crashing during bootup

Hi

I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but comments
welcome!

My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to see
the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the Windows
logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never quite get to
form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed by a bright blue
screen with text for just an instant (too fast to read), then it starts to
reboot.

Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
exactly the same point.

I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as a
fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it with the
current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning. But when I put
this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still crashes at exactly
the same point.

If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then crashes
and reboots.

So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same point,
says its not a Windows fault.

Do you agree?

Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up process
when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm wondering if
that will give clues as to any particular part of the hardware that is being
accessed.

By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.

Many thanks

JIP




__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6758 (20120101) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

On Sun, 1 Jan 2012 11:31:58 -0000, "wasted" <>
wrote:

>Hi
>
>I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but comments
>welcome!
>
>My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to see
>the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the Windows
>logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never quite get to
>form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed by a bright blue
>screen with text for just an instant (too fast to read), then it starts to
>reboot.
>
>Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
>cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
>happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
>exactly the same point.
>
>I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as a
>fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it with the
>current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning. But when I put
>this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still crashes at exactly
>the same point.
>
>If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then crashes
>and reboots.
>
>So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same point,
>says its not a Windows fault.
>
>Do you agree?
>
>Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up process
>when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm wondering if
>that will give clues as to any particular part of the hardware that is being
>accessed.
>
>By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.
>
>Many thanks
>
>JIP
>
>
>
>
>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6758 (20120101) __________
>
>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
>http://www.eset.com
>
>
If you are using an add on video card try removing it and reseating.
Try using onboard video also. You need to supply more information on
system specs for any more suggestions and what have you added lately
for software or hardware. Look in Event log to see what might be
there.

Al.

"wasted" <> wrote in message news:...
> Hi
>
> I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but comments
> welcome!
>
> My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to see
> the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the Windows
> logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never quite get to
> form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed by a bright blue
> screen with text for just an instant (too fast to read), then it starts to
> reboot.
>
> Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
> cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
> happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
> exactly the same point.
>
> I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as a
> fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it with the
> current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning. But when I put
> this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still crashes at exactly
> the same point.
>
> If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then crashes
> and reboots.
>
> So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same point,
> says its not a Windows fault.
>
> Do you agree?
>
> Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up process
> when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm wondering if
> that will give clues as to any particular part of the hardware that is being
> accessed.
>
> By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.
>
> Many thanks
>
>

Go back and enter the safe mode selection screen.
One of the choices offered should be to ' Disable automatic restart on system failure'.
Choose that, then you should be able to read any blue screen error messages .

"Allen Drake" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sun, 1 Jan 2012 11:31:58 -0000, "wasted" <>
> wrote:
>
>>Hi
>>
>>I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but comments
>>welcome!
>>
>>My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to see
>>the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the Windows
>>logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never quite get
>>to
>>form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed by a bright
>>blue
>>screen with text for just an instant (too fast to read), then it starts to
>>reboot.
>>
>>Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
>>cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
>>happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
>>exactly the same point.
>>
>>I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as a
>>fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it with the
>>current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning. But when I
>>put
>>this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still crashes at exactly
>>the same point.
>>
>>If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then
>>crashes
>>and reboots.
>>
>>So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same point,
>>says its not a Windows fault.
>>
>>Do you agree?
>>
>>Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up process
>>when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm wondering
>>if
>>that will give clues as to any particular part of the hardware that is
>>being
>>accessed.
>>
>>By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.
>>
>>Many thanks
>>
>>JIP
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
>>signature database 6758 (20120101) __________
>>
>>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>>
>>http://www.eset.com
>>
>>
> If you are using an add on video card try removing it and reseating.
> Try using onboard video also. You need to supply more information on
> system specs for any more suggestions and what have you added lately
> for software or hardware. Look in Event log to see what might be
> there.
>
> Al.

Hi Al

The system is based on an ASRock motherboard, Intel Core 2 Quad processor,
NVIDIA 8600GT GFX graphics card. Runs Win 7 64 bit, has 8GB RAM.

Tried reseating the graphics card - no change. I don't think there is an
onboard graphics chip.

I've just booted from Paragon's rescue disk, and have that GUI visible, and
am currently copying off the data from the past week.

