Computer doesn't boot anymore!

[aethlin]

hello, I have some trouble with my pc. The day after I installed the latest windows updates on my windows XP pc (which was 2 days ago) I was playing a game (one I play often), and suddenly the computer freezes...

It didn't respond to ctrl+alt+del, so I resetted with the reset butten, then is when I noticed the first weird thing, there are stripes of wrong colors and black on the screen.
then it shows a black screen with some white letters, from which the only somewhat readable part shows:

NO F UND NY D SK!

then it skips on to the screen where you can choose between different types of safe modes and starting windows normally.

when choosing the latter it gives the usual black screen with windows logo and loading bar, though still with messed up colored stripes, then the screen either shows a flash of some blue screen and then the monitor goes on standby mode, or it shows the same flash of blue and restarts.

When choosing to start in safe mode it does the same, though sometimes there's no blue screen and it restarts almost every time, almost because it sometimes does load safe mode, but again with stripes through the screen.

I'm not sure if the updates have something to do with this error, but it's the only thing that has changed recently.

help would be very much appreciated,

thanks in advance

[Sprogget]

If it were my machine, I would boot it into safe mode, undo the last lot of updates & boot it up again. See what happened then.

[Keef]

If it does that before it even gets to booting Windows, I'd suspect the graphics card is ill.
Remove case, unplug graphics card, remove dust, reseat firmly in socket, try again.

[Sprogget]

Agreed, I would bet my mnortgage it's either a dead gpu or windows has updated it's driver & it doesn't like it.

[Bo Nalls]

NO F UND NY D SK!

Probably should read " NOT FOUND ANY DISK". Corrupted hard-drive or windows installation?

[C-N]

I experienced this in my work desktop a year ago.
I remember that time, I called the IT and showed him the screen, he told me it's the update from MS, just undo the update or rollback your system.

[Mac the Knife]

Sounds like graphics card memory is failing. Often due to overheating (fluff etc.)

Happen to me recently with one of the older cards.

Fooled around a bit and then went and bought a new card (not so easy to find AGP cards these days)

Stuck it in and voila - artefacts gone

:ok:

[starling60]

Had roughly same problem a while ago, just try this:
when you power up insert your Windows master CD or OEM CD, whichever you have been given with the PC.
Very likely you need to power up again; at startup keep pressing the key to enter Bios Mode, this is usually "DEL" but look at bottom of screen, this should be briefly shown as soon as you power up.
Once in BIOS select Bootup Options or Sequence (name can vary from one PC to another) then scroll and select Master or Primary boot to read CD. Validate, usually with F10 and exit, PC should now start rebooting and at one point ask you to press any key to bootup from CD, DON'T DO IT! Just let it go and with any luck your PC should enter normal Windows bootup mode but using CD instead of hard disk. Once you are in you can undo your updates or restore to an earlier date.
When done don't forget to reboot, go back in BIOS and change Primary boot back to Hard Disk.
If it doen't work you can press any key to boot from CD and then attempt a Windows repair, don't have procedure on me right now but if required I can post you a link or if you have access to another machine just do a Google search for "Windows Repair".
Previous suggestions about Graphics card, dust etc also valid, worth a try but don't forget to earth yourself before.
Hope it helps