Win XP rebooting and cannot get to recovery function

[COMick]

My computer running Win XP is continually rebooting. I recently installed SP3 and read some posts that say this could be due an intelppm file that conflicts with AMD processors. I am unable to get to Safe Mode or any other mode. When I try to use recovery/repair function with installation CD, my HDD is not recognized. The HDD is recognized by BIOS and I see the HDD info during start-up. I don't think the HDD is bad, but would like some advice. It all worked fine before the SP3 install. It's all very frustrating. Suggestions? Thanks.

Computer:
AMD Athlon 64 2.0Ghtz,
MSI-K8T Neo MB
160 GB SATA HDD
1GB RAM
GeForce 5500 FX Video Card
Win XP OS

Don't know if this info is needed, but provided. Thanks

[drmsucks]

Try this: http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/08/does-your-amd-based-computer-boot-after-installing-xp-sp3.aspx

Best of luck!

[COMick]

drmsucks,

Thanks for the link. I will look through the posts and try some of the remedies listed.

[drmsucks]

drmsucks,

Thanks for the link. I will look through the posts and try some of the remedies listed.

Hope that it works; btw, that link is for a solution, not a forum thread.

Please post back and let us know how you made out!

[dahlarbear]

By default Windows XP is set to automatically restart on system failure.  There is probably a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) displayed with error message and text before the restart occurs.  It goes by so fast that you may not see (and certainly don't have time to read it).  You need to disable the auto restart option (and leave it disabled) so you can read and "post" the exact contents of the message(s); particularly the Error Stop code with its numeric parameters.  A search of the internet on "exact" substrings of this message often leads to a problem description and solution.

To disable the restart, tap the F8 function key about once per second or faster as the system powers up (or possibly restarts).  When the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" comes up, use the up/down arrow keys to select "Disable automatic restart on system failure" and hit the Enter key.  This should stop the auto restart on a BSOD.  Please record and post the exact error message text and numbers.

The above information is also buried in the link given to you by drmsucks earlier.

[drmsucks]

By default Windows XP is set to automatically restart on system failure.  There is probably a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) displayed with error message and text before the restart occurs.  It goes by so fast that you may not see (and certainly don't have time to read it).  You need to disable the auto restart option (and leave it disabled) so you can read and "post" the exact contents of the message(s); particularly the Error Stop code with its numeric parameters.  A search of the internet on "exact" substrings of this message often leads to a problem description and solution.

To disable the restart, tap the F8 function key about once per second or faster as the system powers up (or possibly restarts).  When the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" comes up, use the up/down arrow keys to select "Disable automatic restart on system failure" and hit the Enter key.  This should stop the auto restart on a BSOD.  Please record and post the exact error message text and numbers.

The above information is also buried in the link given to you by drmsucks earlier.

Good point - in my opinion, the auto re-start should never be chosen.

[COMick]

After disabling the auto-reboot feature, I notice I have an error that seems to be pointing to "viamraid." I don't know if the driver for the chipset is bad from some kind of hardware failure, or if something in SP3 corrupted the file. I only have a CD for the via drivers and the downloads are ~11M for a zip file (too much to fit on floppy). I am going to do a couple of hardware tests, so I'll try to update as I can. I appreciate the posts and help. Thanks.

[COMick]

OK, here is the error:

A problem has been detected......

Driver_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

If this is the first time.........

Technical information:

***STOP: 0X000000D1 (0X00000030, 0X00000006, 0X00000000, 0XF73DD9A0)

***  viamraid.sys - Address F73DD9A0 base at F73D3000, datestamp 4063e304



I think that since I am unable to perform recovery, it is because the via driver that controls HDD is not functioning. Other thoughts? Thanks again

[drmsucks]

Read my whole response before doing anything!

Did you apply the fix from the linked article?

If you want to uninstall SP3, look here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249/en-us

I think it is prudent to undo the SP3 damage before attacking any other problems, which may disappear when the SP3 mess is cleaned up. You didn't have any problems before SP3, did you?

Wait a minute, is your computer homebuilt or who is the manufacturer? If the former and you purchased and installed Windows, I think that you can forget the SP3 conflict entirely and focus on your motherboard chipset and related drivers. From the error it looks like your running RAID or at least have the drivers installed. Remove the drives and update.

[dahlarbear]

Someone else has same STOP Error with similar hardware (March 2005 though).  No solution confirmed, but respondent recommended they double check BIOS and turn off RAID if set (because they're running with one hard drive???).
    BSOD STOP error

[jsurfer]

Hi there I have just been reading the post and have a similar problem with my laptop. I have just tried the F8 button to stop it continually rebooting and have the following message on a blue screen:

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

the techinical information is:

***STOP: 0x000000ED  (0x84F83908,0xC0000006,0x00000000,0x00000000)

Your help would be greatly appreciated

Jeff

[drmsucks]

Hi there I have just been reading the post and have a similar problem with my laptop. I have just tried the F8 button to stop it continually rebooting and have the following message on a blue screen:

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

the techinical information is:

***STOP: 0x000000ED  (0x84F83908,0xC0000006,0x00000000,0x00000000)

Your help would be greatly appreciated

Jeff

Jeff - Please start a new topic so that you get the help that you need.

[jamesj2001]

For unmountable boot volume, load the recovery console and type chkdsk /p and wait for it to finish and then do it again.  Do it until it doesn't find any errors.  Then do fixboot and fixmbr.  Then you should be good.


edit: sorry, I didn't realize that was someone else

[jsurfer]

Sorry I have just started a new post

Thanks

Jeff

[COMick]

OK, here is a quick update.

I have changed RAM around in different slots on the Motherboard, still no luck. I tries to use a different port for the serial ATA drive (Promise chipset vs VIA), still no luck. I also tried to contact VIA for support, but was told to go through motherboard manufacturer, so not a whole lot of help there. The next step is new motherboard-is on order, so I'll update again to see if that fixed the problem. Thanks to all who have posted with help.