I can't access the event log because can't boot even into safe mode.

I just recalled that the first time things went wrong, the first message I
saw was that the CMOS settings were faulty, and I was asked if I wanted to
load the default settings, which I did. I'll have a look in the CMOS
settings to see if anything screams out - and look to see if a graphics chip
is mentioned.

JIP


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6758 (20120101) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

"Dave-UK" <> wrote in message
news:4f005ebb$0$2176$c3e8da3$...
>
> "wasted" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hi
>>
>> I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but comments
>> welcome!
>>
>> My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to see
>> the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the Windows
>> logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never quite get
>> to form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed by a bright
>> blue screen with text for just an instant (too fast to read), then it
>> starts to reboot.
>>
>> Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
>> cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
>> happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
>> exactly the same point.
>>
>> I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as a
>> fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it with
>> the current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning. But when
>> I put this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still crashes at
>> exactly the same point.
>>
>> If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then
>> crashes and reboots.
>>
>> So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same point,
>> says its not a Windows fault.
>>
>> Do you agree?
>>
>> Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up
>> process when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm
>> wondering if that will give clues as to any particular part of the
>> hardware that is being accessed.
>>
>> By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>
> Go back and enter the safe mode selection screen.
> One of the choices offered should be to ' Disable automatic restart on
> system failure'.
> Choose that, then you should be able to read any blue screen error
> messages .
>
>
Would love to, but as I said, I can't boot even into safe mode

JIP


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6758 (20120101) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

On Sun, 1 Jan 2012 13:52:37 -0000, "wasted" <>
wrote:

>
>
>"Dave-UK" <> wrote in message
>news:4f005ebb$0$2176$c3e8da3$...
>>
>> "wasted" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but comments
>>> welcome!
>>>
>>> My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to see
>>> the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the Windows
>>> logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never quite get
>>> to form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed by a bright
>>> blue screen with text for just an instant (too fast to read), then it
>>> starts to reboot.
>>>
>>> Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
>>> cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
>>> happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
>>> exactly the same point.
>>>
>>> I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as a
>>> fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it with
>>> the current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning. But when
>>> I put this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still crashes at
>>> exactly the same point.
>>>
>>> If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then
>>> crashes and reboots.
>>>
>>> So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same point,
>>> says its not a Windows fault.
>>>
>>> Do you agree?
>>>
>>> Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up
>>> process when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm
>>> wondering if that will give clues as to any particular part of the
>>> hardware that is being accessed.
>>>
>>> By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.
>>>
>>> Many thanks
>>>
>>
>> Go back and enter the safe mode selection screen.
>> One of the choices offered should be to ' Disable automatic restart on
>> system failure'.
>> Choose that, then you should be able to read any blue screen error
>> messages .
>>
>>
>Would love to, but as I said, I can't boot even into safe mode
>
>JIP

I think that is a BIOS setting.

"wasted" <> wrote in message news:m_udnd4BIO20-...
>
>
> "Dave-UK" <> wrote in message
> news:4f005ebb$0$2176$c3e8da3$...
>>
>> "wasted" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but comments
>>> welcome!
>>>
>>> My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to see
>>> the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the Windows
>>> logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never quite get
>>> to form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed by a bright
>>> blue screen with text for just an instant (too fast to read), then it
>>> starts to reboot.
>>>
>>> Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
>>> cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
>>> happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
>>> exactly the same point.
>>>
>>> I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as a
>>> fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it with
>>> the current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning. But when
>>> I put this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still crashes at
>>> exactly the same point.
>>>
>>> If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then
>>> crashes and reboots.
>>>
>>> So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same point,
>>> says its not a Windows fault.
>>>
>>> Do you agree?
>>>
>>> Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up
>>> process when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm
>>> wondering if that will give clues as to any particular part of the
>>> hardware that is being accessed.
>>>
>>> By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.
>>>
>>> Many thanks
>>>
>>
>> Go back and enter the safe mode selection screen.
>> One of the choices offered should be to ' Disable automatic restart on
>> system failure'.
>> Choose that, then you should be able to read any blue screen error
>> messages .
>>
>>
> Would love to, but as I said, I can't boot even into safe mode
>

