My PC is caught in a reboot loop!

[Neil]

Hi

My PC is caught in a reboot loop!

When i boot up it gets to the Windows XP logo as normal, looks like it is
loadind with the bars moving accross, then the screen goes black and the PC
reboots.

It does the same when i boot into safe mode. I've also tried restarting from
the last good configuration

Any ideas how to trap what the error is?

Cheers

Neil

 

[fred]

Go to the system icon in the control panel - and select the system ICON;
click on Advanced ; click on Settings under Startup and Recovery; uncheck
the Automatic restart box close all and reboot. When the next mystery reboot
happens, you will probaly see the BSOD Blue Screen of Death. Make a note of
the codes and any messages and reply to the group and we will see how we can
help you.

 

[Justin Harrison]

Hi,

You can disable automatic reboot after errors by going to system properties
(press windows key + pause/break) , clicking the advanced tab, clicking
"settings" next to "startup/recovery" then unchecking "automatically
reboot".

Justin

 

[Neil]

The thing is i can't get into the computer because it reboots during the
bootup.

If i could get to the control panel i wouldn't have the problem!

Neil

 

[Guest]

i recently had the same exact problem i retrieved my info by makin it a slave
drive then i fomatted it

 

[fred]

This gets a little tricky, you will have to boot in Safe Mode by pressing
F8.
I think you can get to the control panel from there.

Remove any recent hardware driver installs, video, audio,
or Software. One by one of course, doing a reboot in between.

Have a look in Task Manager for any unusual software running such iosdt.exe
(Trojan)

BTW there is an email doing the rounds which says How do you do in the
subject line and various comments in the body i.e.. Hello Handsome etc. this
email contains a Trojan hidden in the email.

Also run msconfig and have a look in the start-up items for any suspicious
software.

Good luck

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

The thing is i can't get into the computer because it reboots during the
bootup.

Yep - that's the Incredibly Stupid Thing (TM) about "Restart on system
errors". I know the idea is that servers that need continuous uptime
can get this without the sysadmin having to change anything, but even
that's utterly pointless if the OS never boots far enough to network
and thus facilitate remote administration of the unattended system.

Go back in time and change the setting

Actually, no; this is no joking matter. I'd do...

http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/bthink.htm

....if not the full rigor of...

http://cquirke.mvps.org/pccrisis.htm

...i.e.:

1) Check hardware
- eyeball all fans, heat sinks, motherboard caps
- check RAM: MemTest86 and/or SIMMtester (Google and download)
- check physical HD and file system logic
- unplug periperals; WiFi, LAN, bband, printer, etc.

2) Exclude traditional malware
- formally if possible; Barts PE + Trend SysClean + Stinger
- if FATxx, can also use most DOS-based av from DOS mode diskette
- then repeat Windows-based scans in Safe Mode Cmd Only

3) Exclude commercial malware
- Safe Mode Cmd Only, use AdAware SE 1.05, Spybot 1.4, MSAS Beta
- reversable manual suppression via MSConfig, Shell Ext Viewer
- less reversable manual suppression via HiJackThis (careful)

If this is the system that went nuts after swallowing a VGA driver
update from MS, then try F8 at boot, choose VGA bootup, and roll back
the driver from Device Manager, or do an SR rollback.

If you cannot get into Windows at all, after finishing (1), then you
can approach the system from Recovery Console or Bart's PE; the latter
will let you do more, such as bind registry hives and fix things
manually. It won't be easy-peasy; keep your wits about you, or hire
yourself a pair of proxy frontal lobes (choose a tech who can read
this and who looks thoughtful, rather than cavalier or panic-stricken)

------------------------ ---- --- -- - - - -

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