Windows not booting up.

[Cole]

Ok some of you know I've been trying to get a new computer that i've built to work.
Now before I couldn't get anything on the screen, well I got that working.....

New problem:
When I turn on my computer, it goes through all the bios things and beeps once, when it gets to windows it will restart. I have gotten into Windows 98 by Safe Mode and Step by Step configuration(Yes to all). Havn't gotten into XP at all.

It will show the XP loading for less than a second, then restart. I've tried Normal\Safe Mode and it wont work.
I have tried 2 diffrent Hard drives and 2 diffrent power supplys. None worked.
I have a:
A8N-SLI
Antec Truepower 2 550W
AMD 64 3500+ Veince CPU
and 1gig(512x2) of Corsair ram.

 

[jondy]

Check your temperatures. Are all the fans (system/cpu/gpu) running? Make sure your CPU is running at stock speeds.

 

[Ren.182]

Could be a dodgey install. After you've checked all the temps and fan speeds, and theres no change. I'd try formatting and reinstalling.

 

[furiousV]

I've got pretty much the same problem onthe family PC.
While I was out at my friends, my bro was on the PC and a virus was detected, he quarantined it.
When I came home, the monitor was off, and I noticed the PC was on an endless loop of rebooting.
Windows will start booting, get the screen, the progress bar will make about 3 passes, then suddenly it reboots. Temperatures are fine, both under 26oC (CPU and NB), but I DO know that the RAM has a fault somewhere. Memtest failed on the Random Number sequence tests.

Best thing I can think of doing now is reinstalling Windows XP.

If you need to get some data, ie Photos and your Firefox bookmarks, download Knoppix Linux (its a bootable Linux distro) which has NTFS support (read only) so stick them on a flash drive or something. Then format.

 

[Lahire149]

Reinstall windows, usally works for me when something screws up...
if you have info you wanna keep on the comp, just do a repair installation

 

[furiousV]

Reinstall windows, usally works for me when something screws up...
if you have info you wanna keep on the comp, just do a repair installation

That only works if you have made a recovery disk or repair disk or something like that, its a nearly useless feature

Also, whenever I had a broken Windows installation, and I just wanted to reinstall it (no format), it would always say it had to be formatted :frown:

Damn Windows XP

 

[Ren.182]

You should just be able to select "Repair Windows XP" rather then go to format. Are you sure you didn't skip past it, striaght to the format?

 

[Cole]

I've never even been on Windows with this computer, it NEVER booted up. I've tried reformating, it didn't work. This was a completely new set up, I took the HD from a old 98 computer. I tried reformating it, and it did the exact same thing.

Check your temperatures. Are all the fans (system/cpu/gpu) running? Make sure your CPU is running at stock speeds.

Could be a dodgey install. After you've checked all the temps and fan speeds, and theres no change. I'd try formatting and reinstalling.

Runs at stock 2.2ghz, my Cpu is about 30 Degrees with my Mobo going between 28 - 38.
My fans are all going and working how they should be. My target tempature is at like 78 degrees. Not sure what that is.

You should just be able to select "Repair Windows XP" rather then go to format. Are you sure you didn't skip past it, striaght to the format?

I put my restore cd in...2 options..boot to dos or reformat.
Nothing else at all.

 

[ComradeBadger]

Wait wait - restore CD? Is this a prebuilt PC?

If not, try and get to the recovery console, could be a boot sector problem

 

[Cole]

Wait wait - restore CD? Is this a prebuilt PC?

No it's a Restore Cd from a diffrent computer, it's an Emachines but it has worked on other comps(Actually so far any computer I've tried it on even if it wasn't Emachines).
Though I do plan on using my other HD(currently in this computer. Anyway, since it dosn't work on 2 diffrent HD's I'm guessing it's something in the BIOS.
I do have the money to buy another motherboard or WinXP and a 7800GTX.

 

[Fliko]

You should just be able to select "Repair Windows XP" rather then go to format. Are you sure you didn't skip past it, striaght to the format?

Repair Windows can sometimes cause problems from my experience.
I'd suggest a format, clean everything. It may take more time, but, they seem to always work.

 

[Lahire149]

Just make it easy on yourself... ask a repair technician from your local "mom and pop compuer store"

 

[ComradeBadger]

No it's a Restore Cd from a diffrent computer, it's an Emachines but it has worked on other comps(Actually so far any computer I've tried it on even if it wasn't Emachines).
Though I do plan on using my other HD(currently in this computer. Anyway, since it dosn't work on 2 diffrent HD's I'm guessing it's something in the BIOS.
I do have the money to buy another motherboard or WinXP and a 7800GTX.

Ugh. Don't use that - use the proper recovery console in the Windows XP installation, not a restore CD.. you may have had some luck restoring things like that in the past, but it's really not good practice :|

Yes, 'repair' Windows does sometimes give grief, but see what CHKDSK says perhaps?

 

[Cole]

CHKDSK says this:
1,457,664 bytes total.
1,428,992 in 27 user files.
512 bytes in each allocating unit.
2,847 total allocation units.
56 abailable allocation units.
655,360 total memory.
545,664 bytes free.

Something like this anyway, It's a 20gig some HD.
Though if it didn't work with 2 diffrent HD's and 2 diffrent Operation Systems(Exception by StepbyStep and Safemode) im thinking it may be something in the BIOS.

If you don't remember, my motherboard does have a slight problem with it. Part of it is fried, though im since it seems to work and all the beeps match up correctly im guessing it's just for the gameport(what was connected to the motherboard and looks as if it was hit), though maybe if it was an IDE controller or something...

Just make it easy on yourself... ask a repair technician from your local "mom and pop compuer store"

Daaa!! no one around here knows anything. I already had one of my bro's friends over, he got it running but couldn't get windows to boot up. There is only one other person that I would have check it out, but he probably wouldn't know anything.

 

[ComradeBadger]

You still using a eMachines CD? If so, there's your problem. The restore disks **** with the boot sector of the hard drive, and often rely on data stored on a hidden partition.

 

[Cole]

You still using a eMachines CD? If so, there's your problem. The restore disks **** with the boot sector of the hard drive, and often rely on data stored on a hidden partition.

Ok, though I will have to buy an XP cd. I'll check my money and head to the store tonight.

 

[Ti133700N]

Either I didn't read this thread carefully or ...I dunno but nobody suggested to simply clear the CMOS? Easy to do and solves much of those kind of startup problems.

 

[Lahire149]

Either I didn't read this thread carefully or ...I dunno but nobody suggested to simply clear the CMOS? Easy to do and solves much of those kind of startup problems.

probablly not the problem because he can get to the windows boot screen.

 

[Chris D]

On an eMachines restore disc it won't be so much the boot sector it effects, but you do have to bear in mind that it contains a software build that was designed specifically to run with the hardware on that eMachines computer.

You're trying to load Windows XP with all the chipset drivers, display drivers and other hardware drivers designed for an eMachines computer. Windows is probably taking one look at the eMachines drivers, seeing your hardware and thinking "**** off..." and booting you out.

 

[Cole]

Thank you ALL.
It works .
Thanks a ton .

 

[Dr. Freeman]

Thank you ALL.
It works .
Thanks a ton .

what did u do? im curious.

 

[ComradeBadger]

Any money he just used a proper OS

 

[Cole]

what did u do? im curious.

Bought an XP cd. Did that, ran it and got it fully working.
Now I just have to put my other HD in there(from my maincomp) and get all my extra devices in there, just putting all my stuff onto a few DVD's(Including Registry Files). I need a nice fresh windows install.

 

[Chris D]

We are teh win!

Restore discs are bad, mmmkayy?