Computer hangs at boot after detection

[Lordstafford]

Hi all...thanks for all you do to help us!

Okay, my issue.

Out of the blue, my compuer is stalling when I try to boot.

Specifically, it goes through the detection process, and stalls RIGHT at the end when you expect the Windows splash screen to appear and start the windows loading process.

So, since windows isn't loading, I don't know how to get into "Safe Mode" and do a virus check, etc.


It is a Gateway pentium III 550 with 356ram (I know, kind of a piece of crap, but it's all I have for the moment.)

The stall occurs with the Gateway logo on the screen, with the progress bar showing the detection process. The bar gets all the way to the end, then everything stops.

The same thing happens if I press "TAB" to watch the detection process.

It finds all the hardware, then suddenly just stops when it should boot windows.

I get no error messages, and don't know how I can fix this if I can't get windows or safe mode to load.

THANKS so much for your help and suggestions!

-Lordstafford

[Lordstafford]

Kept messing with it, and stumbled on the solution, so wanted to post so no one has to bother working on it, and in case someone else has the same problem.

Just out of the blue, I started opening CD trays to see if I had a bum disk possible interferring in preparation for possilbly booting from a windows disk.

AND, the dvd drive would not open...I opened the tray using the manual over-ride method (poking a tiny screwdriver in the emergency release hole on the face of the dvd drive).

It popped open, I removed the disk, closed the tray manually, and the system booted right up.

It seems the DVD drive had failed, and having the disk in the bad drive stopped the boot.

Luckily i have a CD burner as a backup drive.

Anyway, all is well now.

[Alan]

Glad you sorted it out and thanks for letting everybody know the solution. I am sure it will help others with the same problem.