Doesn't boot into Windows

[netsurfer802]

Him having trouble with a system where it's just about to load the Windows splash screen and instead it freezes. To fix it...I've tried, changing the RAM, repeating the RAM. Changing the BIOS settings to load EEPROP, Default settings, Turbo settings; changed the AGP options in BIOS. Changed the hard drive that I made sure worked in a different system. Changed the ribbon cable it was using. What could be wrong with it and how can it be fixed?

[farmeunit]

Him having trouble with a system where it's just about to load the Windows splash screen and instead it freezes. To fix it...I've tried, changing the RAM, repeating the RAM. Changing the BIOS settings to load EEPROP, Default settings, Turbo settings; changed the AGP options in BIOS. Changed the hard drive that I made sure worked in a different system. Changed the ribbon cable it was using. What could be wrong with it and how can it be fixed?

What does it do when trying to boot into Safe Mode? You can run a Windows repair: http://pcsupport.abo...stxprepair1.htm

Maybe try this for Windows 7: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ss/windows-7-startup-repair.htm

[cybertimber2008]

Have you tried booting anything else? Like a linux live cd?

I had this happen to a system and it turns out it was bad capacitors/cpu. It would boot fine until it had to do some real processing.

Might as well check, do you have and bulging or leaking caps?

[TEX4S]

It might be a driver - how were you able to check everytrhing on another computer ? You had another computer with the same hardware & chipset ?

Or is this a case where you simply pulled the drive out of another computer and expect it to bootup in a different system ? What version of Windows ? Have you run ANY bootable utilities ? memtest ? HDD manufacturer's disk utility ? Linux Live CD ?

Some details would be helpful - You did good by mentioning the steps you have tried in troubleshooting, but there are a lot of questions I would have if it were me fixing it:

Did the system ever boot up OK in this system ?

When did this start ? What has changed since then ? hardware ? software ?

If it has a ribbon cable, it must be a very old system - how do you KNOW the HDD was OK in another system ? HDTune ? Manufacturer's Utility ?

The more details the faster we can find the solution. - But considering the age (if by "ribbon" cable you meant the old IDE) I would look @ PSU & HDD since you have swapped RAM - dont mess with the BIOS settings anymore - you are more likely to mess something up even worse - the BIOS isnt something n00bs should ever jack around with.

If this system is old enough to have an IDE HDD, then I would ask you to seriously consider the value of the computer, and the value of your time loss.

[netsurfer802]

cybertimber2008:

I've tried booting with a Linux Live Cd and the best it can do is go to the command prompt...not the GUI...I didn't see any blown/leaking caps.

[farmeunit]

I've tried booting with a Linux Live Cd and the best it can do is go to the command prompt...not the GUI...I didn't see any blown/leaking caps.

You try the other suggestions?

Which Linux Live CD?

[netsurfer802]

Ubuntu 10.04 or 10.10 ...Also, when I start it in Safe Mode with Networking it always loads with the last line ending in agp440.sys and then it restarts and it continues to restart. Even after I I've formatted the hard drive with another computer after wiping the drive with Dareks Nuke with Hirens and verified Windows XP Pro loads fine with another computer.

[mduren2445]

your having video issues ....try another card

[cybertimber2008]

Hmm, yea I'd have to second that. If you can't get into a linux GUI and you can't get past the windows graphics driver, something with your video card (seemingly hardware) is wrong.

I'd feel safe saying it isn't software since neither linux or windows have worked.

[TEX4S]

get a video card, boot into BIOS, disable onboard video - and you should be able to boot all the way through in Safe Mode, then you can install vid drivers.

[netsurfer802]

It's not a card ...it's onboard and doesn't seem to matter which video card I put in....I've looked all through the BIOS and couldn't find anything about disabling onboard video ( at least that I could tell)...Now I've removed the motherboard and installed a whole different motherboard (model E139761) with a different CPU that worked in another computer and now I can't even get a display...even tried swapping the card with a new PCI video card....tried two different power supplies...will be looking at motherboard documentation...

[mduren2445]

then you have a bad ground somewhere...check your mounting screws, stand offs and wires