Computer is stuck in a boot, restart loop, Help!

[Guest]

My father's computer has been working fine. Then I was using Norton
SystemWorks 2003 and I tried to optimize his hard drive. All of a sudden it
restarted the computer.
It starts up, the Windows XP logo appears then a blue screen flashes, then
the Dell loading bar appear, and then it restarts back to the Windows logo,
and around and around it goes. I push F2 to access the setup to change the
boot sequence from diskette first and CD fourth, to CD first and diskette
fourth. But my father has set the admin password and he can't remember it.
When I disable the automatic restart on system failure, the blue screen says
to "Disable or uninstall any anti-virus, disk defragmentation or backup
utilities. And run CHKDSK /F, then restart". The only problem is Windows XP
has to be running to disable or uninstall these things and to run CHKDSK and
I can't get out of my loop. I downloaded the 6 disk floppy startup disks for
XP. When it gets to Disk 6 it gives me the blue screen again telling me to
run CHKDSK and an antivirus program and restart. How to I either reset the
admin password or run CHKDSK at startup. The recovery console is not an
option when I press F8 and I need windows running to install it. Help!

 

[Eric]

Have you tried booting XP in safe mode and running the CHKDSK from there?
You can get XP into safe mode by pressing F8 just before windows starts to
boot. Basically once BIOS starts the boot sequence. There are ways to
reset the admin password, but it involves clearing the BIOS and that is
different on every computer. For that you would need a manual or call Dell
and they may be able to walk you through it....Try the Safe Mode first
though as it may get you into Windows enough where you can try to check your
hard drive for errors! Sounds like Norton may have moved some files that it
shouldn't have moved or when doing the optimizing it may have found some bad
sectors in the drive and is preventing windows from having access to them

 

[Guest]

When I try all of the options in the F8 screen, safe mode included, as soon
as it starts down that path it restarts back into the loop. I think I might
be in trouble.

 

[Ron Martell]

My father's computer has been working fine. Then I was using Norton
SystemWorks 2003 and I tried to optimize his hard drive. All of a sudden it
restarted the computer.
It starts up, the Windows XP logo appears then a blue screen flashes, then
the Dell loading bar appear, and then it restarts back to the Windows logo,
and around and around it goes. I push F2 to access the setup to change the
boot sequence from diskette first and CD fourth, to CD first and diskette
fourth. But my father has set the admin password and he can't remember it.
When I disable the automatic restart on system failure, the blue screen says
to "Disable or uninstall any anti-virus, disk defragmentation or backup
utilities. And run CHKDSK /F, then restart". The only problem is Windows XP
has to be running to disable or uninstall these things and to run CHKDSK and
I can't get out of my loop. I downloaded the 6 disk floppy startup disks for
XP. When it gets to Disk 6 it gives me the blue screen again telling me to
run CHKDSK and an antivirus program and restart. How to I either reset the
admin password or run CHKDSK at startup. The recovery console is not an
option when I press F8 and I need windows running to install it. Help!

Download Bart's PE Builder (free) from http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
and create a bootable CD. Boot your father's computer with this CD,
open a Command Prompt window and run:

CHKDSK C: /F

Also look at the root directory of drive C: and make sure the file
ntdetect.com is present. If not copy it from the \i386 folder on the
hard drive.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."