There are allot of things that start when you start windows, that tax the pc. These things are not running in dos. It’s like saying a car that runs just fine @ 5mph go 70 mph just fine; well..... Not if the transmission only has first gear.
I do agree it's frustrating, and there may be ways to fix it, have you tried testing the psu and testing the board with known good ram? Both would be worth trying to make sure the problem is on the motherboard or in the CPU.
i have the same exact problem that's been driving me crazy also. it's a dell optiplex GX270, the dell monitor also turns off after a few seconds in windows, it stays a little longer in safe mode, and it doesn't shut off at all in DOS.
i installed a fresh copy of XP Pro and formatted the HD to eliminate any virus or spyware posibility
i tried a diffrent monitor, same thing is happening. i also tried the same monitor on another computer and it worked fine, so i at this point i know it's not the monitor.
i have yet to open and see the capacitors, i guess if that's the case, do i need a new mobo?
Yes, it isn't really practical to replace the capacitors, though there are companies that will do it. Have a good look a6t the graphics card, that is a good candidate for being the culprit as well.
This I hope will help you... I have the same problem and what I have done to help is this: First I went into my bios and reset my settings to factory. In doing this you may have to turn things on like usb keyboard if you have one. This prolonged the usage of my computer. I also noticed that my 5v power was low and so I will have to get a new power supply and I believe this will remedy the problem completely.
...I agree with ssparks if everything shuts down as soon as windows starts its likely hardware problem.
well, i respectively disagree. here's why.
my emachine using xp pro crashed about 2 weeks ago. the monitors (2) just went dead about 20 seconds into a boot up. i replaced the monitor. i replaced the dual video card. i replaced the power supply. no change in the symptons.
so, i went to my laptop until i could figure otu what was happening.
last night my hp pavillion laptop crashed with the same symptons--the screen went dead. on reboot, the screen flashes the hp logo for about 1/4 second. yeah, i know that's fast. it fails to paint the whole screen before total blackness.
two system, not networked...same symptons...hardware issues...i don't think so...only thing in common is the internet...
how about a virus no body has heard about? it shuts down hardware and the user replaces the system. no one sees it as a virus. i'm just speculating here, coz i don't have a clue yet.
Viruses rarely affect dos. they are very often aimed at windows. so, i've rules out the offending hardware. any comments?
Were both machines plugged into the same electrical circuit? If so, you may want to have it checked, (before it takes out another electrical device ... or starts a fire ).
No...it's in my home office...just had the two computer systems plus a G85 printer and florescent table lamp on the circuit...and a small TV across the room on a different outlet...
Who wired it? Get a electrician in and check that circuit. Thinking a floating ground and it needs checked out. Sure would not be the first time I found a electrical goof up.
hmmm, it's in a good sized apartment complex...maybe 15 yrs old...i assume professionals did the original wiring...
I've just picked up an ubantu dvd, so i can check out the functionality of the cpu and hardware on both systems...if that all works, then i'll get a new HD and reinstall winxp pro...it's great to have so many options open up...