I have a problem which has me beat right now. My PC has been dying soon after startup, within a few minutes. everything dies except the PSU fan and CPU fan, and the front power light, the power button doesnt work though. Screen dies, ctrl/alt/del doesnt do anything, power has to be cut off. Windows repair console running chkdsk /r says 'one or more errors on the volume have been repaired', but when restarting the problem re-occurs. Now the PC dies after the desktop comes up and during software loading. I have opened her up and dusted her out, as I thought it might be heat trouble, but makes no difference.

I tried a fresh HD and installed Windows on it, the same problem occurs during the finalization of Windows installation so that's no help. If I try to start in safe mode using the first HD sometimes it completes but the PC dies as soon as I touch the PS2 mouse, USB keyboard input is fine though. Other times the safe mode startup doesn't get beyond the line where it loads AGP440.SYS and says 'press escape to cancel loading SPTD.SYS'. Either way I can't get into Windows to run any software to check the problem. I managed to run a full Symantec virus check when the problem first started last week, as well as Webroot Spysweeper, both came up clean. My XP has been running fine for 2-3 years, SP2 has been installed for a long time, and all updates are installed. The PC has been stable for 2 years at least before this.

Any ideas?

Thanks
John

It's the problem of hardware, not the software.
Reset your BIOS setting either by the battery on the main board or by Clear CMOS Jumper.
See if it can help.

Good luck.

Hi,

I really appreciate the reply. I had already removed the battery and replaced it and reset the CMOS. I also tried a new battery (1.5v but a bit thinner, still makes contact, so shd be good) and no change.

However turning the machine on its side to try to see the mobo's make (I can't remember it) to upgrade/renew the BIOS if possible, I saw the AGP card fan is CAKED in dust and not spinning. So much for my dust removal! I'll take it apart and try that before messing with the BIOS further. Thanks again for the input so far.

John

No change after cleaning the graphics card fan. it still doesnt turn but I guess maybe it only kicks in when the card is hot? The PC is failing in the same way as before. I don't have an old graphics card I can try in its place, I gave them away when I moved to the UAE from UK, and the board I think has no onboard graphics (there is no video out on the board for a monitor cable).

So if you suggest a hardware problem, I guess I have to try to:

1) upgrade the BIOS - if I can find the mobo manufacturer to get an upgrade if available.

2) take out other cards (only a network card installed) and try to find another graphics card to try alone.

3) If no luck maybe the board is busted?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks
John

I found how to get the mobo manufacturer details (and thus any available BIOS upgrade) from the loading screen info:

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/34

But what do you suggest as my next step?