erratic pc start up.

[scrumpyjack]

when I start my pc it often stops booting up for no reason.sometimes the screen and cursor freeze up,often ,the screen goes blank.It can even get to internet connection and still go off The only way to restart is to turn the power off and on again.Eventually its ok . any ideas its driving me nuts!!

 

[Igorian]

There are many possible reasons. Can you provide more details about the machine, including it's age?

Does it sometimes fail before Windows starts to load?

Scan the hard disk for errors/viruses first.

If you have more than one stick of RAM, try running with one stick to see if it identifies a failing one.

If you know what an electrolytic capacitor looks like, have a look on the motherboard, especially close to the processor, for any that have bulges (even slight) or a powdery brown substance leaking from the tops or bottom (common on Jetway boards).

Any noises/clicks just before crash?

 

[bathjobby]

Huh....
This guy knows nothing and tells us nothing and you advice he visually checks his capacitors !
Had to comment, but staying out of it now, laughing too much..

 

[Igorian]

Gotta be better than a useless comment

 

[bathjobby]

Apart from it may get him killed.....

 

[Igorian]

stick 2 baths.

 

[scrumpyjack]

come on girls were not all expert electronic wizards or magic bath men. when youve finished scratching each others eyes out,thanks for the help???

 

[Igorian]

So, what have you tried?

 

[felix]

Bathjobby is perhaps being a little overcautious here

Apart from it may get him killed.....

though caution doesn't hurt when working inside electronic equipment.

The good news is that most PCs are very safe as all the nasty voltages are wrapped up in a metal box. The mains lead plugs straight into the back of this box and low voltages come out. Some early models had a mains on-off switch on the front panel but I haven't seen one like that for a long time. As long as you stay out of that power supply box and away from anything that is obviously a mains switch you are quite safe. You could easily fry half the chips on your motherboard but you will survive.

PSU's apart, the most dangerous things in a PC are not hardware but software. A rogue program could send your name, address and credit card numbers out onto the internet for all to see or make your modem dial a premium rate number - and the contents of that hard disk you picked up cheap at a car boot sale could get you Gary Glittered!

To get back to your problem, you aren't going to get far unless you learn your way around both the hardware and the software so let's assume you've been to the library --

Most computer trouble is caused by faulty software so eliminate this first. Boot from a floppy disk and see what happens.

 

[Subs]

Back to basics. Can you post the OS you are running and any details about the spec of the hardware its sitting on. Also, exactly when does it "freeze"? Is it before the windows start up splash page, during, or once you're in windows - or is it a bit of all three?
Does it start playing up from cold or after prolonged usage?