vista start up problems

[helen7]

Hi,

I'm new to this board so hello everyone!

I have a Dell computer with vista business, intel core 2 CPU, 66oo@240ghz, 2046mb, 32-bit operating system. I have had it for 3 months and it has been working just fine until the last few days.

It now freezes 9 times out of 10 on start up almost immediately as the bar goes across the 'microsoft corporation' - I then have to do a forced shutdown by switching it off using the power button and start it in safe mode which it does - then try to shut down and start again.

I have not recently downloaded any new software and have run an avast virus check along with spybot search and destroy and ad-aware checks.

The only thing that I have done is leave a USB drive in the USB port over night by accident which means that I shut my computer down with it still in and then started it up also.

Is there a connection? I have googled this issue and there is some information but it is just too technical for me to understand.

the other problem that I have is that when my computer is left for periods of time it seems to go into a deep sleep - sometimes I can 'wake' it by pressing the keyboard button with the sun on it and sometimes it is just dead and I have to do a forced shutdown again.

Can anyone explain in simple language what might be going on? I would be very grateful.

kind regards
aitch

[peterm69]

will it start up in safe mode(hit F8 continually on booting up, select safe mode from the list That comes up)

[helen7]

will it start up in safe mode(hit F8 continually on booting up, select safe mode from the list That comes up)

thanks for the reply but - yes - I did state that I then have to start it in safe mode then shut down then start it again.

cheers

[peterm69]

Sorry missed that: Can you go in to device manager(right click on computer>properties>device manager) is there any yellow exclamation marks against any devices?

[helen7]

Hi - no there are no yellow exclamation marks.

Since yesterday my computer behaved just fine again until this afternoon when it stopped again when the green bar went across 'microsoft corporation' - I shut down using the power button and just switched on normally again and told it to start in normal windows and it did.

[peterm69]

It sounds like a software/device driver conflict. Could you post your computers specification(I know you posted some details above) or the specific model of dell, also do you have Nero on your computer if so which version?

[helen7]

Thanks for the reply - I'm just going to copy what it says on my computer receipt:-

Dell 9200 tower PC.
Intel Core-2 Duo E6600 (2.4GHz)
250GB S-ATA
DVDRW drive
256MB ATI Radeon X1300 Pro
Onboard LAN
Windows Vista Business

No I don't have Nero

[peterm69]

I would start by updating your device drivers e.g. graphics card http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=vista32/common-vista32

Try starting the machine with all the non essential usb devices unconnected e.g printer if you have one.

[helen7]

Thanks - have been to the link you gave - should I download everything on that page? sorry to sound a bit nonplussed but I really don't understand what its all about - why doesn't my computer keep up to date with drivers etc. when it does a windows update?

If I start the machine with the printer not connected what will happen? I just want to be sure that I won't have to reinstall it because it took ages to reinstall it and get the up to date drivers etc. following epsons guidelines a couple of months ago when the printer just stopped working - it just stopped after I had done a windows update which has made me a bit nervous of updates!

[peterm69]

Windows update doesn't update everything on your machine. If your printer is installed correctly nothing should happen but I really don't want to advise you to do any thing your not comfortable with as it could cause more problems.


If the machine is only 3 months old you may be better taking it back to where you bought it from and report the problem they should fix it under warranty.