Solved Strange start up problems.

[Lewie]

Hi all.
Windows 7 64Bit
2 GB RAM
Dual 6700 intel

About two weeks ago I saw a message pop up stating that there was a problem with a USB device.
I missed the details but when I tried to print something and had hassle I assumed that it was my printer at fault.
I spent hours trying to get it to work, uninstalling it, reinstalling, removing drivers, reinstalling.
The best I got was the printer doing as it should do but in spaced out stages.
It would move the print head, pause, grab the paper, pause, print a bit pause, until eventually it printed the document.
I tried system restore and the printer worked fine.
Then I had the same sort of trouble booting the computer.
I would switch on and get my usual black screen with a cursor in the top left then sometimes it would show the Dell BIOS screen and sometimes not, then take an age to get to the info screen telling me what drives I had etc, then it would take an age to get to the windows user screen.
All seems to be fine once I’m in but now the printer has gone back to go slow.
I’ve scanned for malware but as the trouble is before windows 7 boots I can’t see it being that.
I’ve used the windows utility to test the HDD and there are no problems there.
I’ve tested my RAM, it passed.
This morning I turned on the comp and it hung at the BIOS screen so had to reboot.
This time I got a strange graphic type flash then the part where the red, blue and green logo of windows 7 swirls about was at the top and bottom of my screen, large and blurry.
Once at the users screen all was well??
Is my mobo dying?
Cheers.

 

[Boozad]

Hello Lewie,

It certainly sounds like a piece of hardware is causing the PC to have trouble booting. Can you let us know how you tested your HDD and your RAM please? Also do you have a dedicated GPU or are you using integrated graphics?

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode to see if that has problems? If not could you try that and let us know how that works please.

 

[Lewie]

Hi Boozad.
Thanks for the reply.
I have a dedicated card, NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS.

Yes I will try the safe mode but the grief mostly appears before any attempt to enter BIOS, safe mode, etc. apart from that last start up logo strangeness.

Cheers.

 

[Boozad]

Do you know if you have integrated graphics on the machine? If you could fill in your system specs mate it may save a lot of question asking.

:ar: Fill in your system specs.

 

[Lewie]

I have (I hope) attached a file that I copied from the Dell website.
Apparently this is my current set up.
I don't know if this gives you all you need to know.
If you like I can post the Dell test results (see below) as well.
I have also ran a full check via the Dell web site that tests all my hardware, peripherals etc.
All tests passed apart from one USB device which is an old web cam that doesn't have any drivers available for 7.
This has been attached for many months.
I haven't had chance to try the safe mode yet but I will now.
Cheers.

 

[Boozad]

Really we could do with knowing whether you have integrated graphics, for that we'd need your motherboard make/model. You can obtain this by downloading Piriform Speccy, run it and will give you the information. The reason I'm asking this is to establish whether you can temporarily uninstall your graphics card and switch to the integrated graphics, just to rule the card out.

Let us know how the Safe Mode works.

 

[Layback Bear]

This would be helpful.
By Kari:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/311593-speccy-publish-snapshot-your-system-specs.html

 

[Lewie]

Spec below.
Other stuff happening.
Internet explorer is saying more and more that it has had a problem, though I have heard that there is grief with security regarding IE at the mo, perhaps just coincidence.
Each time I start up it seems to do it differently.
F8 will not happen, goes to a black screen with the cursor flashing top left.
Makes loads of beeps that represents the amount of time I've held F8 down.
I've noticed I don't get a POST beep, thought it may have been dodgy speaker but the beeps from the keyboard discount that.
I unplugged a USB hub and the computer froze, had to do a hard reboot.
It's all working again now but I have little doubt that there will be other ghostly happenings to report
Thanks thus far.

 

[Boozad]

Okay so your motherboard doesn't have integrated graphics outputs so that's knocked that idea on the head. Can you tell us what programs you used to test your HDD and RAM with?

 

[PeaB4YouGo]

Not for nothing, but have you checked the battery on your motherboard?

 

[Lewie]

I used CHKDSK for HDD and memtest 86 for RAM.
Tried SeaTools for HDD but it wouldn't boot even after changing boot order.

Is there a way of checking the mobo battery?

I may have a old graphics card somewhere but it wont be PCI Express.
I have enough old sh*te to build a Babbage replica!!
That would only rule out one or the other wouldn't it?

 

[PeaB4YouGo]

Is there a way of checking the mobo battery?

The way I test them is, A.) change the battery, B.)Battery is 100% and is either the problem, or it's not.

If you can't remember the last time you changed a battery, then it's something to consider.

 

[Lewie]

I bought this second hand so I don't know if it has ever been changed.
The computer was registered in 2007.
I don't know how long CMOS batteries last? but I suppose for the cost it's worth changing it anyway.

Thing is, I haven't had any problems at all for the past 24 hours or so.

It all started when I had the message saying that some USB device wasn't being recognised, the printer acting weird, then my USB hub being unplugged causing the computer to 'freeze' then the hub not being recognised, then the mouse not working in any USB slot.
After a reboot all seemed fine, everything was recognised and boot up has been 'normal'.
Can a USB 'issue' cause such problems?
It's as though there was some sort of mix up with the ports, are they all connected in some way?

 

[Layback Bear]

Lewie everything in a computer is connected in some way if it's installed on the motherboard by plugging in or wired.
Your motherboard is the brains of the system.
Your motherboard is where the bios battery is installed.
That battery on the motherboard allows the motherboard to remember all the settings before you boot into a operating system.

That battery on the motherboard is like any other battery. It can cause strange things to happen off and on.
Because the battery is so cheap it is wise just to replace it.

Some good reading that explains things better than I can.
These things need a good battery on the motherboard.

CMOS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

BIOS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[PeaB4YouGo]

...and, this isn't saying that this will even solve the prob. It's just a cheap troubleshooting step.

 

[Lewie]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Still haven't had an issue.
It must have been the USB hub upsetting things.
It obviously happened because of something (then again sometimes things just happen with these contraptions) so I'll change that there battery and hope all stays well.
If it doesn't..............................I'll be back!

 

[PeaB4YouGo]

I know what you mean. My sys won't work if my Android is plugged into a USB port.

Even if this works, come back often.