Pavilion Elite HPE-210y Desktop with multiple booting issues

[Bibliofool]

Pavilion Elite HPE-210y Desktop

Windows 7 64-bit

No changes made to the system before issues began

I'm looking for help with my HPE-210Y desktop that started giving me trouble a few days ago. I received a blue screen error and before I could even read the text to try to determine what the error referenced, the machine restarted itself. I used the diagnostic tools (from the HP splash screen, F9) and the first report I received indicated that everything was fine; Processor, RAM, hard drive. I was able to load Windows normally after running the diagnostics, but a few minutes later, the same crash happened again. The system restarted itself (again, less than 5 seconds after the blue screen appeared, so no idea what it said).

However, the second time, the system loaded past the HP splash screen to nothing but a blank black screen. No error messages at all; just hung at that point and went not further. I rebooted and ran diagnostics again, received a BIOME-1, figured that was the cause of the issue and purchased replacement RAM. Installed it, but no change. I ran multiple MemTest scans on both the new memory sticks and the old that had triggered the HP diagnostic error; I was never able to replicate the error again.

Meanwhile, I began to think that there was a problem with my installation of Windows. So I ran the repair disk and restored back to a backup I knew to be stable, and from what I could tell from all of the testing I had performed and the ease with which I was able to restore to the back up, the hard drive looked as though it was just fine.

However, despite all of this, the boot issue seems to be getting worse. Now whenever I attempt to boot, one of three things happens.

1. I get no video display at all. I can see that all of the fans and drives appear to be working, but no video on the monitor, and the keyboard fails to work. This is the most frequent occurrence; I'd estimate I have this issue 4 out of every five attempts I make to boot.
   
2. The system freezes at the HP diagnostic splash screen; either all the options display on the screen, but I can't select any of them and the system hangs. Alternately, the splash screen shows only the F10 option but then locks and I am unable to perform any action, OR
3. The original issue reapeats itself; the HP splash screen load, I can run all diagnostics, enter BIOS, confirm that the harddrive is available, adjust the boot menu, etc. But after that, the system displays a blank black screen and I can't move forward.
   

I'm beginning to suspect that my motherboard is the culprit, but I love to hear any other theories, as I'm at a loss and the urge to cut my losses as the machine is no longer under warranty (since 8/2011) and I'm starting to wonder if this is worth all the aggravation.

Thanks very much for your consideration; please let me know if you need any clarification from me.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Try this procedure:

Unplug the PC and open it up. Clean out all the dust. Carefully remove and replace all the cables going to the motherboard one at a time. Do the same for the memory dimms and the video and sound cards if you have any.  You might want to buy a can of compressed air to blow the dust out of the CPU heat sink.  Plug your PC back in and give it a go.

If the above doesn't help then if your are using a discrete video card then remove it and use the on board video.

Some  hard drives can also cause similar issues. Look here for a firmware update.

Lastly, consider replacing the power supply.  Weak power supplies can cause weird issues.