hard drive boot problem ??

samsom · 07-22-2008, 05:09 AM

Hi, I have a big problem. Yesterday when I was reading some news on the internet, my desktop computer (which is about 4 years old) suddently went 'crazy'. To tell more exactly, there was some strange things going on my monitor - something like a mix of some random colors. I restarted my comp but nothing changed - the problem with monitor was still there. So at first I thought that the problem was my monitor, so I checked it by connecting the monitor on my laptop. And I realized that the monitor works just fine. Now I don't know what seems to be the problem... is it hard drive or motherboard or sth else? The monitor is OK, but if it connected on my desktop comp it shows nothing, except some strange random static color mix. Now I can't use my comp, in fact I can't even go to BIOS or formatting. Today I tried to set a network (ethernet) between the desktop and my laptop and it works - I mean, I internet works fine, I can see printers and some shared folders, which is strange, because I thought that the problem was the hard disc drive...

Any ideas what should I do? Thanx

dai · 07-22-2008, 06:21 AM

can you try the video card in another computer to check if it is the same

vladimirb · 07-22-2008, 08:05 AM

Do you have on-board graphic card or extra graphic card???
Is it AGP or PCI-E???
Post your system specifications...
Report back please...

samsom · 07-26-2008, 03:49 AM

^^ Thank you for the hint - it really was the graphic card. I should know that myself... I think that if my problem occurred while playing some computer games or video editing, then I probably would have thought about graphic problems, but since I was just surfing the internet, that just didn't cross my mind... Anyway, I've just bought a new card and now the problem is solved. I was a bit lucky to still get such a card which can live with my old motherboard, though.

But since I'm on Hard disc support forum, I'd like to ask you another question - and I think this time I'm in the right place to ask it - it is 'clicking'. Sometimes (but not everytime) when I use my desktop computer I hear something like 'clicking 'inside it. It lasts 2 to 10 seconds and sometimes the comp freezes during that period, so I must wait for the clicking to end. It probably is a hard drive, but the strange thing is that has been almost a year since the problem occured the first time. So can it possibly be something else? My HDD is about 4 years old.

Thanx

**Deleted090308** · 07-26-2008, 04:04 AM

Hi,
Sounds more like a lack of power.
Please post the system specifications.

Run diagnostic tools from the HDD manufacturer.

samsom · 07-28-2008, 04:06 AM

Ok, here we go:

> Power Supply: Macron MPT-301 (ATX12V TEST PASS), 300W,
+12V ... 15 A, -12V ... 0.8 A
> Motherboard: MB MTSONIC 9127C, DDR400, AGP8X
> CPU: intel C. 2,40 GHz/400, S478
> RAM: 2 * 256 MB DDRAM (333 MHz)
> Video Card: Ge-Force 6200 (256MB)
> Hard Drive: Maxtor 80 GB (7200), ATA-133
> OS: Win 2000, SP 4

One thing I forgot to mention is that sometimes (once or twice a month) when I open more programs or applications at the same time and then close one of them, I hear this 'clicking' sound for a second or two and then the computer restarts itself. It usually happens only when the computer is turned on for, say, a day or sth like that. The strange thing is, as I said, that the computer is more than 4 years old, but the problem with 'clicking' firstly occured a year (or year and half) ago. And yes, I will check my HDD with that diagnostic tool as soon as I have some time. Thanks for your advices.

**Deleted090308** · 07-28-2008, 04:25 AM

See if you can borrow a quality 400W PSU.

Check the temperatures and voltages with SensorsView.

07-22-2008, 05:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
samsom Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3 OS: win 2000 and win XP	hard drive boot problem ?? Hi, I have a big problem. Yesterday when I was reading some news on the internet, my desktop computer (which is about 4 years old) suddently went 'crazy'. To tell more exactly, there was some strange things going on my monitor - something like a mix of some random colors. I restarted my comp but nothing changed - the problem with monitor was still there. So at first I thought that the problem was my monitor, so I checked it by connecting the monitor on my laptop. And I realized that the monitor works just fine. Now I don't know what seems to be the problem... is it hard drive or motherboard or sth else? The monitor is OK, but if it connected on my desktop comp it shows nothing, except some strange random static color mix. Now I can't use my comp, in fact I can't even go to BIOS or formatting. Today I tried to set a network (ethernet) between the desktop and my laptop and it works - I mean, I internet works fine, I can see printers and some shared folders, which is strange, because I thought that the problem was the hard disc drive... Any ideas what should I do? Thanx

07-22-2008, 06:21 AM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 41,849 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	Re: hard drive boot problem ?? can you try the video card in another computer to check if it is the same __________________

07-22-2008, 08:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
vladimirb Hardware Team Tech Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina Posts: 1,447 OS: xp pro sp3, Server 2003 My System	Re: hard drive boot problem ?? Do you have on-board graphic card or extra graphic card??? Is it AGP or PCI-E??? Post your system specifications... Report back please... __________________ Realm: Bronze Dragonflight - EU Undead Rogue --- Level 70 --- Spec: Combat Orc Shaman --- Level 70 --- Spec: Elemental Tauren Warrior --- Level 70 --- Spec: Protection Troll Priest --- Level 59 --- Spec: Shadow

07-26-2008, 03:49 AM	#4 (permalink)
samsom Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3 OS: win 2000 and win XP	Re: hard drive boot problem ?? ^^ Thank you for the hint - it really was the graphic card. I should know that myself... I think that if my problem occurred while playing some computer games or video editing, then I probably would have thought about graphic problems, but since I was just surfing the internet, that just didn't cross my mind... Anyway, I've just bought a new card and now the problem is solved. I was a bit lucky to still get such a card which can live with my old motherboard, though. But since I'm on Hard disc support forum, I'd like to ask you another question - and I think this time I'm in the right place to ask it - it is 'clicking'. Sometimes (but not everytime) when I use my desktop computer I hear something like 'clicking 'inside it. It lasts 2 to 10 seconds and sometimes the comp freezes during that period, so I must wait for the clicking to end. It probably is a hard drive, but the strange thing is that has been almost a year since the problem occured the first time. So can it possibly be something else? My HDD is about 4 years old. Thanx

07-26-2008, 04:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,281 OS: Xp	Re: hard drive boot problem ?? Hi, Sounds more like a lack of power. Please post the system specifications. Run diagnostic tools from the HDD manufacturer.

07-28-2008, 04:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
samsom Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3 OS: win 2000 and win XP	Re: hard drive boot problem ?? Ok, here we go: > Power Supply: Macron MPT-301 (ATX12V TEST PASS), 300W, +12V ... 15 A, -12V ... 0.8 A > Motherboard: MB MTSONIC 9127C, DDR400, AGP8X > CPU: intel C. 2,40 GHz/400, S478 > RAM: 2 * 256 MB DDRAM (333 MHz) > Video Card: Ge-Force 6200 (256MB) > Hard Drive: Maxtor 80 GB (7200), ATA-133 > OS: Win 2000, SP 4 One thing I forgot to mention is that sometimes (once or twice a month) when I open more programs or applications at the same time and then close one of them, I hear this 'clicking' sound for a second or two and then the computer restarts itself. It usually happens only when the computer is turned on for, say, a day or sth like that. The strange thing is, as I said, that the computer is more than 4 years old, but the problem with 'clicking' firstly occured a year (or year and half) ago. And yes, I will check my HDD with that diagnostic tool as soon as I have some time. Thanks for your advices.

07-28-2008, 04:25 AM	#7 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,281 OS: Xp	Re: hard drive boot problem ?? See if you can borrow a quality 400W PSU. Check the temperatures and voltages with SensorsView.