Windows XP restarts in all modes

[Guest]

Trying to diagnose somones PC problem over the phone. PC restarted its self
during boot up then gave options to boot. Trying to startup in all modes
Normal, safe etc just result in PC restarting its self. Any recommendations
for getting out of this loop. Will a Windows XP CD start the operating
system. I suspect a virus of some sort. Any ideas?

 

[Neil Howie]

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Neil

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| Trying to diagnose somones PC problem over the phone. PC restarted its
self
| during boot up then gave options to boot. Trying to startup in all
modes
| Normal, safe etc just result in PC restarting its self. Any
recommendations
| for getting out of this loop. Will a Windows XP CD start the operating
| system. I suspect a virus of some sort. Any ideas?

 

[Guest]

I would start by running a repair install. Have them boot to the Windows XP
CD. Start setup and, when asked whether to repair or install, chose install
(repair at this point loads the recovery console). Continue setup to the
point where it asks whether you want to perform a repair of your existing
installation of Windows or reinstall. Chose the repair install. This should
replace all the Windows files with the baseline files.

Note that, after booting, you will be back to the base XP installation and
it is imperative that all the security patches and service packs be reloaded
immediately.

 

[Interrogative]

I would start by running a repair install. Have them boot to the Windows XP

I actually did that on a machine with that same problem and it locked out
every user with a password that wasn't there in the first place.

The problem is usually caused by one or more programs that are later than
the latest SP. Eg, you might try booting off the CD and renaming anything to
do with your WMP to *old.* (eg, shove old in the name) and any other program
that you have there. Honestly it has been the cause in the past for this
with other SPs. Other programs do the same thing.