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Strange one here.. Anyone any ideas???

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  • 03-09-2004 4:25pm
    #1
    ToxicPaddy
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,763 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Neighbour of ours has a Fukitsu Siemens PC running Windows XP home, the
    PC is going into a loop when the try to boot it.

    Starts up fine, comes to windows splash screen for a few seconds and then
    reboots. Keeps doing this even if I choose to get it to boot into safe mode..

    Have stripped down the system, tried with each component, one at a time and
    no change.

    Reseated the memory, processor, all cables, swapped IDE cables, memory etc..
    Still no change..

    Anyone any ideas?? :confused:

    Tox


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    SantaHoe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,488 ✭✭✭SantaHoe


    Reset to BIOS defaults.
    Try a clean XP install?


  • Options
    #3
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,164 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    unplug all the usb devices and try again
    I have heard of problems with USB devices causing machines to enter a reboot cycle


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    #4
    Third_Echelon
    Registered Users Posts: 4,889 ✭✭✭Third_Echelon


    that sounds like that virus that was around about a year ago... It caused the PC to constantly reboot in a loop like that...

    check google for the symptoms as it sounds like that virus...


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    #5
    ColmOT [MSFT]
    Closed Accounts Posts: 545 ✭✭✭ColmOT [MSFT]


    It really sounds like it's having a blue screen due to a bad driver. ASk you rneighbour if they installed any new deviced recently.

    Also, boot into safe mode and check the Event Log for more information regarding the driver in question.


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    #6
    Dun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,967 ✭✭✭Dun


    Safe mode doesn't work.
    ToxicPaddy wrote:
    Starts up fine, comes to windows splash screen for a few seconds and then
    reboots. Keeps doing this even if I choose to get it to boot into safe mode..
    Only thing I can think of offhand is faulty psu or corrupt hard disk. You don't have access to a bootable linux live cd - like SuSE live, Mandrake Move, Gentoo etc.? If you can get that to boot up, then it would eliminate the PSU as a contender for being a culprit.


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  • Options
    #7
    MadKevo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 191 ✭✭MadKevo


    I wonder if it's XP SP2 related - has SP2 somehow been installed onto the machine via Windows Update, a CD from a friend etc? The timing is kinda compelling... hit F8 on bootup for XP boot options, maybe you can coax it back to life there.
    /MK


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    #8
    vibe666
    Registered Users Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    could be an over abundance of usb devices being plugged in/out as was suggested before. same thing happened to me, but removing the usb devices and rebooting (followed by a careful uninstall/reinstall of all the affected usb stuff sorted it out a treat.


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    #9
    Cake Fiend
    Registered Users Posts: 5,335 ✭✭✭Cake Fiend


    I've seen this problem before, IIRC it was a graphics driver or summat, as Colm said above. My bet would also be on a driver having been installed or changed recently.

    Having said that, my solution to the problem was to reinstall XP :) I got fed up trying to isolate and fix the problem.


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    #10
    ToxicPaddy
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,763 Mod ✭✭✭✭ToxicPaddy


    Cheers for all the feedback guys..

    There are no USB devices connected so thats not a cause..

    Ive placed the Hard drive in another system and was able to access it all fine
    and also did a complete virus scan on it, so its not a virus or a damaged
    hard drive..

    No other devices were installed for ages..

    XP SP2 hasnt been installed..

    I cant into safe mode to remove the driver as it loops no matter what mode I
    try to boot into.

    Ive reset the default settings in the BIOS and did the same with the MBR and
    no change

    Might try a different graphics card though.

    If all that fails then a complete rebuild might be the best option as Ive been
    at this for nearly a week now and its really starting to piss me off :D

    Tox


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    #11
    aaf
    Registered Users Posts: 2,098 ✭✭✭aaf


    Have you tried booting from Win XP cd? You could try a repair from it.


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  • Options
    #12
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Don't forget that the windows registry can be considered a copy protection mechanism, if certain settings get corrupt, GAME OVER and if you are really lucky you reinherit the broken settings when you reinstall over the top.


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    #13
    osmethod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 244 ✭✭osmethod


    C:\WINDOWS\system32\config

    The registry hive files are stored here. It sounds like either the software or the system hive have been corrupted.

    If this is so - Worse case scenario you'll have to re-install. If you are prepared to work at it download "BartPE" from

    http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

    If you can follow this it will create a bootable Windows XP CD which will boot into an XP desktop running off the CD. At least you'll be able to access the os drive this way.

    Also, did they make an ERD...? You may be lucky to boot off the XP cd and hit f8 for recovey console and select registry repair...

    osmethod


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