My computer's stuck in a restart loop!

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

It gets to halfway to starting Windows XP Pro, and then it reboots

Any ideas?

Crushenator 500 · Oct 30, 2004

Format?

Fletch · Oct 30, 2004

tried starting it in safe mode at all?

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Fletch said:
tried starting it in safe mode at all?

Yeah, but no change.

And formatting isn't an option

Crushenator 500 · Oct 30, 2004

Formatting's the ONLY option! :O

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

crushenator 500 said:
Formatting's the ONLY option! :O

Seriously, it isn't.

Crushenator 500 · Oct 30, 2004

Oh... :|

blahblahblah · Oct 30, 2004

What did you do to cause this? Can you boot into safe mode?

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

blahblahblah said:
What did you do to cause this? Can you boot into safe mode?

Can't boot into Safe Mode.

And I've done nothing except install Quake 3 for nostalgia last night :|

blahblahblah · Oct 30, 2004

Hmmm.

It wouldn't hurt to open up your computer and make sure all of your cables are securely in place. Just unplug all of them and plug them back in.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Nope, no change at all.

blahblahblah · Oct 30, 2004

Try putting in your Windows XP Pro disk. There should be an option to "repair" windows. This should attempt to repair/replace the essential parts of windows without re-formating. I make no guarantees that all of your essential files will be there though. I have done it once before and left my files intact (but it didn't fix my problem).

SidewinderX · Oct 30, 2004

no, the windows "repair" thing != helpful

Can you boot into your bios and have it stay there?

this problem is likley related to RAM

If you have just one stick, try placing it in a different slot. If you have mpore than one stick, remove a stick and try and boot with only one stick, then play around with the slots.

The Mullinator · Oct 30, 2004

I had a problem like this in the past, it turned out to be my RAM so try what SidewinderX suggests.

If worse came to worse and it turns out its a virus you could try plugging the hard drive into another computer as an extra storage drive (with strong anti-virus security) and saving whatever you need or repairing any viruses that may be causing the problem.

zer0kewl · Oct 30, 2004

i once did something fun.
there is a command line that restarts computer.
if you put it as shortcut in startup folder its fun.

try to get in startup folder and look if there is something odd
unless you get blue screen before it restarts.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Nothing seems to be working.

I get the screen asking me how I want to start windows. You know, the one that asks you if you want safe mode etc.

blahblahblah · Oct 30, 2004

ComradeBadger said:
Nothing seems to be working.

I get the screen asking me how I want to start windows. You know, the one that asks you if you want safe mode etc.

I should have mentioned (sorry), if you want to do the repair thing, you must first go into your bios and set your CD drive as the primary boot device. Otherwise you computer will try to boot from the hardddrive.

Once you finish the repair, go back into your bios and set the harddrive back to the primary boot device.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

blahblahblah said:
I should have mentioned (sorry), if you want to do the repair thing, you must first go into your bios and set your CD drive as the primary boot device. Otherwise you computer will try to boot from the hardddrive.

Once you finish the repair, go back into your bios and set the harddrive back to the primary boot device.

Yeah, I know quite a bit about computers

I did that, yes. The problem is, I have no idea what commands to use once in the recovery console.

blahblahblah · Oct 30, 2004

ComradeBadger said:
Yeah, I know quite a bit about computers

I did that, yes. The problem is, I have no idea what commands to use once in the recovery console.

It should be automatic. You just select the option and the it automatically replaces everything it needs to. The most you need to do is press enter several times.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Yeah, I know, I'm just saying that it's just like that over and over, no matter what option I choose.

blahblahblah · Oct 30, 2004

ComradeBadger said:
Yeah, I know, I'm just saying that it's just like that over and over, no matter what option I choose.

I just don't know.

Have you tried kicking your computer? :O

If you have a maxtor harddrive, try this utility as a last grasp. It doesn't need windows working to use it. I don't know if it works for other harddrives. Other than that I am out of ideas.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

I don't have Maxtor drives.

Well, time to bite the ****ing bullet.

Format time.

See you all sometime, perhaps.

Adrien C · Oct 30, 2004

I had the same problem, it's a virus somre crazy German teenager coded, when it sayd wellcome to windows, the pc would reeboot, sorry I had to format my drive.

Maxi · Oct 30, 2004

Right... Could someone that knows how the repair thing works explain to us EXACTLY how to use it. Since I always end up in some wierd console, and not an automated repair thingy that everyone praises.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Well as far as I'm concerned, if it was a virus, that ****ing virus programmer can ****ing die.

poseyjmac · Oct 30, 2004

have you formatted yet? if not, it is possible to fix this, but i wont go into detail if you already gave up and formatted

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Haven't formatted yet, just waiting for any last advice, by all means continue

poseyjmac · Oct 30, 2004

well first, have you scanned for viruses yet? do you have a virus solution that has a dos scanner? you're on a separate computer right now, i would take the harddrive out of the other one, stick it in the one you are on and run a full virus scan on it.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Can do, yes. But I don't have a DOS scanner.

Off to get my drive cages ;(

I'm going to loose my emails and stuff.. I can't stand this :|

poseyjmac · Oct 30, 2004

well if you want to try a possible quick fix, boot into recovery console and type 'fixboot'. sometimes it works for those who can't boot into windows, sometimes it doesnt.

fixboot and fixmbr are both commands that could work.

heres some info on them:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/.../home/using/productdoc/en/bootcons_fixmbr.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...home/using/productdoc/en/bootcons_fixboot.asp

but yea making sure there are no viruses first is a good idea.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

Ok, I'm a ****ing genius

Fixed it with CHKDSK.

Right, next problem is my Slave drive seems to be not responding. This is a problem, as it has lots of games, and Steam on it.

SidewinderX · Oct 30, 2004

.......

were your hdd in a RAID? If so they might be dying... try chkdsk on this other drive, make sure the ide cable is plugge din, etc.

ComradeBadger · Oct 30, 2004

It just fails on boot thats all.

Happens in both computers.

No RAID.

poseyjmac · Oct 31, 2004

oops chkdsk, i guess i shouldn't have assumed you had ran that already.

so the second harddrive isn't bootable, or you just can't see any data on it period?

ComradeBadger · Oct 31, 2004

Fixed, changed the jumpers from DEVICE 1 (SLAVE) to DEVICE 2 (SLAVE)

Fletch · Oct 31, 2004

lol, its always the simplest thing.

My computer's stuck in a restart loop!

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