I know this seems a little strange, but its just as strange to me. While trying to resolve a Norton AV issue with a loaded USB memory stick, I decided to test this memory stick on a PC that didn't have Norton.
This Norton-less PC was already booted and running XPpro+SP2. I inserted the memory stick (Sandisk Cruzer) into a USB port and it was recognized and the contents made available. I had a Word document and an Excel spreadhsheet as test files.
With the memory stick in place, I powered down the PC (Start>Turn Off Computer) without any problems. I then used the CTRL-F1 (BIOS-optioned) to turn the PC back on and this is where the system hung. I got the expected Video BIOS and mobo BIOS splash screens, the initial XP splash screen, but then the screen went black and stayed that way.
I waited about five minutes and gave up. I pressed the soft-power button on the front of the PC and I could hear the HDD crunching away, then the demuted Windows login splash screen telling me its shutting down. It paused longer than normal, but eventually it powered down.
I pulled the memory stick from the USB port and CTRL-F1 again and the PC booted normally. I did check the BIOS to see if there were any USB boot options and there were, but they were all limited to USB-FDD, USB-ZIP/LS120, USB-CDROM. None of these are set as a boot option (only CDROM and Hard Disk), which puzzles me why XPpro is hanging.
Anyone got any ideas?
Test PC:
Intel P4 3GHz 530/800FSB (LGA775)
Abit AA8 w/Corsair XMSpro 2x512 DDR2
Albatron PCI-Express PCX5300
This Norton-less PC was already booted and running XPpro+SP2. I inserted the memory stick (Sandisk Cruzer) into a USB port and it was recognized and the contents made available. I had a Word document and an Excel spreadhsheet as test files.
With the memory stick in place, I powered down the PC (Start>Turn Off Computer) without any problems. I then used the CTRL-F1 (BIOS-optioned) to turn the PC back on and this is where the system hung. I got the expected Video BIOS and mobo BIOS splash screens, the initial XP splash screen, but then the screen went black and stayed that way.
I waited about five minutes and gave up. I pressed the soft-power button on the front of the PC and I could hear the HDD crunching away, then the demuted Windows login splash screen telling me its shutting down. It paused longer than normal, but eventually it powered down.
I pulled the memory stick from the USB port and CTRL-F1 again and the PC booted normally. I did check the BIOS to see if there were any USB boot options and there were, but they were all limited to USB-FDD, USB-ZIP/LS120, USB-CDROM. None of these are set as a boot option (only CDROM and Hard Disk), which puzzles me why XPpro is hanging.
Anyone got any ideas?
Test PC:
Intel P4 3GHz 530/800FSB (LGA775)
Abit AA8 w/Corsair XMSpro 2x512 DDR2
Albatron PCI-Express PCX5300
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