Author Topic: Vista Startup problems (Read 61680 times)

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #50 on:** February 08, 2015, 04:53:11 am »

Re my last reply-I did the memory test after the computer had been on for 60 hours so I did not have to go through the aggro of getting it to startup with increments of hard shutdown and startup sessions to get it to finally bootup.

Today Sunday 08-02-2015 I did the 1st. startup of the day at 11.32 am and it actually powered up after 29m.30s without carrying out the usual shutdown and startup increments. At 1min after power up the Acer screen appeared then the progress bar for a few seconds. 1 min.50s later the Acer screen appeared again and 2min.30s later the choice of Repair/Start Normally appeared. I chose Start Normally which resulted in a full bootup ok. There were no further entries in the Problems and Solutions section. When the computer does finally bootup, further shutdown/restarts actions are not open to the foibles of the initial startup of the day and the average time to bootup from a shutdown/restart averages about 9 min.

Boggin · « **Reply #51 on:** February 08, 2015, 06:24:37 am »

Have you ever uninstalled anything from Device Manager or in Device Manager/View/Show hidden devices are there any yellow alerts, red crosses or downward black arrows ?

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #52 on:** February 08, 2015, 07:03:24 am »

Hi Boggin, No I have not unstalled anything. I have just now shown all hidden devices and made a screen grab to show those with the yellow and ! indicator. I have noticed something else so will overprint the grab with a bit of info and post it. Thanks.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #53 on:** February 08, 2015, 07:38:17 am »

Here is the Show Hidden Devices screengrab

Boggin · « **Reply #54 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:05:37 am »

I also use a Logitech wireless mouse and other than the HID compliant mouse, it just lists the other as a PS/2 Compatible mouse.

I'm not familiar with those Portable Devices but plugging them in then uninstalling them from Device Manager then clicking on Action/Scan for hardware changes will reinstall their drivers, but create a restore point before doing so.

Just try uninstalling one at a time before Action/Scan for hardware changes and create a restore point after each if its reinstatement is successful.

When you uninstall some items from Device Manager, you may see an entry for Unknown Device but as drivers are reinstated, this should disappear.

If Windows is trying to load something on Start and it's defective or missing, that will add to the Boot time.

This was alluded to when you got that error message that the problem could be caused by a change in configuration.

When you right click on each prior to selecting Uninstall, click on Properties and under the General tab will be an error code for its status.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #55 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:27:05 am »

OK, will do that. Disregard my bit about a flashdrive changing a letter to L. I have just done a test and as I use one usb socket only for such things it is the letter P that is replaced by the letter M and of course it reverts back to the lettern P upon removing the flashdrive.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #56 on:** February 08, 2015, 09:45:08 am »

Hello Boggin, before commencing I thought it best to do a restart. I then went to Device Manager, show hidden, and the only one with a yellow and ! was the Microsoft PS/2 one. I exited and returned 3 times and all is clear bar the PS/2 one again, the error being "This device is not present, is not working properly, or does not have all its drivers installed. (Code 24)"

Boggin · « **Reply #57 on:** February 08, 2015, 01:31:12 pm »

There's something very strange going on here ????

If you have an old PS/2 mouse then you could plug that in and try the same with that, but right click on it and select Update driver software to see if Windows will find anything for it - also do a manual check for Windows Updates - it's amazing how they can detect when you have an out of date driver.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #58 on:** February 08, 2015, 02:09:47 pm »

OKI, will do. Thanks

Boggin · « **Reply #59 on:** February 08, 2015, 02:25:13 pm »

I've been doing some experimenting which may do something for you if you don't have a PS/2 mouse.

I created a restore point and uninstalled my PS/2 Compatible mouse driver and after the reboot it was still there in Device Manager but with a yellow alert next to and no amount of Scan for hardware changes would reinstate it and when I did the Update driver software bit - it returned that I had the latest drivers.

A Google found http://www.driverscape.com/download/microsoft-ps-2-mouse

The Mouse Driver Installer just gives you an Updater program which is a paid for job for it to update drivers, but the actual Driver download below that gave me a Synaptics Touchpad driver for my Toshiba laptop (10 mins to download when I clicked on Run)

After I ran the Set up and checked Device Manager after the reboot, the yellow alerted PS/2 Compatible mouse driver had been replaced with Synaptics PS/2 Port Touchpad.

Not exactly what I was expecting, but as I don't have a PS/2 mouse to try the reinstate, that seems the best it could do for my laptop but it may give something more apt for you as it recognizes your OS.

It's possible that your screwed PS/2 is the cause of all of your problems so getting any update to get rid of the yellow alert may sort your Boot problems.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #60 on:** February 08, 2015, 02:43:28 pm »

Thanks for that. If a usb mouse is used would that make it run via a generic driver if a software disk is not part of the package. Both keyboard and mouse are directly usb connected and not by a PS/2-usb convertor.

Boggin · « **Reply #61 on:** February 08, 2015, 03:02:18 pm »

No, it would need to be one of the older ones that use the 15 pin (I think) PS/2 port/socket.

Try the driver download from the link I'd posted after creating a restore point to see what you get - I take it Windows was unable to find one when you used the Update driver software option.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #62 on:** February 08, 2015, 03:41:17 pm »

Before the final closing down of the day I clear the Event Performance logs so on the next startup I can check for any anomolies that have occured during startup. I have not seen anything to do with the PS/2 problem.

