Sort of booting problem

[Pef7]

Ok so my brother and I built a computer for my uncle that he has yet to take. It is dual booted with Ubuntu and Windows XP, and most parts used are from 2003-2004. Don't remember the parts off-hand. I have Verizon ethernet with a Linksys wireless router which is connected to a Agetect router (this part works fine mystically).

Now I can't quite pinpoint the problem so here is an explanation of the night:
So the other night there was a wicked thunderstorm that included microbursts, almost a mini tornado and quarter sized hail. So I guess it was a ****storm instead.

So when it started I was on the computer updating some Ubtuntu stuff and then to play Maple Story (if you hate it blame Spife for getting me back into it). Shut the computer down because the storm looked like it could kill a man. Storm calmed down so I turned it back on and seemingly everything was fine.

Later that night I was reading a manga on the Windows side on onemanga and the internet just craped out. It said on the bottom right bar that the ethernet was fine and running. Yet no internet worked. I thought that Windows was just being stupid so I reset the computer.

This is where it started to suck...When I tried booting Windows it just froze in the middle of the loading bar (for a couple of minutes, keyboard frozen and everything). Reset it and the screen just remained blank for about 8 minutes. This was kinda weird...guess I'll restart again. This time it got stuck after it said the memory test was ok. After about another 8 minutes I hard reset (power button off, power button on) with 10 seconds inbetween. Still got stuck on the memory test.

Sometimes it will get to booting a system, still no ethernet though. Other times it will freeze when it is recognizing or have recognized the hard drives in the system.

This is a reoccuring problem, there are no viruses from before I think the update of AVG antivirus from before June 10th I think (last update I could make). Spybot didn't pick up anything, nor did Adaware...trying to remember if I have other programs... It is not the hard drive as I took it out and it runs fine in my computer.

Although I don't know enough about the physical nature of computers to just dive in and test everything so anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance for reading my little story.

 

[AltF4]

Doesn't sound like a virus. That wouldn't cause your machine to crap out during the memory test. That stuff is on the firmware of your motherboard.


Sounds more to me like busted hardware. Try removing various devices one-by-one and see if you can isolate the problem. But start with the ethernet adapter. Try all the PCI devices and stuff first.

All you really need for the PC to boot is the CPU, RAM, and the Hard drive. So you can try doing just that also. If you still have problems booting with that basic configuration, it might not be hardware related.