BleepingComputer.com: Windows 7 boot fail

OK guys, I wanted to report back. I am starting to experience that graphical anomaly I saw before (The screen looks like it's being processed in a way that every different shade of color takes on a different sparkling pattern....not the best description, I know).
So, this being noted, it's probably not the hard drive that's malfunctioning.
What is the next step?

cbjfan2009, on 13 November 2011 - 01:55 PM, said:

Sounds to me like your video card has died.

If, in fact, the 3 week old video card has died (which I won't discount the possibility), how can I test to see if this is the issue and that the issues doesn't lie with a faulty motherboard, or other component?
Thanks,
Matt

You can test it in another computer

Or can I just remove the video card and see if the onboard video works without issue?
I am having the same boot problems as before, now, as well. I'm starting to believe the assumption that is the motherboard was correct.
Edit:
I see a link online to issues with Windows Update sticking computers into an "infinite loop" of reboot paired with errors loading Windows.
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/19296-Windows-7-Configuration-Update-Failure-Reverting-Changes-%28Stuck-in-Loop%29-Solution
Is it possible that this could be to blame? I'm kind of doubting, but I was hoping for a second opinion! This time, when I had the boot problem, I was able to boot into safe mode.
~Matt

This post has been edited by cbjfan2009: 21 November 2011 - 04:18 PM

No because of your previous description. It all boils down to poor hardware.

Hi everyone. I just wanted to update this forum post to reflect some current events in my computer's regretable life.
Last night, while browsing the internet and working on photoshop, I experienced the same video corruption that originally plagued me. It consisted of all the pixels randomly fluxuating between purple and green and other colors (purple/green change the most notable). This caused a hang-up, Windows rebooted itself automatically, and upon reboot -- no more Windows again!

Quick re-cap of original events: took HD from old computer and put into new rig. Wiped the drive and installed fresh Win7. Worked fine several weeks/month, then corrupt video and hang-ups and eventual complete inability to boot into Win7 via safe mode/regular mode or do any repair installs, fresh installs, mem diagnostics from the install disc, or anything. When I attempted to use a restore point or memtest from the install disc, the error code indicated that no primary drive was installed. I thought the computer lost communication with the drive, so I made sure all SATA cables and power cables were connected properly; everything felt OK. That's when I determined the drive must have died. So, I literally found a random never-opened 1TB drive in my closet and re-installed Win7. I think from that point, the computer worked pretty in a pretty stable manner until last night.

So, last night. I was about to thermite my computer, experiencing this all again. All the Win7 install disc diagnostics indicate that there primary drive is not present. So, I start ripping out wires inside, replugging in components (I should have done this a while back because I had too many power cables taking up space...it's neater inside now! A few unsuccessful power cycles later, I see something different when I click "boot normally into Windows"-- Avast antivirus bootscanner!!! This is progress...a C:/ getting scanned.

Upon completion, I am able to log into Windows. To my surprise, I discover my old desktop - the desktop from the hard drive I thought had crashed and died completely (original HD I mention). I'm shocked and confused, not realizing when I re-plugged in my HDs in the tower, that I must have inadvertantly attached the original drive and not the second, more recent drive.

One last clue: during my re-wiring session, at a certain point with all 3 drives plugged in (2 SATA2 disks and 1 SATA3 SSD), Windows couldn't boot because of an error akin to "No hard drives are installed, install a boot drive and press enter".

What on Earth is going on here?? I've discovered that the drive which I thought was dead, diagnostics thought was not present at all, and Intel's smart response technology (SSD based caching system for Z68 mobos) told me was "offline" and inaccessible, is now completely working for the time being. But, my 2nd/more recent/more important HD is in the same state as I thought this first drive was. Super confusing s##t here.

I desperately need your advice for troubleshooting the 2nd HD failing to boot in the same way, folks.

Sadly, despite this change of events, I've still lost access to nearly 200GB of music I thought I had on one of these drives.... Anyone had time to think about this issue and come up with a cause for this?
Thanks all!

Your drive is probably showing signs of failure. Time to run hard drive diagnostics on the drive.