PC restarting

Jen199

Hi,

I have been tasked with fixing my sister / dad's pc. It has windows xp on it and is about 5 years old. They have had an internet connection but no firewall or virus software.

When the pc boots, it goes to the page where you pick your user (with the icons like a snowflake, chess pawn etc.). You can see the mouse egg timer on the screen but it doesn't move. The pc then reboots does the same etc. etc. etc.

Anyone any ideas on how I can fix this. I can't even get into the c:\. If the pc is wrecked, thats okay but is the hard drive okay? Need to get files off it.

Any help, advise etc very much appreciated.
Jen

FindingNemo

Jen199 wrote: »

Hi,

I have been tasked with fixing my sister / dad's pc. It has windows xp on it and is about 5 years old. They have had an internet connection but no firewall or virus software.

When the pc boots, it goes to the page where you pick your user (with the icons like a snowflake, chess pawn etc.). You can see the mouse egg timer on the screen but it doesn't move. The pc then reboots does the same etc. etc. etc.

Anyone any ideas on how I can fix this. I can't even get into the c:\. If the pc is wrecked, thats okay but is the hard drive okay? Need to get files off it.

Any help, advise etc very much appreciated.
Jen

Hi,

Have you tried getting into safe mode ?

Jen199

No, I can't. Its a weird pc. Its not a dell and doesn't go through the 'normal' boot process i.e. where you see all the stuff loading / confing etc.

I just see a white screen with the name of the manufacturer and then straight into windows. It doesn't say anything like hold F9 now etc.
As is goes straight into windows, and thus the cycle of hell begns.

I think I need a boot disc - but I've only ever done this with floppys.
Concern is a CD one won't work until cd drivers are engaged. Plus - don't have one.

FindingNemo

Jen199 wrote: »

No, I can't. Its a weird pc. Its not a dell and doesn't go through the 'normal' boot process i.e. where you see all the stuff loading / confing etc.

I just see a white screen with the name of the manufacturer and then straight into windows. It doesn't say anything like hold F9 now etc.
As is goes straight into windows, and thus the cycle of hell begns.

I think I need a boot disc - but I've only ever done this with floppys.
Concern is a CD one won't work until cd drivers are engaged. Plus - don't have one.

Even though you cant see it say press F8 or F9 (mine does the same)..
as soon as the pc boots up, just press F8 a few times until something happens, it should go into the boot menu,

you'll defo be able to get in

buildabong

Might be a hardware problem (typical IT person responce )
Check the processor fan, might not be working or V dirty.
Processor gets hot and reboots is a common fault.

Jen199

Thanks. Ill let you know. Is it something that I can clean / fix? Can it be replaced or is it just, as I suspect, a piece of junk?

buildabong

You can "normally" just blow out the fan and the heatsink - loads of dust gets in there. If the fan is had-it you can easily get/install a new one. Beware the heatsink gets V hot!!!

Capt'n Midnight

sometimes pressing esc will show you what's going on in the background

if you posted the brand someone might know

to get into setup you press Esc / Del / F2 or just hold down the Esc key so it gives you a key stuck error
in setup you might be able to turn off the splash screen or change the boot order to boot from CD