Win XP Home SP2 reboots continuously

[Pippinlady]

Hubby installed Norton antivirus 2009 and has added new hardware in form of Sony camcorder DCR-SR85e

He uploaded some film after installing the Norton.
Now when he tries to boot up he gets message

blurb... windows did not start up successfully, recent hardware or software may have caused this.
then the options are
Safe mode
safe mode with networking
safe mode with command prompt
Last known successful
start windows normally.
It continually loops through the start up procedure and goes too fast for me to see where it sticks.

I HAVE tried each of those options several times now.

Is there anything I can do.
I will try opening it and ensuring all components are seated correctly and making sure that it is clean.
Other than that I do not know what to do.
How do I uninstall stuff if I can't get it to start up.

I do not know if he installed XP3 though it was running Ok up until he tried to boot up yesterday morning.
Thanks
Pippin




emachine 2.3 mhz 80 gb hdd 512 RAM Wireless connection thru Airport Express/Belkin F5D7000 card
Forgive my mistakes it's how I learn!

 

[BadBigBen]

Infinite Boot Loop - Safe mode doesn't work (crcdisk.sys)

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=4022630&SiteID=17

My Computer won't boot after installing SP3, not even in safe mode or last working configuration.

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet...x=1&SiteID=17&PageID=1&PostID=3660599#3660599

see if the above are any help...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[linney]

Did you try the Disable Automatic Restarts from the Safe Mode Options Screen? A digital camera (or your video camera) might capture any Blue Screen

Can you run the Recovery Console with a view to running the command ChkDsk /r from it. While you are there have a look at the FixBoot and FixMbr commands,

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

See if this worth a try.

An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.

http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm

That is a layman's version of Q307545 in simple language.

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

 

[Pippinlady]

Thanks will give all suggestions a try.
thank goodness I run an iMac so we have alternative access to this forum.


emachine 2.3 mhz 80 gb hdd 512 RAM Wireless connection thru Airport Express/Belkin F5D7000 card
Forgive my mistakes it's how I learn!

 

[Pippinlady]

Does anyone know the key presses that will freeze the screen
I remember that being a solution a long while back but can't remember the keys to press.
Can't find my Original Win XP Disc. Darn it
we have had so much work done in the house stuff got moved around.

I have an e-machines restore disc
Does anyone know how I get the computer to start from the CD.
I think that will help a bit.

Thanks





emachine 2.3 mhz 80 gb hdd 512 RAM Wireless connection thru Airport Express/Belkin F5D7000 card
Forgive my mistakes it's how I learn!

 

[Pippinlady]

I can't see an option to disable automatic restart.
Nor am I sure how to use the camera to capture the screen. but thanks for the suggestions.

best wishes


emachine 2.3 mhz 80 gb hdd 512 RAM Wireless connection thru Airport Express/Belkin F5D7000 card
Forgive my mistakes it's how I learn!

 

[linney]

Can you find the manual that came with your machine, having that would help you with recovery options.

Using your Recovery CD, you may have to enter the Bios setup (probably by pressing the DEL or F1 keys at power up) and set the Bios to boot from the CD ahead of the hard drive.

The key that pauses the screen scrolling is the Pause Break key (somewhere near the top right of most keyboards). This will only be of use on the black screens at bootup, but it may allow you to see instructions for the required key to press to enter the Bios setup. It will not, I believe, allow you to stop a quickly flashed screen on a blue error screen. To continue after pausing you need to press Enter.

What do you mean by that you can't find your original XP disk but that you have an Emachine restore disk? That is a bit of a contradiction which you may like to clarify as to what is the differences between them both as far as usage is concerned?

Replacement of CD or Product Keys
To replace a CD or Product Key, you must contact PSS. To locate the appropriate phone number for your product, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

326246 - How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326246&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[Pippinlady]

I used the e-machines restore discs Had no way to back up any files but hubby said there was nothing vital on there .His videos were all backed up to the ext HDD so no problems there.
HOWEVER this didn't work.
I unplugged any non- essential peripherals ran it again
Still not working
had a message that the config file (sorry it was a couple hours ago and I forget the actual wording) was missing or corrupt.
So it looks like the next thing is to find the Actual WINDOWS install disc to see if that works.
Otherwise I am guessing it might be worth buying a new computer.
This is at least 3 maybe 4 years old. but should work longer than this hubby hardly uses it.
My iMac dates from Oct 2002 still going strong with just a couple of glitches and an upgrade to the RAM and the OS

Thanks for your help.
Best wishes
Pippin




emachine 2.3 mhz 80 gb hdd 512 RAM Wireless connection thru Airport Express/Belkin F5D7000 card
Forgive my mistakes it's how I learn!

 

[BadBigBen]

Try Booting with holding down the SHIFT + F8 combination (or holding the SHIFT key while continuously tapping the F8 key)...

what this does, is that it will ask you at every step of the BOOT process for confirmation... that way you can figure out which file causes the BSOD and the reboot... my bet is on the NORTON brake (or foot irons if you may), ergo a kernal driver of Norton which is the cause of this...

with that knowledge you can then use a BartPE CD (Live windows) or a Linux LiveCD (with NTFS3g driver to mount the C partition) and navigate to the file, either in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 or C:\WINDOWS\inf folders, and rename it, e.g. OEM13.sys to OEM13.old ...

keep us posted...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[Pippinlady]

OK thanks Ben.
will try it but I am busy today and some of tomorrow so it might be a while till I can try that.

I am NOT going to let it defeat me now!
Even though he'd love a new computer we can't justify it if it is just a file glitch that can be fixed.
He mainly uses it for Video editing and playing solitaire type games, banking so it is quite sufficient.
WE loaded Norton on the laptop and that is fine.
Strange.

Thanks for the input.
Best wishes


emachine 2.3 mhz 80 gb hdd 512 RAM Wireless connection thru Airport Express/Belkin F5D7000 card
Forgive my mistakes it's how I learn!

 

[linney]

If you used the "e-machines restore discs" I would have thought that would have restored your machine to the "factory state"? Perhaps you do have a hardware problem?

The hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software that is bootable and capable of thoroughly checking the condition of your hard drive.

RAM memory checking is an option too.

http://www.memtest86.com/

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