up on the windows logo screen. i reset all the bios to default. I have windows xp loaded on it also and it will actually load, but freeze shortly after i do anything with it. so for those of you who have garage/shop computers, or any computer guys out there. any ideas? it works great in the bios menue and startup menues, but will not go much farther once i pick a OS to start up. i really dont want to scrap it since i have a decent vid card with HDMI out and it was working great for basic internet and music.

I went through it the other night and blew out all the dust, and spiders....some still alive, and reseated everything. it is still freezing up at the same point on the windows 7 side, and is freezing after a while in the XP side.

I do have an option to get a old E machine PC for free, it probably has and old pentium 4 or some thing in it. it is running XP now. do you think i could run windows 7 in it, and have a graphics card that has HDMI out and can run a usb wireless adapter? thanks
 
Have you tried booting off anything else, like a LiveCD of Linux, to see if it boots fine? It's really weird that it freezes in both XP and 7, so that leads me to believe it's a hardware problem. If you can boot off a Linux disk, I'd then try some hard disk diagnostics to see if your drive is bad.
 
Safe mode works?
If both OS's freeze, this kinda points to a hardware issue to me. I would 1st visit the hard drive manufacturer and download their hard drive tools to scan it. Or get a program to boot with cd and scan. I recommend Spinrite. Check the drive to defects.
Next I would start looking at Video card.
Beyond that. If you can fix electronics, being out side condensation could be a factor. Look at the tops of the compactors on the mainboard, see if any are buldged up or leaking like an old battery. It any are, then a 10 cent cap would be it.


I sure glad you posted this. I've been called crazy for the last 5 years for having a computer in the garage..
You wouldn't believe how helpful it is loading up Mitchell OnDemand when you work on cars in the garage..
 
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