Windows won't start, then it does

I'm running Windows Vista Ultimate, and it recently developed this issue where when I turn it on after the computer has been off for some time I get a BSOD when it it gets to the loading windows screen with the progress bar. The BSOD is only up for about 0.2 seconds before it restarts, so I can't read it. If I try to start windows again after it's rebooted it does the same thing for normal or safe mode, but if I then turn it off and on it boots up no problem.

So, booting Windows after a long period of off time does not work. But, if the computer was recently on it does.

What's causing this?

And don't tell me I need to reinstall Windows, because I don't wanna :cry

 

getting the error code will help better figure out what's going on

you will need to disable automatic restart after an error:

after getting the stop code, either search for possible solutions on support.microsoft.com or post it here and maybe we can assist you further.

 

I am getting a whole bunch of different error codes with no discernible pattern:

BAD_POOL_CALLER 0x000000C2
BAD_POOL_CALLER 0x00000019
NO_MORE_IRP_STACK_LOCATIONS 0x00000035
0x0000008E
0x0000007E

 

I would a restore to before the issue began or select last known good configuration, but the first of these is more likely to help.

And yes, disable the auto restart, what a pesky feature!

 

This install of Windows Vista is 4 years old. I think it's just time for a reinstall or maybe just upgrade to Windows 7.

 

Interesting thought, I don't think this is the case because it sometimes starts up no problem even after being off for sometime. I'll open it up and check all the connections on general principle though.

I've had issues with my RAM before (one stick went bad). So I'll also try taking those in an out systematically and putting them in alternate slots.

 

Yep, it was the RAM. One 1 GB stick was bad. This is the second stick of RAM to go bad on me in this computer. I checked the BIOS settings, thinking perhaps I was running at the wrong voltage, but the power settings were correct. The memory clock speed was wrong, set to 800 MHz when the memory was 1066 MHz. Don't see how under clocking could have been the culprit though.

Probably just bad luck.