Compaq Desktop freezes at boot screen

[rubberman]

Got a Compaq desktop running ME. When starting up i get the Windows boot screen then it moves on to the Compaq Presario boot screen then locks up. I check all ribbon cables and power wires and everything seems to be ok. ANy ideas what else to look for or trouble shoot? I cant get to the BIOS cause it doesnt show what keys to press. If i shut it down and then restart it back up it goes thru the scandisk procedure but finds nothing. gets to the compaq presario boot screen then sticks there.

[SingSing]

http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4388

[lordsmurf]

Accessing the BIOS is either F2, F10, DEL or CTRL-S in most situations.

What kind of "Compaq Presario" screen is it, exactly? Is it just some wallpaper that says Compaq Presario? Is that your normal Windows wallpaper?

It would help if you said which motherboard you have. If you're not sure, find out. Open it up and look.

[lordsmurf]

http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4388

That link won't help much. It assumes all Compaqs are the same.

It's not like all Compaq Presarios are the same or even close. I have a Compaq (well, mostly just the motherboard and case at this late date, other parts upgraded), but it's actually an Intel D850GB board with a slightly altered BIOS (because LAN and audio are stripped from onboard). But the board still behaves 100% like an Intel (I have an actual Intel D850GB too).

[rubberman]

http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4388

That link won't help much. It assumes all Compaqs are the same.

It's not like all Compaq Presarios are the same or even close. I have a Compaq (well, mostly just the motherboard and case at this late date, other parts upgraded), but it's actually an Intel D850GB board with a slightly altered BIOS (because LAN and audio are stripped from onboard). But the board still behaves 100% like an Intel (I have an actual Intel D850GB too).

Its a purple background that says Compaq Presario internet PC. Its not wallpaper but another bootscreen. I asked the lady and she has a beach scene as her background. When it gets to the purple compaq screen, the HD makes some noise then complete silence from it. the fans are still going.

[rubberman]

actually the purple compaq screen isnt a boot screen but windows. cause if i hit control/alt/delete i get the close program window. So its freezing right before anything loads. so maybe some hardware conflict is stopping it from booting up.

[handyguy]

Why don't you boot it from a floppy disk?

bootdisk.com

[lordsmurf]

Hit F8 and boot into safe mode, between the time Windows would have started and the BIOS checks are done.

[rubberman]

safe mode does the same thing but takes it to the gray scaled version of the purple compaq screen then just sits there.

[TBoneit]

I'm guessing older Presario from the WinME, in that case F10 when the cursor starts blinking in the upper right corner. Time to pull out the compaq restore disks for the easy fix if safe mode won't go either.

Keeping in mind that will most likely wipe all the data on the drive. OTOH if that works then it was software.

No error messages at all?

In ME scandisk runs in windows. You could also try and validate the hard drive by observing what brand it is and then downloading the proper diagnostics from the drive maker.

[rubberman]

i got it. used the ME boot discs to get to the command prompt. did a restore of the registry and it boots up now. corrupt registry i guess. Stupid WInME

[TBoneit]

Actually you could have probably just done Scanreg /fix at the command prompt to run a repair on the registry too.

[MJA]

ME is by far the worst os ever created

[SingSing]

ME is by far the worst os ever created

Bill Gate agreed, and canned the product. Wonder who head that team, and what happened to s/he ?

[MJA]

lets hope HE/SHE isn't part of the VISTA team

[jtoolman2000]

Time to reformat and reinstall?

[ROF]

Why fix something that isn't broken? Although a working copy of windows ME might be considered broken to some people.

[rubberman]

not my computer so i aint gonna take the time to install XP.

[ROF]

If it is an older Compaq that hasn't had any upgrades to its hardware you may find that WinME actually runs smoother on that machine. Alot of desktops from ME timeframe had 128-256MB of RAM with 256MB being the minimum to somewhat smoothly run the OS. Quite a few Compaqs were sold with 196MB. As long as it's working and since it is probably old hardware it is probably not worth it to purchase a new OS.