Stuck in an infinite boot loop

[Guest]

My computer keeps looping around the boot screen. I can’t find a way out.

A few days ago my computer:

1. Would not detect my USB Memory Stick.

2. Was also not showing any open programs/applications in the Windows Task
Bar as it should. It didn’t matter if there were several docs open or several
programs/applications running, there was nothing in the Task Bar. Not even
the Quick launch icons that I had installed. There was just the Start Button
and the Date/Time. The only way I could know which applications were running,
and be able to swap between them, was to use the Windows Task Manager.

These problems (USB detection and Task Bar) started suddenly, at about the
same time, a few days ago. There is no new hardware recently installed on my
computer. There are no new programs/updates recently installed/downloaded on
my computer.

So after suspecting that it could just be an O/S fault, I thought to repair
the O/S using the Restore CD.

1. I first uninstalled SP2 which was preventing Restore CD installation
(Restore CD has SP1).

2. I selected Repair Present Installation from the Restore CD console.

After about 45 mins the process was complete and computer said it was
restarting. This is when the looping started. Instead of going to Windows
logon screen, the computer kept looping back to the screen - “Windows did not
start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused
thisâ€

I’ve tried Starting the computer in all the given options on that screen:

1. Safe Mode
2. Safe Mode with Networking
3. Safe Mode with Command Prompt
4. Last known good configuration
5. Start Windows Normally

The Dell logo appears normally, with the white bar loading at the bottom of
the screen. Then instead of going to the Windows logon screen, a blue screen
swiftly flashes for a split second, so fast that I can’t read what it says,
and the computer loops back to the “Windows did not start successfully……â€, to
restart the infinite boot loop. At one time I left the computer on for 1.5
hours and found it still looping.

I’ve also tried F12 (Boot menu) and selecting to boot from the CD/DVD/CD-RW
Drive where I inserted the Restore CD, but after it prompts me to press any
key to continue, only a black screen appears - forever. No key stroke can get
me out of the black screen. I have to switch off the computer every time I
want to stop.

I'm not “computer literateâ€, and I’m stumped.

My computer is 2years 8months old.

Dell Inspiron 1150 Laptop
XP Home
Intel Celeron 2.4Ghz
512MB RAM
40GB
AntiVir 6 Personal Edition Antivirus
Spybot Search and Destroy
WinPatrol 9.1

Sorry about the very long story. I needed to cover as much as possible in
order to be as clear as possible.

Thanks for all replies.

KC1109
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Guest]

If you hit F8 while booting, there should be an option among the Safe Mode
and Restore options to "Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure". That
will cause your PC to hang at the Blue Screen so you can see what the error
is exactly which may help determine your exact problem.

 

[Guest]

Well you are able to to a repair install so on the way to that option you
would also have been given the option to get into the "Recovery Console".
Here is where you need to try a couple of things. First get into the recovery
console and then type in chkdsk /r This should find any bad boot flags that
will cause the loop and fix it. After you type that in and hit enter on your
keyboard simply follow the on screen prompts. You will be asked to boot as
the volume needs to be locked. Do it. If this doesn't fix you up, then get
back into the recovery console and type fixboot and when asked if you want to
write a new boot sector say yes. Post back after you try these and let us
know how you made out. TTFN.

 

[Guest]

Forgot this link for you to read.
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/chkdsk.mspx

 

[Guest]

Thanx brianb. Thanx The Unknown P

I hit F8 at boot up and a screen appeared with:

“Please select an Operating System to startâ€

I hit F8 again and Windows Advanced Options Menu screen appeared. I tried
Starting the computer in all the given options on that screen:

1. Safe Mode
2. Safe Mode with Networking
3. Safe Mode with Command Prompt

4. Enable Boot Bogging
5. Enable VGA
6. Last known good configuration
7. Directory Services Restore Mode
8. Debugging Mode

9. Start Windows Normally
10. Reboot
11. Return to OS Choices Menu

They all did not work. Whatever I chose I'm taken back to the:

“Please select an Operating System to start†screen.

And as soon as I select Operating System, a blue screen swiftly flashes
briefly, then the boot logo appears, before looping back to, “Windows did not
start successfully….â€.

Therefore I cannot get into the Recovery Console to try The Unknown P’s
advice.

Any other ideas? Thanx again.

KC1109.

