Win2000 PC locks up in BIOS, but not Safe Mode?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joseph O'Brien
  • Start date Start date
J

Joseph O'Brien

One of the computers in our office is having trouble, and I was hoping
I could get some advice.

It's a Dual-processor Pentium III built in 2001. The problem is that
it locks up consistently about 2-3 minutes after loading Windows 2000.
By "locks up," I mean that the screen freezes, the keyboard and mouse
don't work (if I hit Caps Lock, the light on the keyboard doesn't
change), and I have to restart the computer.

It also locks up in BIOS when I go to the "PC Health Status" screen to
check temperatures.

It runs just fine in Windows Safe Mode.

I suspected heat problems, so I cleaned off the CPUs, replaced the
thermal grease, and added a case fan, but that didn't help.

I plan on running a memory test soon. I might also switch out the
Matrox dual-head AGP video card with a standard PCI card (I've read
about AGP problems in Windows 2000).

Before I go that far, can anyone make a recommendation? It seems weird
that it would lock up in BIOS and Windows, but not in Windows safe
mode. Any thoughts on how to pin this down?

Thanks,
Joseph
 
Joseph O'Brien said:
One of the computers in our office is having trouble, and I was hoping
I could get some advice.

It's a Dual-processor Pentium III built in 2001. The problem is that
it locks up consistently about 2-3 minutes after loading Windows 2000.
By "locks up," I mean that the screen freezes, the keyboard and mouse
don't work (if I hit Caps Lock, the light on the keyboard doesn't
change), and I have to restart the computer.

It also locks up in BIOS when I go to the "PC Health Status" screen to
check temperatures.

It runs just fine in Windows Safe Mode.
Click to expand...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302542
 
Joseph O'Brien said:
One of the computers in our office is having trouble, and I was hoping
I could get some advice.

It's a Dual-processor Pentium III built in 2001. The problem is that
it locks up consistently about 2-3 minutes after loading Windows 2000.
By "locks up," I mean that the screen freezes, the keyboard and mouse
don't work (if I hit Caps Lock, the light on the keyboard doesn't
change), and I have to restart the computer.

It also locks up in BIOS when I go to the "PC Health Status" screen to
check temperatures.

It runs just fine in Windows Safe Mode.

I suspected heat problems, so I cleaned off the CPUs, replaced the
thermal grease, and added a case fan, but that didn't help.

I plan on running a memory test soon. I might also switch out the
Matrox dual-head AGP video card with a standard PCI card (I've read
about AGP problems in Windows 2000).

Before I go that far, can anyone make a recommendation? It seems weird
that it would lock up in BIOS and Windows, but not in Windows safe
mode. Any thoughts on how to pin this down?

Thanks,
Joseph
Click to expand...

clear the CMOS (bios). via jumper and unplug from mains
 
It runs just fine in Windows Safe Mode.

Safe Mode doesn't load drivers that access certain
hardware. No doubt you've got something going
bad. In a box this old, I would be really suspicious
about bad spots on the hard drive. Maybe one of
those drivers in standard boot, is coming off a
bad spot on the drive, and so is corrupting
the system. Run Chkdsk and see.

johns
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "johns said:
Safe Mode doesn't load drivers that access certain
hardware. No doubt you've got something going
bad. In a box this old, I would be really suspicious
about bad spots on the hard drive. Maybe one of
those drivers in standard boot, is coming off a
bad spot on the drive, and so is corrupting
the system. Run Chkdsk and see.
Click to expand...
If that don't work, try running msconfig (or better-yet, Startup
Manager) http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/toolbox/tbmain.html and try
disabling loaded drivers using a binary-search, until you find out which
one is blowing the system. Then find another copy and reload that
driver.

(Binary search:
Disable *half* the drivers. If it works then, then the bad
driver was in the half you disabled; so re-enable half of them.
If it still doesn't work, then likely the bad driver was in the half
you did *not* disable; so re-enable all the ones you disabled, and
disable half of the ones you didn't.
Repeat this with smaller fractions until you find one driver or loaded
utility that allows the system to work when disabled, while crashing
things when enabled.)
Once found, re-enable the errant software, use "Add or remove programs"
in Control-Panel to remove it properly (in Safe-Mode, if necessary) and
then re-install it, either from disk or off the net.
 
If that don't work, try running msconfig (or better-yet, Startup
Manager)http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/toolbox/tbmain.htmland try
disabling loaded drivers using a binary-search, until you find out which
one is blowing the system.  Then find another copy and reload that
driver.

