Windows 7 Startup Problems

[Chriso]

I have been having computer problems lately it all started after playing StarCraft 2 beta the other day, I clicked Exit and my computer froze.

So I restarted and it got to the Windows7 loading screen and didn't get any further, so I restarted again and tried to 'Launch Startup Repair' and that failed as well. I eventually got into Startup Repair but I tried to fix problems with startup and that failed, I ended up restoring to about a week ago, restarted and Windows7 loaded fine but was extremely sluggish when doing the most simple tasks. I have tried switching out my RAM with some older RAM I had available and that didn't work, I am currently running an Ubuntu CD I own to type this message.

The only conclusion I have come to is that it might be my harddrive or Windows7 installation as I have removed all unnecessary hardware (soundcard, gfx card)...

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[not so gray matter]

If you're worried about your hardware you can run diagnostics on it to figure out if there are problems.

Ultimate Boot CD - Overview

Download the CD as an ISO not a zip.
Burn it to disk using Windows or IMGBurn
Insert in Computer & Boot from it

You can now use the memory, hard drive and other diagnostic tools to figure out whether you have a hardware issue. Keep in mind that many of the tools take a considerable amount of time to complete.

 

[Chriso]

I am currently running the Ubuntu CD. I'll try and run some diagnostic tests and see if there's any issues. If not I assume it would be a problem with the Windows 7 installation? Corrupted perhaps?

 

[Night Hawk]

Hello Chriso Welcome to the Se7en Forums!

Are you seeing this on a new or recent build or simply an upgrade on existing hardwares as far as the OS from a previous version? For a system that's been in use for a years a good scan with the drive manufacturer's own diagnostics utility for any bad sectors would be a thought.

If you are ocing at all you may have to trim back a bit and use the auto settings for memory and voltages in the bios. Other then that however you most likely will find this being a software related issue. If you just recently installed as an upgrade over a previous version rather then a clean install the upgrade may have not gone as well as first thought.

 

[Chriso]

The version I have installed is a clean install of Windows Ultimate x64. The version is a genuine copy, and this is the first issue I have had since I installed it 11 months ago...

 

[Night Hawk]

One thing known for causing problems while gaming even when exiting a game session is having any antivirus or other protections active. It wouldn't be quite 11 months unless you are still running the 64bit RC since it's just now turning 10 months for those with TechNet or MSDN subcriptions.

Since the games is in beta form you likely just installed it lately haven't you? A bad or imcomplete installation of the game itself may well explain the problems it generated with your present install of 7. The first thought however would seeing if you are able to boot up is safe mode and look over the startup items in the msconfig if you have added any other programs on lately in addition to the StarCraft 2 beta.

You can also schedule the checkdisk utility to run a scan on the next startup with the chkdsk /r command to see if that will help along with running diagnostics on memory, hard drive, and other things.

 

[win7clutz]

The version I have installed is a clean install of Windows Ultimate x64. The version is a genuine copy, and this is the first issue I have had since I installed it 11 months ago...

Just curious... Genuine Ultimate x64 wasn't available 11 months ago, what did you install?

 

[Chriso]

That was a guess, I hosted a House Party and received the Genuine version pretty early.

I have already GParted the Windows partition in Ubuntu, and when I try reinstallation of W7 I still get stuck at the "Starting Windows" screen (prior to installation screens).

Considering I have removed all unnecessary hardware, and the computer runs fine in Ubuntu, I am stuck... I don't understand what else could be causing it?

I even tried resetting my BIOS and playing with power settings in BIOS several times to check if the RAM/CPU was getting enough power to boot properly...

 

[DocBrown]

In your spec, you list 2 monitors. Have you tried the install with just one connected ?

 

[Chriso]

Yes, I also tried switching cables and using the onboard graphics card.

 

[DocBrown]

When you installed it the very first time, any problems? What hardware has changed since then ? Have you read our questions list for installation ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-use-help-installation-issues.html#post300660

 

[Chriso]

I have changed my PSU, CPU-Fan, GFX Card, and Sound card since the first installation I never had any problems finding the drivers for these devices however.

I have deleted the partition and I was trying to do a clean install though, so this shouldn't matter. Why would it still be freezing at the Starting Windows installation screen? I'm reading that thread now, thx for posting

Sometimes you may have a problem with installing Windows 7 with more than 2 GB of RAM installed on some older motherboards. If you have this problem, then you should install Windows 7 with a maximum of 2GB of RAM installed and add the rest of the RAM after Windows 7 is fully installed. You may need to flash your motherboard BIOS with the latest version to support more RAM like this. (WARNING - DO NOT FLASH THE BIOS if you do not know what you are doing. Please ask for help instead. One mistake can kill your motherboard permanently.)

I have also tried using only 1 stick of 2GB RAM, even though my mobo isn't THAT old.

 

[DocBrown]

Since you have onboard video, I would take out the GFX card. Try the install that way, to see if it works, then re-install the GFX card after it is stable & updated.

 

[Chriso]

I also tried that.

 

[Night Hawk]

Your hardware profile has certainly seen a large change since 7 was first installed! That didn't prevent a normal boot apparently on that until the beta version of the game unless you discover a hardware problem now just being realized like a bad dimm!

 

[Chriso]

Your hardware profile has certainly seen a large change since 7 was first installed! That didn't prevent a normal boot apparently on that until the beta version of the game unless you discover a hardware problem now just being realized like a bad dimm!

Bad dimm?

I am now sure that it is not the harddrive, since I installed Ubuntu on it fine and am loading from the harddrive (not the live-cd). Which leads me to wonder what hardware that Ubuntu can recognize, cannot be recognized by Windows 7 installer?

 

[Night Hawk]

A bad dimm won't prevent a small distro like ubuntu from going on since that only needs about 256mb if that! Windows is obviously the larger OS with many services to consider requiring a good 1gb for 7 to start with.

Bad dimms will cause any number of problems with installation or simply running a program while booted to the desktop. I would suggest running the memtest option to see if anything comes up on one dimm at a time.

 

[Chriso]

I tried running the Ubuntu memory test and it got to 20% pass before I abandoned it (it took around 3 hours). I am thinking it might be my hard disk, every time I try to open a movie the movie stops playing a part of the way through (it happened 3 times for a file around 350mb). However music plays fine..? Also whenever I go into "Computer" on Ubuntu the hard drive in question sometimes doesn't respond for some time...

EDIT: Here is a screenshot of a HDD Smart Data... What does it mean?

 

[Chriso]

I tried a self test and it failed. =(

Is there any way to fix bad sectors? Or is it pretty much buy a new hard drive?

 

[Night Hawk]

The drive temps are up a little on the warm side from ideal of cource but nothing serious. I noticed from your specs you have WD drives and may want to download the LifeGuard diagnostics tool as well for giving the main drive a good lookover with that since there's some indication of bad sectors.

There's only a certain degree of help tools like checkdisk can do like routing things around bad sectors once found in order to keep things going. Your best option would be backing things in case the drive does need to be replaced. The lower prices seen on drives these days makes it a lot to replace one if you have to!

The main support page you will want to look at for downloads including the diagnostics from the drive manufacturer are seen at WD Support > Downloads > SATA & SAS

Once you select the model series like Caviar SE, Blue, or Green Power for example you arrive at the next page where you select the Data Lifeguard diagnostic for Dos since you are not able to boot into Windows directly. http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=606&sid=30&lang=en

Seems I have to enable Smart Drive monitoring on the new build here!