Severe Computer Problem(s)

[ruminator]

I agree. Sounds more like a hardware than a software issue.

Try a BIOS flash then maybe test your components on another PC (if you can find someone willing) to ensure that hard drive, RAM, processor etc are all okay. Process of elimination, but the most likely culprit is the MOBO ...

[Hydrovert5]

Well, I'm getting a black screen now with the message;

Windows cannot start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

C:/Windows/System32/Boot.exe

I checked the capacitors, and there's no bulging or leakage.

And Jim I have no idea how to reconfigure the BIOS.

[Hydrovert5]

Update: I've decided that this PC is now a knacker-job. I've decided in my wisdom it's probably better to replace the whole computer then to attempt to repair it as it is. This PC is old and falling apart anyway, I've had it for six years now.

Another reason why I'm buying a new one is because I cannot access the BIOS/I don't know how to access the BIOS/I wouldn't know what to do once I'm IN the BIOS, not to mention there could be 101 possible reasons why it's not being nice to me.

[Comadevil]

If u can't access the BIOS, ur mainboard is almost for sure broken.

Well see the positive side of it: Now u can buy a new computer, increase the graphic option sof AOE3 and see the full beauty of the game. It is almost new then

[StrokeyBlofeld]

I meant take out the battery in the BIOS and put it back in. The BIOS will go back to default settings. Though... I think this is clutching at straws a little.

[Palehorse]

Some motherboards have a jumper than can be used to reset bios. If you can determine your MOBO OEM, then you can usually download the manual for its setup from their website.

Aditionally, I have found one instance of an error mode that fits your description, but is not hardware, but rather driver related. It involved corrupted USB drivers, specifically those shipped with a digital camera. Once installed, it would cause the keyboard/mouse polling done in the early part of Windows startup to fail (if you have USB keyboard and or mouse). This caused Windows to flag a configuration change and reboot.

[Hydrovert5]

Okay for the first time I entered the BIOS today, but there's no clue as to what could be causing the problem. I checked the CPU temperature, which is only 25 degrees celsius. (I set the max temp to 65 just in case.)

Coma, Jim, or anyone - is there a way to completely reformat your hard drive with you being unable to boot to the desktop? I'm not bothered about the data on the HDD - all I mainly use the PC for is AoE3 and web surfing.

I have two options when I hit the power button, when it asks me to select my OS, which is 'Windows XP Professional (bootscreen), or 'Windows XP Professional). The reason I have these two options is because I installed a custom boot screen two years ago. Both will basically go to the bootscreen, then load up Windows.

If possible, I'd rather resolve this myself instead of forking out money I don't have for a computer shop to put it right.

And another interesting note. When it asked me to select my OS, a message at the bottom of the screen indicates that it will start automatically in 30 seconds, yes? I hit the (up) key then the (down) arrow keys and that message disappeared. I left it like that for 10 minutes and it neither shutdown nor rebooted, which leads me to believe it is not the PSU/hardware causing the issue. It seems to be a problem with the System32 folder, somewhere along the line.

So I need step-by-step instructions on how to reformat the HDD and completely reinstall Windows.

On a side note, thanks to everyone helping me through my crisis here.

[Palehorse]

With your boot order setup to allow an optical disk as a boot drive, you can put in a full Windows XP system disk and allow it to format your hard drive.

If you only have on OEM restore disk your options may be more limited.

[Hydrovert5]

Okay now for some weird reason my PC has decided to start working.

I've went back to a restore point from March and everything seems to be okay.

I'll keep you posted if I get any more weird happenings...

[Palehorse]

WooHoo!

Now that you are in, go into Event Viewer and see if there was anything trapped in the Event Logs. Things like clusters of HDD read errors, memory read/write errors, device driver error dumps might point to an intermittent hardware issue.

Then again, at least it's running

[StrokeyBlofeld]

[quote=""Palehorse""]WooHoo!

Now that you are in, go into Event Viewer and see if there was anything trapped in the Event Logs. Things like clusters of HDD read errors, memory read/write errors, device driver error dumps might point to an intermittent hardware issue.

Then again, at least it's running [/quote]

It is now sounding like a hard drive issue. :neutral:

[Hydrovert5]

Now it keeps rebooting at random intervals, I'm sure it's an operating system error, since I keep getting a black screen saying a System32 folder is either corrupted or missing, yet when I insert my OS disk, I get no option to repair it, as I should have.

This is driving me nuts!

[StrokeyBlofeld]

If you can get into your BIOS, change your boot order to boot from your disc drive first, put your OS disc in and reboot your pc. This will give you an option "press any key to boot from CD.....". Press any key and it will start the OS installation.
If your installation does not continue after a system restart (a restart forced by the install) then it is most likely your HD that is the problem. If your system randomly restarts during installation (not at a forced restart point) then it is more likely to be your MOBO.

[Hydrovert5]

Okay so I've came to a standstill.

We're still scratching our heads as to what do to next.

Jim: I tried your method of setting the primary boot drive as my CD drive.

I pressed a key and it began to install Windows again. Then I got another Blue Screen of Death that vanished quickly, and the system rebooted again, prompting me to press a key again. Not only that, but the system has automatically deleted my partition on my C:/ drive, which is what contained Windows.

[Palehorse]

Sounding more like the MOBO all the time.