My computer will not boot, and the problem at first was exactly as described as in this thread. Of course, then I hadn't found this awesome forum, so, since I had not many important files on it (It was mostly online games), I reformatted it, think to delete everything I had. But then, my HP computer had this option that only recovered system files, and kept the data files as it is. In any case, the computer was fixed. After a week though, it happened again. Exactly like last time, a Saturday, it went blank at startup again and like before, I had to reformat it. This happened one more time, where I used the complete restore, which deleted everything. I downloaded some protection (A Norton AV freeware my dad's company handed out, SpyBot, Ad-Aware) from my other computer and transferred it to this computer through an USB drive. As you guessed, it still failed. Next, I tried formatting from a disk, so maybe a virus latched on to my H drive, the system restore drive. I did that, installed the protections, and added Comodo firewall. It still happened, with even less interval in between. Finally, I downloaded AVG antivirus, scanned, and found nothing. So I decided to search the internet for maybe similar problems and wandered upon the thread in the beginning of the post. I followed a link to Microsoft, and applied the procedures. Yesterday, only a day after I it temporarily fixed my computer, the black screen struck again. Then I reapplied the steps, and only 2 hours later!!! It happened again. I decided this is going too far, and wanted to see if anyone of you can help me.

Computer: HP Pavilion a1100y, windows, 1k RAM from 2 sticks, GeForce 5200 video card.

Another note, when I transferred some .exe files from this to the other computer, my dad said it experienced the same problem. This lead me to believe it might be a virus, but somehow escaped all those scanners I installed. Please help me solve this annoying problem.

First do you have a XP Disc?

Go to the manufactures site of your HDD and get there util disc and do a zero write. Then install your windows.

My dad followed the instructions to copy a zero rewrite disk from the H drive (formatting drive) when we first bought the computer. I used that to rewrite the disk to avail already.

This could be the problem the recovery H drive could be corrupt.see if you have say a western digital hard drive then go to western digitals web site get there util not the one on the H drive.if what you are doing isn't working then it is time to try something else.now when you do a zero write with the real hdd util it will even wipe the recovery h drive if they are both on the same hard drive and the MBR where you could have a virus also and a format and there zero fill might not be zero fillong the MBR.

I did a zero-write with the hard disk, but I'm disappointed to find that only 12 hours later, the computer froze up again. I'm thinking of corrupt RAM ATM, but that's my last idea.

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