Booting Problems - XP

Here's the thing, I managed get my hands on some more memory from a friend he was selling off his old PC in bits.

I checked the compatibility and it seemed like it would be fine.

When I tried to boot the PC I got to the Windows scrolling bar then the PC re-booted it then came up with the "problem shutting down, boot up normally or in safe mode etc" I choose normal and it crashed again.

So using logic I assumed the memory mustn't be working. I took it all out leaving in my original memory. Now when the PC boots up it seems to be looking for boot disc in the CD drive, I can see the drive light running. After about 20-30 second it will then boot into Windows.

Could the memory have corrupted my MBR? What's a good way to fix if that's the problem?

I don't think if this is related but when I log into my profile all is fine everything come up, however when I try to log into my wife's profile, for the first time, the CD drawer pops out. It then has to be manually pushed in, but then won't eject again.

Can anyone offer me words of wisdom.

#488026

have you tried booting into 'last known good configuration'? or safe mode?

#488028

Nope, not yet, thought never entered my head....D'oh

I'll give that try.

#488030

Reset PRAM, CMOS...anything on the motherboard....see if that works

#488033

Update

As shmengie guessed the "last known good conf" worked.....well almost. Cheers mate

Now as soon as I press the power button it seems the CD tray wants to open and I have to manually push it back in again, however the boot process does continue.

I'll be honest phantom, I don't know how to reset the PRAM or the CMOS, so I'm going to leave that one until I've exhausted all other avenues.

I'm thinking re-seating the IDE cables on the CD as I might have knocked them fitting the memory, but that won't happen until the weekend now.

Some days I could see Windows far enough. :mad:

#488099

To reset CMOS it depends on your motherboard, but normally you have to open the computer case, here are three different options, the third one may not work but you don't have to open the computer to use it:

• there should be a battery (like clock's one, but bigger, it looks like a ~ 2 centimeter metallic cake) just pull it out, wait for about a minute and put it again.
  
• if can't find a battery some mothers have it hidden but also have a jumper. Check your motherboards manual for the jumper location and follow instructions in the manual.
  
• run a program to erase the cmos, this may or may not work.
  

Program to erase cmos (run it under a FreeDOS boot disk, compile as MS-DOS .com app):

		mov cx, FFh
loop:   mov al, cl
		out 70h, al
		xor al, al
		out 71h, al
		dec cx
		jns loop
		int 20h

#488107

buy a mac

#488110

buy a mac

Thanks for advice but got one of those too, funny it never seems to cause me any problems hmmmm.

#488113

The only reason that doesn't givw you problems is that you never do things to it that you'd do to your pc...Like for example opening it up and fitting memory from non-apple-authorised sources. Go ahead, open up your Mac. PC's are a blessing that way, ;)

Ontopic: before resetting the bios by removing the cmos battery, have you tried entering it and setting "all settings to default". Try that, and if it doesn't work, reset things manually like Matonga said.

#488120

buy a mac

Let's try constructive.

The one major problem I had with XP was when the motherboard died on a machine I had. So needless to say, it couldn't get past the BIOS screen.

Is it also possible that your CMOS battery is shot? It sounds like a silly question, but it may not be showing any obvious signs that it's out.

Is it possible that it could masquerade as a memory fault?

#488164