Pc Froze Up Now Won't Reboot

[daisya]

Hi

I wonder if anyone can throw some light on this problem please, more ideas in the ring will hopefully help me out.

This is re HP Pavilion desktop, OS is Win XP SP3 with IE 8 and Avast Free AV updated version just recently to 7.0. Following day I booted it up, ok for a few minutes then the screen froze. I could not get out of it, no cntrl alt del would come up, I could do nothing so held switch on the unit to shut it down. Have tried many times since to reboot but all I'm getting on screen is "going to sleep" and screen switches off but the unit stays on! I just have to hold the switch in on the unit to switch it off. I turn off at the mains for a while and try again but result always the same. Have tried different monitor but no different.

Firstly do you think that when it updated Avast version 7.0. it could have caused this problem? I only updated to newer version because whilst updated virus definitions it came up with new version available and it did it automatically.

If not due to Avast new version, what could have happened? I cannot even get into the PC as it won't boot up but is there any way I can get it to do that? I do not have installation disks and I am not technologically minded with computers much to my dismay apart from very basic things. I would appreciate your comments/ideas please, thank you so much.

[Wak]

I would suggest that you try to get into SAFE MODE for Windows XP by tapping the F8 key continuously from start up. I would also suggest that before doing this, you go to another computer and put SAFE MODE for XP in to Google and copy the instructions down for future and current reference then you will know what to expect on screen.
I don't think the update of Avast has caused the problem.
Best of luck.
Hope this helps.

[Old_Geezer]

Could be one of a number of things. The suggestion to boot into Safe Mode is a reasonable one. If that stays up then it
suggests a software corruption somewhere in the stuff Safe Mode doesn't load.

Changing the monitor is unlikely to achieve a lot. The monitor is going to sleep because the PC has stopped sending it data to display.

Anything updated could corrupt something although it is unlikely. If you can get the thing to stay up long enough you can try to restore the system to a previous date. Whilst in Safe Mode would be fine.

Or there could be a hardware failure somewhere,

One step at a time. Try the Safe Mode and tell us how you got on.

[daisya]

Hi Wak and OG thanks for replying. I cannot get the computer to start up at all, not even get it into safe mode because it immediately "goes to sleep" and I think OG has it more or less right in that the PC has stopped sending data to the screen.

I've tried lots of time to start it up which the unit does, then the on screen display says "going to sleep" and turns the monitor off whilst the unit keeps running. I notice that when initially switched on the unit does try to bootup in that the light is flashing but then it stops, so I guess the PC is just failing to boot up and stuck in sleep mode?

[Old_Geezer]

Does the hard disk continue to whirr ? Just wondering if your graphics card has packed up.

Do you know if you have a separate graphics card you plug the monitor into, or whether you plug it directly into the main (mother) board ? (Sometimes the orientation of the plug/socket gives a clue.)

If there is a second identical socket then you might wish to try that one to see if it provides a picture. If a graphics card is faulty then perhaps the main board graphics ability will suffice for now.

It could be the power supply I suppose; but if you have to hold down the power switch to turn it off then it can't have failed completely. Clearly it still gives power for the PC not to turn itself off.

(I'm thinking it's the sort of thing that's difficult to diagnose if one isn't there.)

[whiskeryron]

i am sorry that I cannot help with your problem I can only suggest that I had a similar problem & found a local techie who fixed it for me for quite a small amount.

WR.

[daisya]

Hi OG, thanks for your input. To be honest I haven't a clue if it's a separate graphics card or not, can only tell you that the monitor has two leads out, one that has the two screws that holds it in the back of the unit (can't think of plug name) and the other is like a tiny jack plug on both ends. That's about the top end of my techy-speak there lol. The fan still works on the unit, the noise from "engine" (jeez I get worse) is working ok, the power stays on and when first switched on the little light that flashes to say it's doing something (another technical term...) works for a few seconds then stops but unit still whirring. Does that give you any ideas because I don't know anything other that? Yes I can imagine that it's more than difficult to diagnose if not actually looking at the thing itself.

WR - thanks for that, I think I might have to find someone to look at it for me though I'm never lucky enough to find one who doesn't charge an arm and a leg...sigh.

[Old_Geezer]

That's more or less what I'd expected.

I could suggest you prove your monitor is ok by trying it on a different PC, but ultimately I think you need someone who can open the box check the voltages, maybe check the graphics card, and just nose around until something is spotted.

[daisya]

Thanks OG. I have tried another monitor on this computer and nothing is coming up on that either so I suspect the unit and not the monitor. Could be the graphics card as you say...will have to get it sorted because I've not got a clue as to how to do it myself...if only!

[TTG]

Similar problem with my desktop. I removed graphics card and desktop went through bootup routine with normal sounds (obviously no display though). Replaced card...all ok.

[daisya]

Oh right TTG, thank you for that. Just wish I knew how and had the confidence to replace the graphics card myself lol...looks like some techy firm will have to charge me money to do it...hmmm.

[Old_Geezer]

Replacing a card is not that difficult and ought not cost too much. However the purchase of a new card could be anything depending on how good a card you want. For an HP Pavilion I can't see that being too fancy a one though.