XP constant reboot after logo splash

[docmeyer]

My daughters AMD Compaq with XP SP1 has started looping, again, when it gets to the XP splash screen. I say again becuase I fixed it the last time by booting from a XP disk, and intsalled over the OS. The system was (past tense) full of spyware and the like, I cleaned it up, installed Spybot and a AV and set them to run and scan daily. Now she calls me and tells me its doing it again.

When it gets to the XP logo splash screen there is a blip of a blue screen, then it reboots, and on and on.

I've tried everything, every possible version of Safe mode etc.

I'm beginning to think hardware as the computer is probably almost 4 years old.

Any suggestions?

~d

[cuog]

a couple of things:

1- It could be a virus SP1 had ALOT of security issues, in this case deal with it as you would any other virus(reformat is my prefered choice but not always the best)

2- A harddrive as you thought, there may be a curupt sector(this was the culprit on my parent computer that had a similar problem) Also the system could be overheating causeing a shutdown(altho i dont know if it will cuase a BSoD)

My best advise may be to slave the drive in another computer and take off the important files, then try to reinstall the OS, if the OS cannot install then it is a hardware issue and needs to be investigated further. Also before reformatting ad reinstalling check to see if someone mentions an easier way around or sees something that i overlooked.

[docmeyer]

I definately want to slave the drive, reformat, reinstall, but I'm in a hotel room with a laptop right now. It's probably going to be a weekend job. I just as well buy her a new computer these days, I can get her a Dell for $300 and be done with it...

Thanks for the scoop.

~d

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by docmeyer blip of a blue screen, then it reboots, and on and on.

This is the BSOD "blue screen of death"
You need to go into Control Panel>System>Advanced>Start Up And Recovery>Settings and uncheck the box that says "Automatically Restart" then post back here the code that appears on the BSOD when you see it.

[Force Flow]

I'm not sure what sort of installation CD you have, but you might be able to try a repair install, or simply a chkdsk C: /f from the repair console.

[docmeyer]

I can't get to the CP as it keeps looping, but I'll probably have to slave the drive and reformat it and reinstall.

I was feeling the waters if it looked more OS or Hardware. I replaced the power supply with a stronger one the first time, no luck. Also thought overheating but all the fans are working. I cleaned out all the dust bunnies too.

Thanks,

~d

[kev7555]

This can be either a software or hardware problem. I have heard no talk of anti-spyware or anti-virus software and we haven't heard what the surfing habits of the owner of the computer are. There ARE malware problems that can cause this, though hardware is certainly not out of the question.

Has this computer been cleaned up as suggested in the sticky threads at the beginning of system security and privacy?



My nerd score was 83, much higher then I ever imagined...

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by docmeyer I can't get to the CP as it keeps looping

Can you get in via safemode?

[Extremerc12]

Very possible that its the harddrive. My raptor drive just did the same thing and after doing Western Digitals Safeguard tests I found there was a problem. WD says a sector was dead and the place that it was shot was where windows was installed. If you have another harddrive you can try to boot up with that. (a clean one would be the way to go as you would need to install that computers drivers.)