Desktop shuts down when booting into Windows

[barnegattech]

Have emachines W5243 w/Windows XP Home
Shuts down either when gets to Windows part of boot or while in Windows. Have no problem with system in dos mode or outside of Windows. Ran hard drive test and Memtest. Computer will run over night with these test but once goes into Windows, it shuts off.
Put a Video card in computer, so not using onboard video to see if that would resolve issue with no success.
Never came across anything like this before.

 

[vacunita]

Try Safe mode. does it do the same thing?

In Startup and Recovery options uncheck Automatically Restart under System Failure section.

Also look at Event Viewer, see if there is anything there that may shed some light.

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[BadBigBen]

WINDOWS XP SHUTDOWN & RESTART TROUBLESHOOTING

http://aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[barnegattech]

It does the same thing in safe mode and event log shows nothing.

 

[barnegattech]

also failed to mention that I did a clean install of xp home. The install when through fine with no shutdown. After install final reboot the system shuts down. I shouldn't even use the word shut down. It actually just shuts off like pulling a plug.
Also tried a different power supply.
This one is weird. In 30 years, never saw this before.

 

[vacunita]

Maybe heat related, which would immediately shutdown the computer as you describe.

Check that all fans and dissipators are clear of dust. If your machine has temp monitors take a look at those. Also a close look at the motherboard may be in order in case there are some bulging capacitors or blackened areas indicating a possible power surge.

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[DrB0b]

Two things I would look at, processor and motherboard. Assuming since you say "In 30 years, never saw this before." Im guessing you have been repairing/maintaining PCs for a while. SO hopefully you have an extra one of both around.

Check the caps on the motherboard around the processor for bulging. My guess is a new motherboard or processor fixes the issue.(granted that's a big chunk of the hardware )

"You don't know what you got, till its gone..
80's hair band Cinderella or ode to data backups???

 

[BadBigBen]

NOT heat related... OP states that "The install when through fine with no shutdown. After install final reboot the system shuts down.", which indicates a hardware error/driver problem (e.g. driver accesses a device which is damaged and this crowbars the system - seen that been there)...

but besides the CPU and mainboard, it also could be bad RAM... so, I would get a hold of a Live Linux CD (e.g. Parted Magic, Knoppix, or Ubuntu), boot up the PC with said DVD/CD and see if it shuts down, they also usually incorporate MemTest86+ for testing the memory...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[barnegattech]

It does work fine in Dos mode so it can't be overheating. I did run a memtest as well overnight and there again the computer never shut off. As soon as it hits the windows splash screen, it shuts off. Actually, had it running fine yesterday on my bench. took it home and it started shutting off again.

 

[vacunita]

Start Taking it apart then. Remove any and all non essential hardware. Including optic drive and extra hard drives if any, add-on cards etc... and test with only one memory stick at a time.
If it can stay within windows bare bones, then add a piece back in until you get the problem back.

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[rclarke250]

When you say it worked fine on the bench, took it home and started shutting off again...any differences in hardware? Keyboard, mouse, video display?

 

[barnegattech]

no, packed it up, brought it home and plugged it in. Did not do anything in the first place to make it work again. So it could be sparatic.

Ran Knoppixs on it at home and still same problem, so I am convinced at this point it is hardware and will try replacing the board.
Thank you for all your help. It is appreciated.

 

[goombawaho]

That would be my conclusion if you didn't boot from Windows and still had the same problem - Hardware. Now, which piece. Ah the fun of it.

 

[jknichols]

My money would have been on the memory before I read that you ran memtest. Without running a special driver DOS will only access the first 640K - as soon as windows tries to read/write the higher memory something goes poof!, but memtest would seem to rule that out in this case.

 

[barnegattech]

Even tried swapping out each of the two memory modules and also placing each one in different slots.
I would have agreed with you though.
But would memory issue shut off a computer? Don't believe I ever came across that before.

 

[BadBigBen]

Memory problems can be fun to diagnose... recently I had a machine (4GB), that would work fine under XP, ergo no errors what so ever, but under Win7 it would BSOD (0x0000001E) every-time on the first boot and upon a reboot would work fine...

Memory tests passed it at first with no errors, then on another day it would balk and go nuts, and again on another day pass the mem-test... after replacing the RAM, no more BSOD and mem-test runs fine...

I've yet to test the RAM in another machine to say if the RAM was bad or flaky...

usually, what I see when it is memory related, would be the above, BSOD'ing, or freezing, or the PC would just not boot up...

so you can see, mem related problems can be varied, and it could still be the problem you are experiencing, you just don't know until you swap RAM modules (preferable with ones that are listed on the compatibility list for that mainboard, and that are know to be in working condition)...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[barnegattech]

Replaced the board....Resolved the problem.
Thank you all for your help.

 

[goombawaho]

I'm wondering if you spent $200 on a $100 machine so to speak???? Don't forget the cost of your time and that you're still running XP.

 

[barnegattech]

don't know what would make you think I spent $200.
$59 for a board.
I can live with that.

 

[goombawaho]

Just asking. PCs are becoming throw-away items at an increasingly fast pace if they are more than 2-3 years old practically.

Especially if you can't do the work yourself, then you would have been in a losing proposition.