__________________________________________________________________

 

[Steve N.]

Thanx brianb. Thanx The Unknown P

I hit F8 at boot up and a screen appeared with:

“Please select an Operating System to start”

I hit F8 again and Windows Advanced Options Menu screen appeared. I tried
Starting the computer in all the given options on that screen:

1. Safe Mode
2. Safe Mode with Networking
3. Safe Mode with Command Prompt

4. Enable Boot Bogging
5. Enable VGA
6. Last known good configuration
7. Directory Services Restore Mode
8. Debugging Mode

9. Start Windows Normally
10. Reboot
11. Return to OS Choices Menu

They all did not work. Whatever I chose I'm taken back to the:

“Please select an Operating System to start” screen.

And as soon as I select Operating System, a blue screen swiftly flashes
briefly, then the boot logo appears, before looping back to, “Windows did not
start successfully….”.

Therefore I cannot get into the Recovery Console to try The Unknown P’s
advice.

Any other ideas? Thanx again.

KC1109.

That is not how you get to the Recovery Console.

If you have a "normal" Windows XP CD (not a Recovery/Reimage CD) boot
the CD (may need to adjust device boot order in BIOS), read carefully
and choose R for Recovery Console.

Steve

 

[Malke]

Well you are able to to a repair install so on the way to that option
you would also have been given the option to get into the "Recovery
Console". Here is where you need to try a couple of things. First get
into the recovery
console and then type in chkdsk /r This should find any bad boot
flags that will cause the loop and fix it. After you type that in and
hit enter on your keyboard simply follow the on screen prompts. You
will be asked to boot as the volume needs to be locked. Do it. If this
doesn't fix you up, then get back into the recovery console and type
fixboot and when asked if you want to write a new boot sector say yes.
Post back after you try these and let us know how you made out. TTFN.

Please remember to quote some of the original post for clarity. To
recap, here is some of it, with snippage:

My computer keeps looping around the boot screen. I can?t find a way
out.

A few days ago my computer:

1.        Would not detect my USB Memory Stick.

2.        Was also not showing any open programs/applications in the
Windows Task Bar as it should. It didn?t matter if there were several
docs open or several programs/applications running, there was nothing
in the Task Bar.

To the OP: this sounds very much like a hardware problem. Applying a
software solution (reinstalling/repairing Windows) to a problem caused
by failing hardware is futile.

I will give you my general hardware troubleshooting steps, but you
should call Dell tech support. They will want you to do the Dell
Diagnostics. If you know how to do that, do the Dell Diagnostics before
you call Tech Support so you don't waste time. I would start with the
RAM and hard drive testing.

1) Open the computer and run it open, cleaning out all dust bunnies and
observing all fans (overheating will cause system freezing). Obviously
you can't do this with a laptop, but you can hear if the fan is running
and feel if the laptop is getting too hot.

2) Test the RAM - I like Memtest86+ from www.memtest.org. Obviously, you
have to get the program from a working machine. You will either
download the precompiled Windows binary to make a bootable floppy or
the .iso to make a bootable cd. If you want to use the latter, you'll
need to have third-party burning software on the machine where you
download the file - XP's built-in burning capability won't do the job.
In either case, boot with the media you made. The test will run
immediately. Let the test run for an extended period of time - unless
errors are seen immediately. If you get any errors, replace the RAM.

3) Test the hard drive with a diagnostic utility from the mftr. Usually
you will download the file and make a bootable floppy with it. Boot
with the media and do a thorough test. If the drive has physical
errors, replace it.

4) The power supply may be going bad or be inadequate for the devices
you have in the system. The adequacy issue doesn't really apply to a
laptop, although of course the power
supply can be faulty.

5) Test the motherboard with something like TuffTest from
www.tufftest.com. Sometimes this is useful, and sometimes it isn't.

Testing hardware failures often involves swapping out suspected parts
with known-good parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a good local
computer repair shop (not a CompUSA or Best Buy type of store).

Malke

 

[Guest]

That is not how you get to the Recovery Console.

If you have a "normal" Windows XP CD (not a Recovery/Reimage CD) boot
the CD (may need to adjust device boot order in BIOS), read carefully
and choose R for Recovery Console.

Steve

Thanx Steve.

But I've already tried that several times and it has failed.

