A Real Enigma

[mrdee 1]

My PC, Fujitsu-Siemens SCALEO P, with Dual Core 2.66 Ghz, 1 Gb RAM, Windows XP SP3, all of a sudden began to shut itself down constantly.Then it even began to grind to a halt during bootup.I knew the processor tended to get quite hot, so I cleaned the dust out of the fan to let it run unobstructed.However, the problem persisted, so I decided to try if I could do a Windows repair.I put in my Windows CD, and had the greatest trouble before I eventually got it to boot from the CD.Yet, when I put in a Linux (Ubuntu) CD, the machine booted up and even kept running without shutting down once.When the machine finally booted up on the Windows CD it said it could not do a repair as a previous attempt had already been made.I then tried to reformat the drive and re-install Windows from scratch.Same problem here, the greatest trouble to get it to start up, and when it finally did, it got through the copying of files, but then shut itself down again during the actual Windows installation.Then, my son tried to install OSX on my PC, once again, it was a success.The PC booted from the CD, OSX was successfully installed and the machine ran it without shutting itself down once.Then, another attempt was made to re-install Windows XP, same problem again, during the setup, the PC shut itself down again., and another CD (of which we know it works) was used too, all to no avail.So, has the PC all of a sudden developed a problem with Windows, or what?Why does it accept every other OS with no problem but does it play up when working under, or even trying to install Windows?If anyone can give me any tips on why this might be happening, I would be very grateful.

[Maude 0]

My PC, Fujitsu-Siemens SCALEO P, with Dual Core 2.66 Ghz, 1 Gb RAM, Windows XP SP3, all of a sudden began to shut itself down constantly.Then it even began to grind to a halt during bootup.

I knew the processor tended to get quite hot, so I cleaned the dust out of the fan to let it run unobstructed.

However, the problem persisted, so I decided to try if I could do a Windows repair.
I put in my Windows CD, and had the greatest trouble before I eventually got it to boot from the CD.
Yet, when I put in a Linux (Ubuntu) CD, the machine booted up and even kept running without shutting down once.

When the machine finally booted up on the Windows CD it said it could not do a repair as a previous attempt had already been made.
I then tried to reformat the drive and re-install Windows from scratch.
Same problem here, the greatest trouble to get it to start up, and when it finally did, it got through the copying of files, but then shut itself down again during the actual Windows installation.

Then, my son tried to install OSX on my PC, once again, it was a success.
The PC booted from the CD, OSX was successfully installed and the machine ran it without shutting itself down once.

Then, another attempt was made to re-install Windows XP, same problem again, during the setup, the PC shut itself down again.
, and another CD (of which we know it works) was used too, all to no avail.

So, has the PC all of a sudden developed a problem with Windows, or what?
Why does it accept every other OS with no problem but does it play up when working under, or even trying to install Windows?

If anyone can give me any tips on why this might be happening, I would be very grateful.

Hi mrdee, (hope I got it right)
I did a clean install on an AMD machine this morning. Tried repair and no go. this was because the keyboard froze. During the repair, the mouse froze. It is a public access computer.
It's possible that your computer may have some kind of conflict with Windows. Could be a device, could be who knows. Windows is an unstable os.
I had a machine spit out four Windows installs.
I would suggest that you go with Ubuntu 9.04. I use it on 2 public access computers and it works fine. I have no trouble with it and I like it.
Sometimes, with Windows, you don't know what is causing the problem.
I have 2 more Windows machines to fix and one is an emachine that's a pain.
Good luck and let me know how it works out. I will check back tomorrow and if I can help I will certainly try.

[mrdee 1]

Hi mrdee, (hope I got it right)I did a clean install on an AMD machine this morning. Tried repair and no go. this was because the keyboard froze. During the repair, the mouse froze. It is a public access computer.
It's possible that your computer may have some kind of conflict with Windows. Could be a device, could be who knows. Windows is an unstable os.
I had a machine spit out four Windows installs.
I would suggest that you go with Ubuntu 9.04. I use it on 2 public access computers and it works fine. I have no trouble with it and I like it.
Sometimes, with Windows, you don't know what is causing the problem.
I have 2 more Windows machines to fix and one is an emachine that's a pain.
Good luck and let me know how it works out. I will check back tomorrow and if I can help I will certainly try.

Thank you for your quick reply, Maude.
Although Ubuntu looks OK to me,I would have a problem, as a lot of my specialist software (Cubase SX for recording music among other things) is Windows only and I would not be able to get it to run on Ubuntu.
(This is only to name one example).

In other words, much as I regret, i am as good as dependent on Windows.
I really hope a solution can be found to get Windows, and hence the machine, up and running again.
(As I write this reply it has gone through 100% of the format, now copying files, fingers crossed).