Start Up Issues? Crashing?

Hi There,

I have stopped in here a few times over the last year and a half but this is the first time I have posted.

I do have a bit of a problem! I could use some advice or a point in the right direction! Anytakers?!

So my computer isn't starting all the way up most of the time. It will go through it's start up screens/sequence and get to the desktop. I can count to 2 before it restarts itself...over and over! Like presently, sometimes I can get it to go on.

I am about to set up a big online store and until I can afford a second computer (just in case something like this happens) I need just a little more reliability from this one! I gotta get this fixed and fast, so I figured I would spend the weekend on it and take it to the shop on monday if I have no luck?!

Thursday I called the store I bought this computer from a few years ago, and they thought it sounded like a software compatability issue. Local shop, I think they basically built the computer so I don't see any brand names on it anywere. They also had me go into sytem restore, buuut I only had two restore points - one from the sun before (last sun) and one from the wednesday before (the day before I called). I couldn't navigate to any other dates or months and the guy on the pone (from the shop) said that was wierd, that I should have several going back at least a few weeks?? Anyway I restored it to that sunday but it hasn't helped.

Also sometimes when I get it to actually start up so I can use it, it will sometimes say that is has recovered from...something like..a systems failure or a sytems crash (? sorry for not writing it down) and it will take me to a microsoft page that says there is something like...an incompatable driver??

So I KNOW NOTHING! BTW and can understand like very very very very little so please use very easy terms with directions on how to get there and what do to do ~ thanks.

I just downloaded Everest and My CPU is AMD athlon. I've looked all over my new Everest program but I am not sure what my other specs are or how to find them? At this point the only thing I know is that I paid for tons of memory last spring or summer (28615 MB with 20758 MB free). And above that it says system memory 712 MB (PC2700 DDR SDRAM). The computer is a few years old and I have Windows XP home.

Oh and when I was doing my searches around here before posting, I found some information about getting it to stop restarting when it crashes ~ so I did that, but couldn't find anything else that was easy enough for me to understand to figure out if it was relevent or not ~ so sorry if this is actually pretty redundant.

Thanks for any help!
Autumn

P.S. Not sure now to find most of this stuff??

"Please supply your Operating system Version followed by your computer's specifications, i.e. RAM, CPU, Hard Drive etc. We need to know your computer specs (speed, memory, operating system, etc.)"

 

bumpidy bump

Mainly I have come here to learn about malware and viruses etc.. so I do run scan and such with my free downloads from here and haven't seen anything significant in that area. In case that helps any.

 

Go out and buy Symantec Antivirus and do I scan. Or go to google and search for Symantec free scan and do one. Also, you might not be getting enough power to your system. Did this happen all of a sudden or when you added hardware?

 

Don't buy anything to scan yor PC with.

Can you boot to Safe Mode, without the computer rebooting?

Welcome to MajorGeeks.com, please follow the steps below:

- Run ALL the steps in this Sticky thread READ & RUN ME FIRST Before Asking for Support

• Make sure you check version numbers and get all updates.

After doing ALL of the above you still have a problem make sure you have booted to normal mode and run the steps in the below link to properly use HijackThis:

Downloading, Installing, and Running HijackThis

 

I'll go do that in about 30 mins. So you think this is malware? Not anything about a driver or software, like microsoft or the PC store said? And yes I can reboot from safe mode, but if I can't get the computer back online I won't be back for awhile!?! So any other suggestions sooner rather then later would be nice!

THANKS~!!

 

It could a driver issue, software conflicts, or hardware issues.

Malware is often a cause of your problem. It is necessary to start somewhere and looking for malware is a good place to start.

 

Oh and to awnser your questions shotgun,

This started happening about a week and a half ago. It happened the first time, I turned the computer off waited a little while and then got all the way on with no problem, then it happened again a few days later ~ a friend was wanting on and so we went into safe mode and he adjusted the memory allotment to see if that would help. We did get on after some work and it started up fine a few more times. Now it pretty much happens everytime, but so far eventually we can get it to stay on after a few tries and some time. Whereas like I explained in my first post, usually it just reboots 2 seconds after getting to the desktop during start up ~ no blue screen just all the sounds of and startup procedures AGAIN. ~ I think I actually turned that automatic restart function off, but we'll see later when it crashes again if I get an error message instead or what.

So that first time was like last week or early last weekend (sometimes after getting on we did get that microsoft systems failure message, which I mentioned in my first post about some unknown driver) ~ I can usually get on at this point (not always with that microsoft message though), but it just usually takes a few tries and one or more hours (my worst nightmare ~ and at my most broke).

As far as power goes, my cord says 10AMP 125V 1250W CH38. Is there anything else about the power supply I can provide?

And as far as hardware, if that means printers and scanners I have had lots of those going on. A friend was trying to lend me one of his scanners. I tried two used scanners and downloaded the software from the websites. The equipment turned out to be too old though and not compatible with XP. I have one older HP printer, and a new Lexmark 2350 all in one. These all went in early and mid Jan 06

We haven't done anything to the inside of the computer although when we had more memory installed early or mid last year we also got a DVD player and have been watching DVDs almost daily. I did notice a lot of gamers have this problem when trying to game or it happens to them randomly, although mine is during startup 2 seconds after getting to my desktop.

Anyway since I will be relying on my computer so much more for my livelihood I will be spending all day tomorrow on here learning all I can so i can take care of it nicely. I have gone through all the basic malware and virus instructions, but will do so again. Although I hope It doesn't get worse and I can access the internet again tomorrow!!

I'll be back to check on replies and get to work soon! Thanks!
Autumn