Slow downs then Black Screen After Post

Hi,

I had a strange issue with my computer today. It started yesterday when my wife and I noticed the computer hanging a bit more than normal - even when doing basic things, like clicking "login" to check our email. But, it would always come back and really wasn't all that frequent. This morning I tried to start it up and it got stuck on a black screen after the motherboard POST image.

I was able to get into BIOS and boot from the windows CD. A system restore fixed it. I'm just wondering what you guys think was likely to have caused it. Is it likely that my boot files got corrupted somehow? I ran a diagnostic and from Seagate and it says that my hard drive is fine - but I'm not sure if that's just because I recently restored Windows.

I did recently install a big name game - but it ran fine for three days before this happened. The system restore point I had was from when I installed it, so it's now gone.

What do you guys think could have caused it? I'm just a little concerned that restoring only patched over a problem that will crop up again - or, that I should be afraid to install that game again.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

PS: System Specs: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, 3.0GHz E8400 Intel CPU, 500GB Seagate SATA HDD, 4GB Crucial 800MHz RAM (x2 2GB), ASUS P5Q Pro Turbo LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard. The game that was installed was Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.

EDIT: Just updating to include that my motherboard and processor are less than 60 days old, bought as a pair from newegg. Installed without a hitch and have had no other problems than this.

gamebynight said:

Hi,

I had a strange issue with my computer today. It started yesterday when my wife and I noticed the computer hanging a bit more than normal - even when doing basic things, like clicking "login" to check our email. But, it would always come back and really wasn't all that frequent. This morning I tried to start it up and it got stuck on a black screen after the motherboard POST image.

I was able to get into BIOS and boot from the windows CD. A system restore fixed it. I'm just wondering what you guys think was likely to have caused it. Is it likely that my boot files got corrupted somehow? I ran a diagnostic and from Seagate and it says that my hard drive is fine - but I'm not sure if that's just because I recently restored Windows.

I did recently install a big name game - but it ran fine for three days before this happened. The system restore point I had was from when I installed it, so it's now gone.

What do you guys think could have caused it? I'm just a little concerned that restoring only patched over a problem that will crop up again - or, that I should be afraid to install that game again.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

PS: System Specs: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, 3.0GHz E8400 Intel CPU, 500GB Seagate SATA HDD, 4GB Crucial 800MHz RAM (x2 2GB), ASUS P5Q Pro Turbo LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard. The game that was installed was Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.

EDIT: Just updating to include that my motherboard and processor are less than 60 days old, bought as a pair from newegg. Installed without a hitch and have had no other problems than this.

Have you run a full disk check?

1. Open Windows Explorer (<WINDOWSKEY>+<E>)
2. Click "Computer" in the left pane
3. Right-click on your hard disk, then select "Properties"
4. Click the "Tools" Tab
5. Under "Error Checking", click "Check Now" (You may need to respond to a UAC Prompt)
6. Make sure both options under "Check disk options" are checked.
7. Click "Start"
8. If the "Windows can't check the disk because it's in use" message comes up, click "Schedule disk check"
9. Reboot the computer, then allow the disk check to complete (it could take a while, because it will be checking the ENTIRE disk)

I mention the above because inexplicable slowdowns and boot failures are symptoms of a failed or failing hard disk.