Windows XP Login Crash

[427]

Ok, so my aunt is having major problems with her comp (I built). So the story goes like this....One day she was working in Windows XP Pro SP2 normally using Microsoft Word and Outlook. All of a sudden her computer locked up and all the lights on the keyboard went out. Turns out she held the power button in on her case, shut it off and called me with the news. When she called (later on) me I thought "typical crash." When I went over to take a look I could not get the computer to power up so I reset CMOS with a jumper and checed a few other things and then It finally boted and loaded windows. Now the problem is that as soon as you hit Enter to log in to Windows XP the system freezes. That or if ou leve it on the login screen it will eventually freeze even if you dont hit any buttons at all.

She is a physicians assistant and has many important files on there. REFOMATTING IS A VERY VERY VERY last resort. Please help me solve this. If there is any software available please recommend it. I will pay any price....

Thanks!

[Frakk]

might be heat issues, software problems or damaged components. it is really hard to tell. check the hardware, fans spinning and all that if its not the it, try reinstalling the windows. you can copy the contend to an other hard drive if she needs those files that a normal win reinstal would delete

[427]

All hardware is working.

RAM is fine, it all shows up in BIOS and the RAM check from bios is OK

Overheating, im pretty sure, is not problem. (P4 2.6GHz w/ factory heatsink). This computer has ran hours at a time under heavy use with no heat problems. There were no airflow obstructions at time of crash

Hope this helps
Thanks

[MrSlacker]

take out the HDD, hook it up to your comp as a slave. copy files, and then format.

[427]

why.....WHY?!.....didnt i think of that?!

I am such a tard (but i didnt really just say that *shh*)

[MrSlacker]

lol. i know how itn feels.

[Rachel]

why.....WHY?!.....didnt i think of that?!

I am such a tard (but i didnt really just say that *shh*)

I did that same thing a month ago for my aunt. Formating was my only option. She's going to school for nursing and had some papers she wrote that needed saved. I didn't think of that at first either.

[Matthew]

I read that and its the first thing that came to my mind....eather that or buy a new hd and hook the old as a slave. But tell us how this resolves....dont want her loosing anything important.

[MrSlacker]

also tell her to get a cheap usb thumbdrive. thsi way she can save her filkes in 2 places and have back ups.

[427]

Ok, now that we know how to save the files, I need to know whats wrong with the computer itself. Somebody is telling me it could be a processor issue. Could this be true?!

[MrSlacker]

may be windows install got corrupted. try and do a clean install. if problem doesnt go away, it might be hardware

[427]

Ok, my uncle took the proc out of my aunts comp and put it in a Dell then installed windows XP Pro on it and the same problem occured on the Dell.....what does this mean?

[MrSlacker]

i'd say bad CPU

[427]

great. just what I wanted to hear......not! lol

[bmccrayusa]

I would ask if you also have this problem while in safe mood. If not I would not blame the hardware.. look to the OS. Now there is way to have system check the file from being corrupted. You may also in safe mode run msconfig and diable unneed services and programs that may cause issue with the os. if there is still issue try reading up on sfc comand and rebuild that way.

[D1337]

you just bumped a 2+ year old post.

he has even visited this site since 05-15-2006 =/