Hey there!

I have a problem with my computer.
When I start my pc, it loads fine, I can go to the BIOS, it passes the POST successfully and so on.
I can run the Hiren's Boot CD with no problem and it doesn't lose signal or shuts down, but if I boot into the Windows, the monitor loses signal right after it starts loading, but the CPU Fan and the case fan continues to work.

Same happened when I try to boot from a USB device or DVD, so I can't format it, but I had the possibility to use other HDD with a clean install of Windows 10, same happens unfortunately.
I already cleaned it, check the RAMs, verify the CPU and everything seems fine.

I ran out of ideas, I would be glade if someone could help me.

Best Regards,
Rafael Sousa

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All 17 Replies

What happens if you boot from a Windows install CD/DVD?

Thanks for your reply.
As I said, USB device or Windows install CD/DVD is happens the same thing, it loads the files, show "Starting Windows" loading, and then loses signal to monitor, right before where you can choose to repair computer or install Windows.

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode with networking ?

Couldn't do that because Windows 10... And it wont let me go into safe mode with the usual F8, neither with the install DVD because the monitor will lose signal.. I will try to do it with a Windows 7 HDD.

Still, same old.
Says "Starting Windows" and after 1sec monitor loses signal.

I know that my monitor is good because I tested it on another PC.

That thing, right there where you tell me the display does it with a W10 boot CD/USB tells me something's off with the video card or monitor.

What are those things?

In one sentence you say
"you can run the Hiren's Boot CD with no problem and it doesn't lose signal or shuts down" ,

In another you say

" Same happened when I try to boot from a USB device or DVD, so I can't format it, but I had the possibility to use other HDD with a clean install of Windows 10, same happens unfortunately."

Since you can boot the Hiren's Boot CD with no problem I have to wonder why you can't boot the Windows DVD unless the Windows DVD isn't bootable.
I would try a different Linux distro to prove a point .

commented: Always upvote for other boot media. +10

Hey, sorry for disappear but was waiting for a PCI-Express card to arrive.

Something that I notice is that it works fine on DOS ambient but as soon it "asks for more" from the video card it loses signal.

With this new PCI card, it doesn't lose signal, but the PC just froze. Same happened with other HDD.

This is rproffitt on a toss away email (log in issues.) I re-read the post and can't find PC details. So not much more to add except the PC is suspect now. Tell more, hope Daniweb gets logins working for all of us.

I tried to run Hiren's Boot on Mini Linux, and it worked perfectly, then, I tried to run Mini XP and it got stuck on the loading, happened the same when I try to boot it normally.
I ran out of ideas...

Sorry I guess I was unclear in that I do not see the PC details in the posts so far. So it's some unknown PC that's not able to run any Windows OS.

Those are rare but I have run into such machines that ran Linux just fine. The owner has to tell all or just run Linux.

The 2 HDD's with Win 7 and 10 on them wouldn't happen to be OEM operating systems from another computer would they ?
Your'e not giving us a chance to help you by not telling us anything about this computer .

The PC is a Dell OptiPlex GX280.
Yes, it can run Windows because was already with Windows 7 and upgraded to Windows 10 a year ago.

The 2 HDD had a clean install, from another PC of course. The HDD with Windows 10 installed ran on a third PC with no problem.

A couple things. Moving a Windows install on a HDD from PC to PC is an iffy thing. No one I knows tells you that should work.

As to the fresh installs, the past is the past. You'll have to dig in and try it with less parts such as one stick of RAM and whatever else you can remove to sniff out what's wrong with this PC.

I did run into a few folk that were swapping HDDs around PCs like spare tires. That is not supported and rarely works.
Another thing they tried was the Windows OS that came with other PCs. Again another area that is known to fail.

You did reveal the model so this is 7 or more years old and cheap to replace as I read prices from https://www.google.com/search?q=GX280

You might have to settle for Linux if that's all that runs.

Already tried swap everything, even the CPU...
Tried with only one RAM, then switch slots, same problem.
Tried to replace RAM with a new one, switch slots, same problem.
Replaced the CPU, same problem.
Tried to use a PCI card, same problem.
Tried to use another HDD/SSD, same problem.
Tried on another monitor, same problem.
Tried to boot from CD/DVD/USB, same problem.
Tried to boot MiniXP from Hiren's Boot, same problem.
Tried to update BIOS, update was sucessful, but the problem presisted.

The only boot that was sucessfull was MiniLinux from Hiren's Boot, booted to desktop with no problems.
I think that it's a bit wierd that it always ran Windows, and suddenly it can only run Linux!

I don't know more what to do...

Something that I noted (it might be not useful) but the keyboard often writes duplicate letter, like if it's being constantly pressed, and it only happens on this PC, even on different USB ports.

What this tells us is this PC has some hardware issue or something that's not in this discussion. It's quite an old PC so the cost to repair is more than getting a replacement.

Yes you will get clients that want it fixed so you go get a new motherboard, CPU and such to bring the case back to life.

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