Boggin · « **Reply #63 on:** February 08, 2015, 04:04:40 pm »

It may not do but could have a knock-on effect.

Your Device Manager has certainly been topsy-turvy.

Create a restore point and see what that PS/2 driver download does for you in getting rid of the yellow alert and then see what happens with a fresh boot in the morning.

I'm off to bed now.

Shane · « **Reply #64 on:** February 09, 2015, 02:27:00 pm »

Still no results of the memory test.

You either have bad memory, bad sectors on the hard drive or the vista install is toast.

I forget, did you say you had a vista with sp2 disk or not?

I am also curious as to why you cant find the memory test results. And since we are 5 pages in on this, I cant remember if I had you check for bad sectors on the drive yet.

Shane

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #65 on:** February 09, 2015, 02:57:32 pm »

Hello Shane, yes I do have sp2. I have carried out the tests regarding bad sectors, scannow etc. The only improvement if you can call it that is for two consecutive days I have let the computer startup on the first try of the day without me having to stop start various times until it kicks in. Yesterday it ran continuously for 29m.30s before the power kicked in and today it took 26m before the power kicked in. Both times there was a failed attempt to startup and then a successful startup took place. Each time from successful startup to finish took 9m. Powering down the computer takes on average about 2m.30s. I do not have master disks so if system is shot then that is that. About a year after using the computer I was getting bsod's and I did make a self booting memtest cd which disclosed faulty memory sections. I replaced both sticks with matched 2 gb ones and all went well. Are there any actions in your Windows Repair program that may be of benefit? Thanks.

Boggin · « **Reply #66 on:** February 09, 2015, 03:24:12 pm »

Do you still have that yellow alert in Device Manager and if so, have you tried that driver download as I've suggested ?

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #67 on:** February 09, 2015, 03:40:27 pm »

Hello Boggin, yes but I am looking in my stock box for a PS\2 mouse or a spare usb one as I have a PS\2 to usb converter in the stock box. At the moment I am taking apart 3 hdd from a few years back so as to break the disks before binning them.

Boggin · « **Reply #68 on:** February 09, 2015, 04:00:10 pm »

Plugging in a PS/2 mouse may force Windows to install the driver.

I've been looking in Device Manager/Action/Add legacy hardware but haven't been able to find anything for a PS/2 driver, but as yours is listed as a MS one, you may have better luck.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #69 on:** February 09, 2015, 04:13:57 pm »

although I do not use the PS/2 connexion that is why I am looking for a mouse to connect.

Boggin · « **Reply #70 on:** February 09, 2015, 04:27:54 pm »

Quote from: as1953 on February 09, 2015, 04:13:57 pm

although I do not use the PS/2 connexion that is why I am looking for a mouse to connect.

I understand that and is why I suggest that you download that driver after creating a restore point if you can't find a PS/2 mouse.

While it gave me something different, probably because I'm using a laptop, it may give you the correct driver but should get rid of that yellow alert regardless.

As long as Windows keeps trying to load that missing driver, you are going to have Boot problems.

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #71 on:** February 09, 2015, 04:37:54 pm »

Thanks Boggin. I shall ask my son as he has some stuff in his stock box too.

Shane · « **Reply #72 on:** February 10, 2015, 02:40:09 pm »

I dont know if my Windows Repair will help with this or not. If it is hardware related then it isnt going to help. If Windows is just shot then a fresh install would be best, because then the drive could be wiped and formatted to make sure the file system and the boot manager are all intact properly.

When I asked if you had SP2 I didnt mean if you had SP2 installed, I mean if you have a vista install disk you want one that has SP2 already on it.

So looking over old posts, and what of the logs you posted, it looks like you are on vista home prem. 32 bit. I found the ISO you need which has SP2 already on it
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1bjzCHZkpy9ejgzMllaMlM4T2M

Its over 3GB download so it will take some time. Once you have the ISO (ISO is a dvd image file) you will need a program like imgburn to burn it to a dvd or you can use a program like rufus to take the iso and put it on a usb thumb drive that you can boot off of and install vista.
https://rufus.akeo.ie/

Shane

Xas1953NC · « **Reply #73 on:** February 10, 2015, 03:02:26 pm »

Hello Shane, so does that mean that the link you supplied will result in a disk that will re-install vista inclusive of SP2? Will it go back to factory standard meaning I shall have to reinstall my programs again? I clicked on the link and a page came up with "sorry no preview available" and below that a download button. At the moment I am validating data of stuff I moved from when ext usb drive to another and that will finish at midnight. I would prefer to go to the link and download without any other stuff going on in the background. Thanks.

Boggin · « **Reply #74 on:** February 10, 2015, 03:11:45 pm »

I take it your son didn't have a PS/2 mouse either ?

If you are going to go to the bother of a reinstall and all of that entails, download that PS/2 driver to see if it resolves your boot problems.

I can't quite understand your reluctance/resistance to trying this.

If your machine has a recovery partition, then factory resetting it would be another option to the reinstall, but you would have back up your personal stuff as well as reinstalling any programs.

If you have any paid for programs, you will need their product keys and you should check to see if the COA sticker key is the same as the vendor's generic key should you opt for the reinstall, as sometimes the COA sticker key if different from the generic won't activate a retail install.

You may want to back up your drivers folders from Windows\System32 as well.

Belarc Advisor will list the product keys. http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html