Restart and Startup Fail Loop

[Graham]

I had a problem installing xpsp2 and had to revert to the
previous setting. This appeared to be OK but when I tried
to shut down the copmputer tried to restart and failed.
This initiated another restart attempt which again failed.
So I have a continuous loop of Restart and Startup
Failure. After the Windows XP 'Splash' screen (i.e. with
the 'progress' bar) there is a black screen for 10 secs or
so and then very briefly a (bright) blue full screen with
about 2 lines of text at the top. It is displayed for too
brief a time to read. Is there any way I can break this
loop and how would I find out what the problem is and
hopefully correct it? Can anyone help please?

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

After the next reboot keep tapping F8 to see if you can access a screen that
has 'Last Known Good Configuration' as one of the options - try that to see
if it helps. If not, access the same screen, if possible, and try a System
Restore via Safe Mode.

 

[Graham]

Pressing F8 does not give an option to disable auto
restart. It is also not possible to enter Safe Mode. All
the F8 options seem to result in the same outcome: auto
restart!

 

[shawn]

Staring up in Safe Mode: Loop continues
Last Known Good Configuration: Loop continues
Disable auto restart on Failure: Error Message as follows-
- STOP:c0000135 {unable to Locate Component} This
application has failed to start because winsrv was not
found. Re-installing application may fix this problem.

But how can i re-install something when i can't access my
computer? any other ideas?

 

[Guest]

Hello everybody,

I have a similar problem!
The last thing I did was downloading the new updating system for win XP
(yesterday) & I am not sure if this has any thing to do with my problem.

Anyway, today I started my pc as normal & everything went OK until the
startuop sound started & then the electricity was cut Off.

I fixed the cables & restarted my pc but it went in Restart loop as
discribed here!

Non of the choices in the F8 works!

I put the windows CD so to choose repairing the old installation but
unexpectedly found the system not recognising the hard disk partition I used
to install xp on!

It says: partition type: Unknown!!
I tryed to make anew installation (I remember it will ask you if you want to
repair your old installation) but it gave me the screen to forrmat that
partition saying that it is not formatted!!!

Any ideas?!

 

[Guest]

Hello everybody,

I have a similar problem!
The last thing I did was downloading the new updating system for win XP
(yesterday) & I am not sure if this has any thing to do with my problem.

Anyway, today I started my pc as normal & everything went OK until the
startuop sound started & then the electricity was cut Off.

I fixed the cables & restarted my pc but it went in Restart loop as
discribed here!

Non of the choices in the F8 works!

I put the windows CD so to choose repairing the old installation but
unexpectedly found the system not recognising the hard disk partition I used
to install xp on!

It says: partition type: Unknown!!
I tryed to make anew installation (I remember it will ask you if you want to
repair your old installation) but it gave me the screen to forrmat that
partition saying that it is not formatted!!!

Any ideas?!

 

[Guest]

Hello everybody,

I have a similar problem!
The last thing I did was downloading the new updating system for win XP
(yesterday) & I am not sure if this has any thing to do with my problem.

Anyway, today I started my pc as normal & everything went OK until the
startuop sound started & then the electricity was cut Off.

I fixed the cables & restarted my pc but it went in Restart loop as
discribed here!

Non of the choices in the F8 works!

I put the windows CD so to choose repairing the old installation but
unexpectedly found the system not recognising the hard disk partition I used
to install xp on!

It says: partition type: Unknown!!
I tryed to make anew installation (I remember it will ask you if you want to
repair your old installation) but it gave me the screen to forrmat that
partition saying that it is not formatted!!!

Any ideas?!

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Hello everybody,

I have a similar problem!
The last thing I did was downloading the new updating system for win
XP (yesterday) & I am not sure if this has any thing to do with my
problem.

Anyway, today I started my pc as normal & everything went OK until the
startuop sound started & then the electricity was cut Off.

I fixed the cables & restarted my pc but it went in Restart loop as
discribed here!

Non of the choices in the F8 works!

I put the windows CD so to choose repairing the old installation but
unexpectedly found the system not recognising the hard disk partition
I used to install xp on!

It says: partition type: Unknown!!
I tryed to make anew installation (I remember it will ask you if you
want to repair your old installation) but it gave me the screen to
forrmat that partition saying that it is not formatted!!!

Any ideas?!

Especially after a electrical power loss -- including weather storms --- do run
a CHKDSK from within Recovery Console. *Presuming you have a full retail CD version of Windows XP*.
( If you don't have the XP CD, or have an OEM version of XP, it may be possible to run Recovery Console by booting up from XP setup diskettes.)

#1. Run CHKDSK in XP Recovery Console:
Set pc BIOS to boot from CDROM. Place XP CD in drive. Reboot from the CD.
Select the first option R Repair/Recovery Console.
Select your Windows partition by number. Usually it is 1 .
Login to XP with administrator password (if your setup had a password; otherwise press Enter).

Then run CHKDSK /P from the command line. (In Recovery Console /P replaces /F ).

Run it once (or repeat) until it shows no errors. This should clear the
"dirty" flag on the disk drive C. Run CHKDSK for each drive on your system.
CHKDSK /P :X where X is letter for disk drive

References for Recovery Console:
Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console - Article ID 314058
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=314058

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=307654

To exit the R Console, use the EXIT command.

You are encouraged to have the Recovery Console installed on your
disk so that it is a bootup choice.

 

[SebianGeek]

I had a problem installing xpsp2 and had to revert to the
previous setting. This appeared to be OK but when I tried
to shut down the copmputer tried to restart and failed.
This initiated another restart attempt which again failed.
So I have a continuous loop of Restart and Startup
Failure. After the Windows XP ’Splash’ screen (i.e. with
the ’progress’ bar) there is a black screen for 10 secs or
so and then very briefly a (bright) blue full screen with
about 2 lines of text at the top. It is displayed for too
brief a time to read. Is there any way I can break this
loop and how would I find out what the problem is and
hopefully correct it? Can anyone help please?

To address the original question on this post, go to this link, there
are instructions on how to repair/remove SP2. You can chose to
reinstall SP2 after you are done, but you might end up with the same
problem again.

http://www.anetforums.com/posts.aspx?ThreadIndex=29066