Continuous Re-Boot

[Guest]

Our home computer has decided to start, reboot, start, reboot, etc., never
making it past the initial start-up screen. Understanding this is not
necessarily a software question, I am hoping someone might be able to shed a
little bit of help, prior to us spending $$$$ to correct the problem. Thank
you.

 

[frankg]

could be the power supply unit - it's apparently a typical symptom
It is possible to measure the voltage of each rail - there are instructions
in Scott Muellers Repairing & Upgrading PC's.
Any computer store can probably test it and swop it for a new one - not a
very expensive piece
Get enough Watts

 

[Pun Krocker]

Our home computer has decided to start, reboot, start, reboot, etc., never
making it past the initial start-up screen. Understanding this is not
necessarily a software question, I am hoping someone might be able to shed a
little bit of help, prior to us spending $$$$ to correct the problem. Thank
you.

Could be many things, do you hear any "beeps" from the pc speaker when
it does the re-booting?

 

[JJ]

Does it reboot by itself when you start in Safe Mode ? JJ

 

[Guest]

I'm having the same problem. Have you resolved the issue? If so, what was
your solution?

Thanks
DavidG

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

When the pc is booting up (after the BIOS has done its POST test and
before Windows starts loading),
Tap F8 Function key to get bootup options. Tap & keep repeat tapping F8 !


You will actually see "Disable automatic restart on system failure" as an
option .
Select that and give it a try. This option is available if you have XP
service pack 2.


You really need to see the STOP code because there is a fatal error
condition.
When you do see the STOP error, write all of it down. Code numbers plus the
text around it.

Then post that information back here.

Some research on the error should lead to the likely problem area.



Also, on selective bootup choices, (when you have a problem booting into
normal mode Windows):

try the "VGA" mode boot option. This is especially handy if your setup has a
goofed up video driver issue.

 

[Guest]

I am having the same continuous reboot problem . f8 doesn't seem to work?
any more ideas?
HELP!

 

[Guest]

I've done this and managed to get the f8 working now and have the error
message displayed which is BAD _Pool-Caller stop:0x000000c2 (ox00000043,
oxd475e000, 0x00000000, ox00000000
now what??!!

 

[Guest]

posted the stop code -any ideas Thanks for your help

 

[Guest]

P.S. I don't have a recovery xp disc or a floppy drive- help!!

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

see http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm
scroll down to 0x000000C2: BAD_POOL_CALLER

A Stop 0xC2 message might also be due to failing or defective hardware.

Use a working pc and get a memory test utility, place on diskette, and run it on the problem pc.
Run a RAM memory test. MEMTEST86 is one such utility.
See http://www.memtest86.com/


To attempt to get your Windows back to the prior known good configuration:

When the pc is booting up ,Tap F8 Function key to get bootup options. Tap & keep repeat tapping F8 !

When presented with bootup choices, select "Last Known Good Configuration".

Hopefully, that will result in your being able to have a working Windows XP.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your message. I've tried booting from 'last known good config.' -
still get same stop code. I'm using another pc at the moment but I need a bit
more step by step help on this memtest thing. (will this reset anything so
that I can then run from last good config?). WHat exactly do I download from
memtest86.com and the do I select boot from cd or somthing when I put it in
the non-working computer?
Sorry to be so bad! I really need your help! Thank you.

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Download http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip which is the Windows / dos version 3.2

If you want to make a bootable CD (to run program from CD) use the link under "ISO image" with the zip version.

The main page should give you just enough tips to get started. Follow the "Windows Installation" section.
The memt32.zip would be downloaded. You'd run Winzip (or another ZIP utility) to extract and have it saved to a dos-boot diskette.

This utility program is only a memory "tester". It will not "reset anything". It's purpose is to help to identify bad or marginal RAM memory.

 

[Guest]

ok.....if it's not going to help me get my computer started should I somehow
get a hold of a xp service pack 2 cd (like going to the store where I bought
the laptop)and try booting from it .....is there a recovery mode? I don't
want to at this stage re-initialise and lose all data unless there is no
other way. So , if possible, I'd like to recover in some way. The only things
that I can think of that happened prior to this boot problem were that I used
the 'delete all temporary files' option in the 'internet explorer' option
field as |I was having problems viewing the correct page of a website. The
only other thing was automatic updates from microsoft. The boot from 'last
good config.' still doesn't work. I don't want some guy in the store just
saying I'm going to have to wipe the whole thing clean because he can't be
bothered to try anything else! At least if I have some idea of what to try I
might be able to recover it???! Thanks again for your continued help.
P.S I notice on the microsoft website that you can order a cd of xp service
pack 2 (cost £6)....will that help me?

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

(a) I'd like to know if you managed to download memtest86 and then put it on a bootable dos-diskette, and then boot pc from it, and run memtest86. You need to see if your RAM memory is the causing of your problem.

(b) the SP2 CD (while good to have if you have not downloaded it from MS & burned to CD/DVD) is limited to adding (installing) XP service pack 2. Outside of that, has no inherent "repair/fix" options.

Do NOT take it to an every day shop. Rather try to get good recommendations for a local / reputable/ knowledgeable tech.

(c) Have you tried using F8 at startup & then selecting SAFE mode? Do that. (It's getting hard to remember if you have tried that).
And before doing that, power down any un-needed external hardware ( like printers, scanners, un-needed USB devices, etc.)

 

[Guest]

Was not able to download memtest to a diskette. So took PC to technician
where I bought PC. We tried booting from windows xp disc to reinstall it.
GAve option to recover but this didn't work. Finally we installed windows
into windows2 (ie separate area so wouldn't overwrite 'my documents'. Was
then able to search into windows (original area) and copy off 'my documents'
on to a memory stick and transfer them to another PC. The shop has given me
the Toshiba reinstallation disks, but is this the only way out? The computer
is working basically through windows2 so can I fix the problem through this?
Thank you.

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Frank,

Is the Toshiba CD the only o.s. CD that you have? I take it that it is a system recovery CD?

Since you have recovered your My Documents, that is good.
You can either stay with the Windows2 setup, or if you have recovered all your files to CD or portable media, you may consider removing the Windows setups, & use the CD to do a fresh setup.

 

[Guest]

The Toshiba CD is all I have. It is a re-installation recovery CD....i.e.
will re-install everything that was on the Toshiba when it left the factory ,
so all my other programs will be lost, but I'm not sure I really have any
other choice.
Thanks again for your continued advice.

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

YW.

 

[Guest]

Those having this problem on a desktop unit also need to check the capacitors
on the mother board, more particularly those around the processor slot. Make
sure they are not domed,split or leaking. They should be flat and clean aside
from maybe some dust. If they have stuff looks like oozing out of them I
would suspect that to be causing some if not all your problem. I've seen this