Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: brent85 on April 04, 2008, 03:31:45 AM

Title: XP Restart Loop
Post by: brent85 on April 04, 2008, 03:31:45 AM
Hey,

Background
My problem started yesterday when I turned on my computer. It loaded into windows, I logged on, and it was all working fine, but when I walked away and came back 5 or so minutes later, I was logged off. I didn't think much of it at the time so I just logged back on, but two minutes after logging back in, the computer just restarted. I logged back on, and nothing happened so I left it.

Problem
When I got up this morning and turned my computer on it started a restart loop. I have system commander 8 installed from a while ago when I was running a dual boot system, and I have it set to time out to XP after 3 seconds. It shows the spashscreen/bios, and then boots into system commander, and then 3 seconds later it starts to boot into XP, and that is then it restarts.
There is no windows xp loading screen, only a black screen directly before restarting.

Things tried.
-Figuring it could be due to something in XP being corrupted, I used a ubuntu (7.04) livecd to try and boot into that, but as soon as I selected start ubuntu, it went black and restarted.
-To check if it was a common hardware problem, I have removed everything from the pc besides 1 stick of ram, keyboard, monitor, mouse, and cd drive, but still it restarts.
-Browsing some other similar cases, many people suggest using the windows recovery console to try and fix it, but as soon as I try and boot off my win xp cd, the computer restarts.

PC Specs
XP + all latest updates (SP2 etc.)
512mb ram
80gb sata hdd
80gb ide hdd
avg free antivirus
zone alarm internet security suite

I really have no idea what is going on, and this just has me stumped, its like my computer crashes as soon as it trys to load anything bigger then system commander, or the ubuntu disk start menu.

Any help would be great.

Thanks,
brent85
Title: Re: XP Restart Loop
Post by: squall_01 on April 04, 2008, 06:00:58 AM
I would try an scan your haddrive, there are some viruses that do this an are a pain to remove.  Also, is there any blue screens or anything like that ether?
Title: Re: XP Restart Loop
Post by: patio on April 04, 2008, 08:38:53 AM
How long have you had System Commander installed ? ?
Is this the one made by V Communications ? ?
Title: Re: XP Restart Loop
Post by: brent85 on April 04, 2008, 05:17:56 PM
Quote from: squall_01 on April 04, 2008, 06:00:58 AM
I would try an scan your haddrive, there are some viruses that do this an are a pain to remove.  Also, is there any blue screens or anything like that ether?

I don't think I can scan my hard drive, I cant boot into ANY os. The only way I could if is I put the hard drive into another pc, is that what you are suggesting? Would a virus on that hard drive stop me booting from cd?  ???
No, there are no error messages, the screen just goes black, then the pc loses power and restarts.

Quote from: patio on April 04, 2008, 08:38:53 AM
How long have you had System Commander installed ? ?
Is this the one made by V Communications ? ?

Yeah, its that one. I've had it on there for 8 months or so. I had it on there for dual booting, but I got rid of the other os a few months ago and just left it on there, didn't see any reason to remove it.
Title: Re: XP Restart Loop
Post by: patio on April 04, 2008, 05:28:33 PM
DLoad the diagnostics from the drive manuf. site. These are used to create a bootable CD/floppy and do not require Windows to run.
Title: Re: XP Restart Loop
Post by: brent85 on April 04, 2008, 06:01:04 PM
Quote from: patio on April 04, 2008, 05:28:33 PM
DLoad the diagnostics from the drive manuf. site. These are used to create a bootable CD/floppy and do not require Windows to run.

Its a western digital. I tried using a "Ultimate Boot CD" (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/)) I have used in the past, it has a western digital hdd scan tool on it, probably the one from their website. A black and white menu (not the blue one) loaded that asked me to push enter, and as soon as I did, it went black and restarted... again. If I cant load that would it be worth it to try western digital's tool?
Title: Re: XP Restart Loop
Post by: brent85 on April 04, 2008, 08:15:40 PM
I'm pretty sure its a hardware problem, and I think I have narrowed it down to the motherboard or the cpu.


So... if its not the...

It must be the cpu or the motherboard right?

brent85.