computer keeps restarting after xp splash screen

[buddyclm]

I have a computer running XP Home.  When the computer is turned on it starts up normally and a few seconds after the Windows XP splash screen, the computer restarts.  It does this in normal and safe mode.  I used a cd with BartPE and loaded the computer.  When the BartPE is loaded, and I try to view the hard drive it says " file or directory is corrupted and unreadable".  I have also tried fixmbr and bootfix, nothing changed.  Is there a way I can at least extract the information off of the hard drive?

thanks

[Allan]

What led up to this? What happened or is new since the last time the system booted normally. We can probably do a repair install, but let's see if we can figure out the cause first.

[buddyclm]

i'm not exactly sure, it's the kids computer and the only time i'm on it is when it doesn't work and i have to fix it.

[dahlarbear]

0.  Windows XP Splash Screen.  Which screen is this?  Does it occur before you enter user/password to logon?

1.  Last known good configuration.  From the Windows Advanced Options menu, try booting to "Last known good configuration".

2.  Disable auto restart.  From the Windows Advanced Options menu, select "Disable automatic restart on system error".  Hopefully, this will stop the restart on a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).  Post the "exact" error message text/numbers plus any error phrase or file name it might identify under the stop error code string.

3.  Recovery Console.
     a.  Are you able to boot into Windows XP Recovery Console?
     b.  Does "map" command show drive letter assigned to windows boot partition (containing "/Windows" directory)?
     c.  Can you run "chkdsk" command on that partition?  Do not abort a "chkdsk" command.  Let it run to completion (could take a long time).
          (1)  chkdsk
          (2)  chkdsk /p
          (3)  chkdsk /p /r

[Allan]

1) If you do get to the Recovery Console the only command you need / want to run is chkdsk /r
2) Since this is the "kids' " computer - and I don't know how old the kids are - you might want to boot to your AV CD and run a boot time av scan
3) If all else fails you can try a repair install (boot to the XP CD and choose the SECOND repair option). After the repair install you'll want to go to MS Update and install all updates.

[buddyclm]

I have the computer to where it will boot into safe and normal mode now.  in the recovery console, the only partition that showed was e:\ which is the restore partition.  I wasn't thinking and originally ran the fixmbr and bootfix on this partition.  I changed the drive letter to c:\ and ran chkdsk /r and it took it almost 2 hours to complete and then ran fixmbr and fixboot and now the computer boots into normal and safe mode, although it is extremely slow, which I think is due to spy/mal/ad-ware infections.  Thanks for all the help.

[dahlarbear]

1.  Malware Removal.  Computer Hope has a subforum for malware issues.  It is accessed at "Computer Hope Forums -> Software -> Computer viruses and spyware".  And you would start here.

2.  Run diagnostics on the hard drive.  Failing hard drive could slow the system.  Most hard drive manufacturers provide free diagnostic software that you download and burn as a bootable image to a CD-R disc.  Look for this on their web site support pages or see Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities.

Hint:  You don't copy the "iso" file to the CD, you "write" it.  Somehow this places all of the different components in the right place to make the CD bootable.