Embarrassing question

[CDC Mail Guy]

What would cause a computer (desktop) to boot into Windows at MY house, but not at the person who owns it?

He says it hangs while loading Windows (7) and he has to manually shut it down. He takes it to me...it's FINE and loads in under a minute. He takes it back to his house, and within a half hour he's calling me saying that it is doing the same thing.

Perplexing. YES I did Google this, and found NO results. Wiring in his house? There isn't like a microwave anywhere near the computer.

It's a Dell if it matters at all.

 

[mnewsham]

It's a Dell

Well there's your problem

Seriously tho it is probably a PEBCAK error.

 

[mfenn]

Seriously tho it is probably a PEBCAK error.

90% probability that it's the above. 10% chance that he has something seriously weird with the power in his house.

 

[stahlhart]

Any reason you couldn't be there when it's booting up to attempt to observe the issue directly?

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

Going over there tomorrow. One person I talked to said to WATCH him when he turns it on, cuz he may be "messing" with the keyboard or something.

LOL...had to Google PEBCAK error...very good and PROBABLY the issue. He ain't the sharpest knife in the sock drawer But he's ancient...so I guess I have to account for that. Seriously, his SSN is 1

 

[Zap]

Have him bring his keyboard/mouse with the system to your house for testing. Also, don't have any other USB devices plugged in when at his house.

 

[Davidh373]

PEBCAK

BAHAHAHA, First I've seen that too! I laughed so hard I nearly fell out of my chair!

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

BAHAHAHA, First I've seen that too! I laughed so hard I nearly fell out of my chair!

I know...same here. Where have I been that this was the first I heard of this? Another good one is PICNIC (Problem In Chair Not In Computer)

At any rate...I will probably go over to his house this afternoon or possibly tomorrow as it is holiday here in Ca. and watch him. IF the problem is him, I will correct it (gently). If not, will try unplugging anything USB and go from there.

I will update later after I find out what's happening. Thanks guys

 

[Majic 7]

Going over there tomorrow. One person I talked to said to WATCH him when he turns it on, cuz he may be "messing" with the keyboard or something.

LOL...had to Google PEBCAK error...very good and PROBABLY the issue. He ain't the sharpest knife in the sock drawer But he's ancient...so I guess I have to account for that. Seriously, his SSN is 1

Hey, some of us "ancient" guys resemble that remark.:sneaky::'(

 

[corkyg]

Hey, some of us "ancient" guys resemble that remark.:sneaky::'(

I will mildly second that comment -

 

[Spikesoldier]

remove all usb devices and see if it boots.

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

First off...my apologies to Majic 7 and corkyg...NOT ment to offend

Okay...so I went to his house yesterday and had HIM turn it on. Nothing unusual in the way he turned it on...he just pushed the power button, then stepped away.

Hung halfway through loading windows. I let it "try" for a minute or so, then turned it off. Unplugged the printer and the internet plug. Turned back on...and it booted to desktop.

Shut it down, plugged the printer back in, and it worked again. Shut it down, plugged the internet back in, and turned on again...it worked again.

So....I am now FULLY confused as to what the problem WAS, but it doesn't exist anymore so I guess that's a small victory? Other than the printer next to the computer, there is nothing that can "interfere" with it, and it wasn't a PEBCAK error...I REALLY wish it had been, because then I would know what was wrong with it.

Anyway...it's solved. Thanks again for the comments, and the laughter at PEBCAK and PICNIC

 

[Dahak]

Could have been either the printer cable or network cable could have been a bit loose, but hard to see as you had the machine first and then brought it back. By chance did you plug in the printer into the same usb port or did you move it?

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

Could have been either the printer cable or network cable could have been a bit loose, but hard to see as you had the machine first and then brought it back. By chance did you plug in the printer into the same usb port or did you move it?

I think maybe the printer cable was possibly loose (redundant I know) Come to think of it..I did NOT plug it into the same port...I used the one next to where it was originally. I didn't do that consciously...just what I remember now.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I've had issues booting an older micro-atx rig with a S939 Athlon and an NV 6150 chipset, with a USB printer. Sometimes it would hang on the BIOS boot screen, unless the printer was disconnected. Other times, it was fine.

 

[Majic 7]

No offense taken, just an excuse for a 3 Stooges reference. More ancient crap.

 

[Paperlantern]

No offense taken, just an excuse for a 3 Stooges reference. More ancient crap.

HEY! Three Stooges is not CRAP! =D

 

[pete1229]

It sounds as if it may have originally been set (or reset) in the bios to boot from a network device as the first boot sequence, when he brought it to you it booted from the second choice in boot sequence, when he hooked it back at his place problem returned until you re=seated the nic or whatever. Check the bios to see if network booting is enabled and if the nic card is listed before his boot drive.

 

[mfenn]

It sounds as if it may have originally been set (or reset) in the bios to boot from a network device as the first boot sequence, when he brought it to you it booted from the second choice in boot sequence, when he hooked it back at his place problem returned until you re=seated the nic or whatever. Check the bios to see if network booting is enabled and if the nic card is listed before his boot drive.

He would not have gotten to the Windows screen if that was the case. My bet is that the printer was doing something funky that caused Windows to hang during boot.

 

[Lonyo]

I've had USB devices (drives and other stuff) randomly make Windows not want to boot, and that's on a Core 2/P43 system.

Sometimes things just randomly don't want to play nice.