Computer won't start - stuck at BIOS screen

[galzohar]

OS: WinXP 32bit


CPU: i7-920


MB: GA-EX58-UD3R


PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower Qfan 750W


RAM: 2 X 2GB OCZ 1333MHz

GPU: HD 5850 TWIN FROZR II


No overclocking.


A while ago I posted this thread about a problem with VPU recover: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/300135-33-5850-twin-frozr-display-hangs-resets-recover

Today suddenly without prior warning my computer simply won't load - stopped at the following screen:

I've also had the computer freeze completely and reset, but that only happened a very few times over the 2 years I've been using it.

Hitting the DEL key gives the "preparing to enter setup" message, but still doesn't continue to do anything. CTRL+ALT+DEL works, but then it gets stuck on the same screen again.

All wiring is as good as it was yesterday when everything was working. Didn't see any blown capacitors on the MB. Does this problem necessarily mean my MB needs replacement?

 

[o1die]

No. You can flash the bios if a newer bios file is available. Your current bios file is listed at the top as 6.00pg. If no newer file is available, then don't do it. Try using the cmos jumper to reset the bios with the system off. Also list your power supply brand, wattage, model, and 12v rail ratings. It or the processor may be overheating. If you aren't overclocking, simply check the flatness of the heatsink contact with the cpu. I sometimes flip the board over to make sure all the plastic pins holding the cpu heatsink are flush.

 

[galzohar]

I didn't do anything, just came back home and everything is working. Now I just need to know how to find what the hell is wrong so that when I give it back to the shop they don't just give it back to me saying everything is fine (after all, if you'd let me check the PC for 1-2 days, I would probably end up saying it's fine too).

 

[galzohar]

One thing though is that it did get stuck for too long on "detecting IDE drives" before actually starting up, but again it started without me touching anything.

 

[o1die]

Could be your ide drive is failing. If you have to replace the drive, 64 gb ssd's are around $100 now if that's all the storage space you need. Adding a second 1 gb sata drive for storage is only about $60. I recommend either Intel or kingston ssd's. Both are pretty reliable, and the newer models have trim support for windows 7. Also check your bios and be sure "fast boot" is enabled. A few boards have this disabled by default. Also remember that older ide drives take longer to load windows. My ssd can load it in about twenty seconds, or ten with the system in "sleep" mode. Older drives can take three times as long.

 

[galzohar]

Nothing is connected via IDE, only SATA: 2 HDDs and a DVDR

 

[justine25]

try to reset your BIOS first...

 

[pjmelect]

Are you sure that you don’t have any USB memory sticks plugged in? Sometimes a bootable USB memory device without an operating system on it can cause this problem.

 

[galzohar]

Nothing connected to any USBs, not even the joystick.

 

[galzohar]

After a few days of eveyrthing working fine, I had the computer periodically freeze on me while playing Arma 2 (started doing it shortly after launching a mission). Even after exiting the game I still had those freezes, and shortly after the whole computer froze with the motherboard beeping continuously. I turned off the computer from the power button, turned it back on, and again it got stuck at "detecting IDE" drives before eventually starting up normally.

Any ideas?

Could this be OS/HDD related and be solved by a reformat? Or is this more likely to be a MB or MB<->HDD connection issue?

 

[galzohar]

Seems like my DVD drive was f-ed up. Disconnecting it seemed to have solved it. Dunno why it counts as an IDE drive though since it is SATA.