Windows XP Pro startup problem AFTER a restart

[matharmony]

Hey guys, thanks for all the help with putting my rig together. It's been 2 days and the computer is great however after installing programs these past few days I noticed a problem.

Today, when I installed several programs (Alcohol 120, Norton Antivirus 2007, Microsoft Office, etc) I decided to click the "Installation is complete, click to restart now or later". I restarted now and I was watching the computer start up. All was fine up to the part where the Windows XP Pro loading bars are suppose to start. Instead I got a VERY darkened version of that screen (almost impossible to see, with a reddish accent) and there were NO blocks moving (the thing that similates that windows is starting up). I looked at the HD light, and there was NO light (whereas when Windows loads, it's always flashing).

Initially I would think that it's the hardrive, but the darkened screen makes me think otherwise. Anyone have a problem like this before? This is never happened to me before, I've run Norton's virus scan with updated definitions and still sometimes when I restart the computer from the start menu to see if it will happen again, it happens sometimes. I noticed that when the computer is "off" and I turn it on, it never happens, only on restarts.

Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks

 

[g-paw]

Does this happen in Safe Mode?

 

[matharmony]

I just restarted now, and it happened again. So I hit the reset button and it asked if I wanted to go into safe mode, and I did. When I got in, I restarted the comp again and it worked.

 

[g-paw]

Give it a shot, could be a driver corruption, possibly the video driver. Out side possibility it's the PSU

 

[matharmony]

Ok I will try to get one up soon. Just wondering though, if its a driver corruption issue, why does windows not start up and why does it just stay stuck there with the HD light not on or blinking.

PSU is a good idea... this didn't happen a few days ago though when I freshly installed Windows XP pro and all these other apps that required restarting.

 

[matharmony]

I could give the driver a shot, however I just updated it from the Asus site. I have an x1950 pro PCI-E made by Asus. Should I retry with the drivers from the ATI site, or the Asus site?

Should I get the full package (catylst control centre + driver) or just driver?

Thanks

 

[g-paw]

My cards are nVidia and really not that familiar with ATI but if the full package isn't necessary, I'd just start with the drivers. nVidia has gone to a "generic" driver that will work regardless of the cards mfg but don't know if ATI has done the same thing. I'd start with the driver that came with the card. If you just updated the driver that may be the problem. If the original driver solves the problem, you could just use that or try the most recent driver from ATI and ASUS and see if they work and if not, just go with the original. One line of thought is to not update drivers or BIOS unless you're having a problem, the other is to always run the latest ones. With the exception of the machine I use for work, costs me money if it's down, I go with the most recent drivers/BIOS but I must not have much of a life and don't mind wasting my time fixing any problems the new stuff creates.