pc keeps rebooting

[dnkaye]

My son's pc keeps rebooting and never gets past the first Windows XP screen. At that point it starts booting all over again. I have tried using Norton AntiVirus and scanning for viruses (unsuccessful) and tried to use Wix Xp Repair Console but my son doesn't remember the administrator password so I couldn't get that to work. I also tried reinstalling Win XP but it crashes and begins a reboot about one minute after the screen where I enter the software key.
Any suggestions besides reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling everything? THere is so much on his hard drive that I will have to remove it first and put it into my own pc and try to back up data before putting it back and reformatting. Lots of work I am trying to avoid.

 

[bcastner]

Use the "lost password" tricks to set a new administrator password, and then use Recovery Console. It sounds as if you have a hard disk issue, and the only recourse is to try a chkdsk /r from recovery console and hope for the best.

As there may be other issues, in this case I strongly recommnend you download and use Knoppix to reset the passwword. It has additional utilities that could prove useful, including allowing you to use your local area network if you have one to copy data files if a full reformat is required.

Knoppix, recommended. See this discussion for advice and links to Knoppix:

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,7018905~root=winme~mode=flat

 

[dnkaye]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will give them a try this evening - being able to connect his pc to my network and copying directly to my pc will be of great value.

 

[basil3legs]

Any idea where you can still get Knoppix from as they have shut the site down?

 

[bcastner]

Knoppix Mirror sites:

http://www.knoppix.net/get.php

I just tried two at random and they worked, one in the US and one in the UK.

I will warn you that the program is popular so you might have to try more than one mirror site if they are busy.

 

[basil3legs]

Thanks bcastner, they have obviously just removed the links from their home page.

 

[paulbenn]

Try Booting the Machine whilst holding the shift Key.

This stops most startup progs from running.



Kind Regards, Paul Benn

**** Never Giveup, keep trying, the answer is out there!!! ****

 

[linney]

Were you able to boot to Safe Mode and try the "Last Known Good Configuration" option?

 

[dnkaye]

To paulbenn: The boot up process never gets far enough to allow that option to work.

To linney: I never get far enough to allow a choice of safe mode.

The pc begins the reboot almost immediately after the first appearance of the first Windows screen.

 

[manarth]

" I also tried reinstalling Win XP but it crashes and begins a reboot about one minute after the screen where I enter the software key."

Sounds like a hardware problem - last time I suffered this problem it was due to faulty memory, although as bcastner says, a faulty hdd could be another culprit.

<marc> i wonder what will happen if i press this...[ul][li]please give feedback on what works / what doesn't[/li][li]need some help? how to get a better answer: faq581-3339[/li][/ul]

 

[Moonrsr]

Didn't I read somewhere that faulty RAM could cause this?

 

[linney]

If it was a RAM problem these freeware programs will tell you about it.

http://www.memtest86.com

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

 

[mike11973]

i had this issue b/c of a virus downloaded from kazaa a few mo's back...i used a bootdisk and ran fdisk and deleted all of my partitions and reformated and started from scratch...it resolved my issues.

 

[MuteBiscuit]

Ive been having some rather mind racking problems.Ive been getting reboot constantly.It will start up as my Video Card Name and type ect. Then the splash screen pops up, But then, I get the Screen with the Safe Mode, Safe mode with networking, Safe mode with Command Prompt, Start with last known good config. Or start windows normally. Well either way I go it reboots itself over and over and wont let me get my desktop. Also Theres a blue screen with fine white text that pops for about 1 second then reboots the comp.Ive tried everything from removing the Video Card, Trying new memory, And even installing a ME Boot disk.Nothing has worked, Tips please? Also If its easy E-mail me please at

BiscuitandButter@yahoo.com

I much prefer the E-mail more then anything, Thanks! - Also respond to this forum-thread.

Thanks, Tommy