Boot problems...well sort of.

[R4_M9]

Ok Over the last couple of weeks my computer is getting a little uneasy when booting. Sometimes it will post sometimes it wont. Sometimes it locks up on the 2 different xp screens, green bar and log on screens. Sometimes it reads the cpu sometimes it reads it different than the amd thats in there. I have used my post card but the only code that comes up is FF. I have checked the voltages and everything is cool. And i checked the temps and everything is cool there. I havent added any new hardware or software in a long time. I have no bad boot sectors on my HDD. Also it has been taking a long time to shut down. I also defrag on a weekly basis. What else can i do?

[R4_M9]

the other thing is that sometimes i get no beep when the computer starts up. any help would really be appreciated.thanks

[Sylvander]

Download my diagnostic flowcharts from here www.erniek.eclipse.co.uk/downloads/sylvanderdiags.zip
and print them to leaf through.

Begin on the START UP chart.
No single short beep means no successfull completion of POST.

The chaotic behaviour is a clue, but of what I wonder?
A failing motherboard battery? [causing incorrect BIOS settings for the CPU]
It's low cost and easy to replace.
Or a virus altering the BIOS settings?
See if they look OK. Note all the settings. If replacing the battery doesn't produce a fix, try resetting the defaults.
I used to get an intermittent failure to POST when my CPU fan was getting old and noisy [I think it was sometimes shorting the PSU].

Sometimes you get to the BOOT UP stage.
[see the START UP chart, leading to the BOOT UP chart]

Try following the "Boot Troubleshooting Walkthrough" here
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/index.htm
The bottom item in the left pane is success.

We need to figure out why the startup process fails for [seemingly] different causes at different points.
What is the underlying common cause?

[R4_M9]

cool thanks. very helpful.I will let you know how it works out.