My computer was supplied with the O/S preinstalled. But there were 7CDs that
came with it, sealed in their small pockets. They included one written -

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Operating System (with Service Pack 1a) –
Reinstallation CD.

It was specified on this CD that this Software was already preinstalled, and
that I should only use the CD to reinstall the software.

Like I said in my earlier post, I tried booting the Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition CD. I notice it’s the one I called the Restore CD in my earlier
post. I hadn’t realised that mis-naming it would mislead. Pardon me. But
anyway, when I boot the Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition CD, it prompts me
to -

“Press any key to boot from CDâ€

after which it takes me to a black screen with -

“Setup is inspecting your computer’s hardware configurationâ€

This text lasts for one second, then the screen goes blank (or black,
rather). The first time this happened, I left the computer like that for
30mins thinking the computer was still inspecting my hardware configuration
as it had said. After waiting 30mins not a single key worked to get out of
the black screen. I had to switch off the computer and start again.

I also tried changing the device boot order in the BIOS. I put the
CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive at the top, and inserted the Microsoft Windows XP CD but
this still didn’t work.

There are 6 Options in the BIOS device boot order menu -

1. Diskette Drive
2. Internal HDD
3. USB Storage Device
4. CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive
5. Cardbus NIC
6. Onboard NIC

This above is the default BIOS device boot order. I have concluded that the
computer cannot boot from the Microsoft Windows XP CD either.

I’m still stuck. About to try Dell Support now.

Thanx anyways.

KC.

 

[Guest]

It does sound more like a hardware problem to me...but without actually
testing all the hardware or at least seeing what that blue screen says, it's
tough to know for sure.

 

[Steve N.]

:





Thanx Steve.

But I've already tried that several times and it has failed.

My computer was supplied with the O/S preinstalled. But there were 7CDs that
came with it, sealed in their small pockets. They included one written -

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Operating System (with Service Pack 1a) –
Reinstallation CD.

It was specified on this CD that this Software was already preinstalled, and
that I should only use the CD to reinstall the software.

Like I said in my earlier post, I tried booting the Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition CD. I notice it’s the one I called the Restore CD in my earlier
post. I hadn’t realised that mis-naming it would mislead. Pardon me. But
anyway, when I boot the Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition CD, it prompts me
to -

“Press any key to boot from CD”

after which it takes me to a black screen with -

“Setup is inspecting your computer’s hardware configuration”

This text lasts for one second, then the screen goes blank (or black,
rather). The first time this happened, I left the computer like that for
30mins thinking the computer was still inspecting my hardware configuration
as it had said. After waiting 30mins not a single key worked to get out of
the black screen. I had to switch off the computer and start again.

I also tried changing the device boot order in the BIOS. I put the
CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive at the top, and inserted the Microsoft Windows XP CD but
this still didn’t work.

There are 6 Options in the BIOS device boot order menu -

1. Diskette Drive
2. Internal HDD
3. USB Storage Device
4. CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive
5. Cardbus NIC
6. Onboard NIC

This above is the default BIOS device boot order. I have concluded that the
computer cannot boot from the Microsoft Windows XP CD either.

I’m still stuck. About to try Dell Support now.

Thanx anyways.

KC.

You've almost certainly got a hardware problem. Follow Malke's advice on
testing.

Steve

 

[Guest]

To the OP: this sounds very much like a hardware problem. Applying a
software solution (reinstalling/repairing Windows) to a problem caused
by failing hardware is futile.

I will give you my general hardware troubleshooting steps.....

.......If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a good local
computer repair shop (not a CompUSA or Best Buy type of store).


Thanx Malke,

I'm new to these technical things. Your advice is quite interesting, but it
looks like I will have to send it to qualified people, coz I'm not confident
I can do this myself.

Thanx all the same.

 

[Guest]

You've almost certainly got a hardware problem. Follow Malke's advice on
testing.

Steve

Thanx Steve.

Looks like I just have to do that.

KC.

 

[Malke Routh]

......If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a good local
computer repair shop (not a CompUSA or Best Buy type of store).


Thanx Malke,

I'm new to these technical things. Your advice is quite interesting,
but it looks like I will have to send it to qualified people, coz I'm
not confident I can do this myself.

Thanx all the same.

You're most welcome. You are a sensible person to know that you should
let a professional fix the computer.

Malke