You don't need to boot into safe mode.
Press F8 while booting to get to the Advanced Boot Options screen.
The choice of booting into safe mode is there at the top of the list.
Don't select that option , choose the one further down the screen.
See here:
http://www.admin1.myzen.co.uk/P7010005.JPG

<snip>
>
> You don't need to boot into safe mode.
> Press F8 while booting to get to the Advanced Boot Options screen.
> The choice of booting into safe mode is there at the top of the list.
> Don't select that option , choose the one further down the screen.
> See here:
> http://www.admin1.myzen.co.uk/P7010005.JPG
>

Do as Dave-UK suggests and choose Disable automatic restart on system
failure, this will halt the reboot circle

then post back here with the error code on the blue screen

"Dave-UK" <> wrote in message
news:4f0069b0$0$2166$c3e8da3$...
>
> "wasted" <> wrote in message
> news:m_udnd4BIO20-...
>>
>>
>> "Dave-UK" <> wrote in message
>> news:4f005ebb$0$2176$c3e8da3$...
>>>
>>> "wasted" <> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> Hi
>>>>
>>>> I suspect this will be hardware related rather than windows, but
>>>> comments welcome!
>>>>
>>>> My main computer, using Win 7 keeps crashing during bootup - I get to
>>>> see the "Starting Windows" message and then the coloured bits of the
>>>> Windows logo appear and start to move in towards each other, but never
>>>> quite get to form the logo because then the screen goes blank, followed
>>>> by a bright blue screen with text for just an instant (too fast to
>>>> read), then it starts to reboot.
>>>>
>>>> Now, my computer has two hard disks, D: being a cloned copy of C: (last
>>>> cloned about a week ago, well before this problem started) But the same
>>>> happens whichever of these two disks I try to boot from. It crashes at
>>>> exactly the same point.
>>>>
>>>> I also have a smaller spare hard disk that was in this same computer as
>>>> a fully working C: drive up to a few months ago, when I replaced it
>>>> with the current larger one. So this spare disk is fully functioning.
>>>> But when I put this one in and try to boot from it, the computer still
>>>> crashes at exactly the same point.
>>>>
>>>> If I try to boot into safe mode, again it goes so far along and then
>>>> crashes and reboots.
>>>>
>>>> So to me the fact that 3 different disks crash at exactly the same
>>>> point, says its not a Windows fault.
>>>>
>>>> Do you agree?
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone know what is going on behind the scenes of the boot up
>>>> process when those colours are circling to form the Windows logo - I'm
>>>> wondering if that will give clues as to any particular part of the
>>>> hardware that is being accessed.
>>>>
>>>> By the way the cooling fans are all clean and operational.
>>>>
>>>> Many thanks
>>>>
>>>
>>> Go back and enter the safe mode selection screen.
>>> One of the choices offered should be to ' Disable automatic restart on
>>> system failure'.
>>> Choose that, then you should be able to read any blue screen error
>>> messages .
>>>
>>>
>> Would love to, but as I said, I can't boot even into safe mode
>>
>
> You don't need to boot into safe mode.
> Press F8 while booting to get to the Advanced Boot Options screen.
> The choice of booting into safe mode is there at the top of the list.
> Don't select that option , choose the one further down the screen.
> See here:
> http://www.admin1.myzen.co.uk/P7010005.JPG
>
Aahh! Never noticed that before - will try later - copying the data off as a
precaution is taking a long time! Will report back

JIP


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6758 (20120101) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

On Sun, 1 Jan 2012 13:25:11 -0000, Dave-UK wrote:
>
> Go back and enter the safe mode selection screen.
> One of the choices offered should be to ' Disable automatic restart on system failure'.
> Choose that, then you should be able to read any blue screen error messages .

And to the OP: once you do get your system working, make the
appropriate Registry setting so that the system won't restart after
blue-screening. In Win 7 you don't even need to edit the Registry
directly:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/window...start-windows-
7.htm

Why "restart on system failure" is the default option I have never
understood. At the least it should be be to restart after pausing
long enough to let a human read the screen, grope for a pen, and copy
down the stop code..

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...