Computer Crashes After Startup?

abisert

Member
Hello Vista Forums,
I've had this problem with my computer crashing for over a year now. Last fall, I've started to use Safe Mode daily as I noticed that "normal mode" felt slow. In the middle of using my computer, my screen would go black, make this tick sound, and restart my computer.

I have also been getting BSODs for the first time. The ones I've been getting are:
irql_not_less_or_equal
memory_management

I'm not sure what caused this, but around the time, I followed this tutorial on getting my speakers working on Safe Mode. Soon after that, the problems came. And for a while, it stopped and worked perfectly. And then it happened again.

I now get crashes when I get to the log-in screen, desktop, or the browser. It would keep crashing every time I tried to start up Safe Mode, or freeze on or before the F8 booting screen.

Now, I've been looking for a way to wipe my hard drive right at home so I can start again fresh and make Vista run like new. But, is it Vista itself or a problem with my computer?

I have my computer specs in my profile, and I have a Emachines W5243 which is over 10 years old.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    eMachines
    CPU
    Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Prerelease WDDM 1.1
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Screen Resolution
    800x600
    Keyboard
    Micro Innovations Classic EZ View Keyboard USB
I do know that a tick(ing) sound may be the hard drive. Check it out.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
I do know that a tick(ing) sound may be the hard drive. Check it out.

How do I do that? Do I take the computer apart or?

Most times, the crashes happen before the log-in screen when I try to load Safe Mode, and most of the crashes are quiet. It either crashes, or freezes at start-up.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    eMachines
    CPU
    Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Prerelease WDDM 1.1
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Screen Resolution
    800x600
    Keyboard
    Micro Innovations Classic EZ View Keyboard USB
How do I do that? Do I take the computer apart or?

Download the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic tools and run the detailed scans. Try to determine where the ticking sound is coming from. If it is the hard drive then back up your data.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
Download the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic tools and run the detailed scans. Try to determine where the ticking sound is coming from. If it is the hard drive then back up your data.

Alright. I'll see what I can do.

Backing up my data, should I then factory reset my computer? I only seem to have one hard drive (C:) and doesn't have the option for a new simple volume.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    eMachines
    CPU
    Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Prerelease WDDM 1.1
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Screen Resolution
    800x600
    Keyboard
    Micro Innovations Classic EZ View Keyboard USB

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Alright. I'll see what I can do.

Backing up my data, should I then factory reset my computer? I only seem to have one hard drive (C:) and doesn't have the option for a new simple volume.

If your hard drive is making a clicking sound, then it is quite possibly failing. Hence my recommendation for backing up your data as well as scanning with the diagnostic tools from the drive's manufacturer and trying to determine where the sound is coming from. If the hard drive is going bad then you will need to replace it.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
Back
Top