(Binary search:
 Disable *half* the drivers.  If it works then, then the bad
 driver was in the half you disabled; so re-enable half of them.
 If it still doesn't work, then likely the bad driver was in the half
 you did *not* disable; so re-enable all the ones you disabled, and
 disable half of the ones you didn't.
 Repeat this with smaller fractions until you find one driver or loaded
 utility that allows the system to work when disabled, while crashing
 things when enabled.)
Once found, re-enable the errant software, use "Add or remove programs"
in Control-Panel to remove it properly (in Safe-Mode, if necessary) and
then re-install it, either from disk or off the net.

--
    _____
     /  '               / ™
  ,-/-, __  __.  ____  /_
 (_/   / (_(_/|_/ / <_/ <_
Click to expand...

Thanks for that tip. Sounds like what I used to do with Extension
Manager in the old days of Mac OS9.

Doesn't anyone think it's a little weird that the computera also hangs
in BIOS, though?
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "Joseph O'Brien"
Thanks for that tip. Sounds like what I used to do with Extension
Manager in the old days of Mac OS9.

Doesn't anyone think it's a little weird that the computera also hangs
in BIOS, though?
Click to expand...

Have you run a good memory test?
http://www.memtest86.com/#algo
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "Joseph O'Brien"









Have you run a good memory test?http://www.memtest86.com/#algo
Click to expand...


Yes, I actually used memtest86; it checks out fine.

Argh. The frustrating thing is that I would be HAPPY to build or buy
another Windows 2000 box. All this computer does is run as a front end
interface to a perimeter security system, which I hardly ever access.
However, the software is proprietary and generates a registration code
tied to the hardware, and it's next to impossible to get the company
to issue a new one (it makes dealing with Microsoft's activation scam
seem easy). Unfortunately, the security system needs to update the
clocks on its terminals on March 10 (DST), and to do that, the Windows
2000 box needs to be running.

And, yes, the software only runs on Windows 2000... :(

Anyway, I'll keep hacking away at it. Thanks for all the good advice,
everyone.

Joseph
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "Joseph O'Brien"









Have you run a good memory test?http://www.memtest86.com/#algo
Click to expand...


Yes, I actually used memtest86; it checks out fine.

Argh. The frustrating thing is that I would be HAPPY to build or buy
another Windows 2000 box. All this computer does is run as a front end
interface to a perimeter security system, which I hardly ever access.
However, the software is proprietary and generates a registration code
tied to the hardware, and it's next to impossible to get the company
to issue a new one (it makes dealing with Microsoft's activation scam
seem easy). Unfortunately, the security system needs to update the
clocks on its terminals on March 10 (DST), and to do that, the Windows
2000 box needs to be running.

And, yes, the software only runs on Windows 2000... :(

Anyway, I'll keep hacking away at it. Thanks for all the good advice,
everyone.

Joseph


Did I miss where you have CLEARED THE CMOS?
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "Joseph O'Brien"
Yes, I actually used memtest86; it checks out fine.

Argh. The frustrating thing is that I would be HAPPY to build or buy
another Windows 2000 box. All this computer does is run as a front end
interface to a perimeter security system, which I hardly ever access.
However, the software is proprietary and generates a registration code
tied to the hardware, and it's next to impossible to get the company
to issue a new one (it makes dealing with Microsoft's activation scam
seem easy). Unfortunately, the security system needs to update the
clocks on its terminals on March 10 (DST), and to do that, the Windows
2000 box needs to be running.
Click to expand...
I've got a laptop that's running Windows Me that I'd like to ....
I'm trying to figure out why *any* program would need W-2000 or W-Me,
rather than something that works like Win-98.

Of course, the laptop I have saying it was *designed* specifically for
Win-Me, is why I haven't put Win-98SE on the thing. Everybody *tells*
me that 98 will run on it; but facing the two-weeks or so it usually
takes me to get an OS running completely with all my software, against
the chance it might *not* work ....

What's on there runs. Crappily; but runs.
I think Me is about the cruddiest piece of software ever to hit the open
market; and I could name some real doozies.
 
If that don't work, try running msconfig
Click to expand...

Well, after all that trouble, it turns out to be something simple: my
antivirus software. Once I disabled that, the crashes stopped almost
completely. I've had a few hangs since then, but nothing like it was
before.

Thanks again for everyone's help.
Joseph
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "Joseph O'Brien"
Well, after all that trouble, it turns out to be something simple: my
antivirus software. Once I disabled that, the crashes stopped almost
completely. I've had a few hangs since then, but nothing like it was
before.

Thanks again for everyone's help.
Joseph
Click to expand...

NAV, I presume?
Usually, if you uninstall, then reinstall the thing, that fixes it.
Though I've known people who just shitcanned the thing for such reasons.
Sometimes though, you have to go to extensive lengths to remove it
entirely so you could get a good reinstall.
 
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