System reboots nonstop please help!

[denisewool]

I have a BIG mess on my hands. I take college classes online and both my desktop and laptop are down. My laptop got a virus and I went to copy the virus software from my desktop to disk so I could use it on my laptop. the desktop froze mid transfer and I had to reboot. Now everytime I turn on my desktop, it gets to the windows screen(running xp) and before it fully loads it reboots. It does this continually until I finally manually turn it off. How do I diagnose what the problem is to get it fixed. I'm a single mom of 2 that goes to school online full time and also works fulltime with NO time or money to take it to fixed by someone else. Not totally computer iliterate but don't know what else to try. I can get it to load in safe mode and everything it checks does check out fine. I did a total system recovery thinking maybe something just got crossed and the computer worked for a day and went back to continuosly rebooting. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

[rjfvillarosa]

First of all we need to know the full specifications of the computer and the laptop.

Computer:
Is this a store bought branded machine or a custom build? If it is store bought, what make and model is it? If it is a custom build do you know the make and model of the motherboard, the ram and the power supply?

Laptop:
Same again, make and model?

What operating system are you using on the computers? Windows98, ME, Windows2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7?

My laptop got a virus and I went to copy the virus software from my desktop to disk so I could use it on my laptop. the desktop froze mid transfer and I had to reboot

Do you mean Antivirus software? What do you mean by transfer?

Take your time and give us as much information as you can.

[denisewool]

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa Computer: Is this a store bought branded machine or a custom build? If it is store bought, what make and model is it? If it is a custom build do you know the make and model of the motherboard, the ram and the power supply?

Store bought HP Pavilion AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3300+ 2400 MHz 512MB/PC3200 Memory DDR SDRAM

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa Laptop: Same again, make and model?

Dell D610 Intel Pentium Processor 1.86 GHz .99GB RAM

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa What operating system are you using on the computers? Windows98, ME, Windows2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7?

Desktop- WindowsXP Laptop-WindowsXP Professional

Originally Posted by rjfvillarosa Do you mean Antivirus software? What do you mean by transfer?

I had Symantec antivirus on my desktop. I couldnt locate the disk so I was copying it onto a blank disk to install it on the laptop. While trying to copy it, the desktop froze and had to be rebooted. When the computer rebooted, it gets to the desktop but before it fully loads, the system reboots. I tried to do a restore but it wouldn't do anything. I did a total recovery and didn't reinstall anything but the internet. It worked for about a day then started rebooting over and over again. It can be started in safe mode. I have done the chkdsk but it won't complete the process and tells me there is an error.

As far as the laptop, I went to the Dell site because I was told in order to do a total recovery I had to follow the instructions on there site. They did not work. I tried reinstalling the OS and now when I turn the computer on, it takes me to a screen that makes me choose between WindowsXP and WindowsXP setup. (apparently I screwed up the reinstallation! go figure!!)

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by denisewool I had Symantec antivirus on my desktop. I couldnt locate the disk so I was copying it onto a blank disk to install it on the laptop. While trying to copy it, the desktop froze and had to be rebooted. When the computer rebooted, it gets to the desktop but before it fully loads, the system reboots. I tried to do a restore but it wouldn't do anything. I did a total recovery and didn't reinstall anything but the internet. It worked for about a day then started rebooting over and over again. It can be started in safe mode. I have done the chkdsk but it won't complete the process and tells me there is an error.

Sorry Denise but you cannot copy a program from one computer to another, you have to actually install the program, at a guess I would say that you trashed the Symantec installation and wrote off some System files which in turn caused your machine to freeze.

Originally Posted by denisewool As far as the laptop, I went to the Dell site because I was told in order to do a total recovery I had to follow the instructions on there site. They did not work. I tried reinstalling the OS and now when I turn the computer on, it takes me to a screen that makes me choose between WindowsXP and WindowsXP setup. (apparently I screwed up the reinstallation! go figure!!)

Dells are supplied with either a recovery partition on the harddrive or they require reinstall disks. Do you have the recovery disks? or is your laptop equiped with a recovery partition?
Do you have any important personal files like photos or school documents on either your desktop or laptop?

[denisewool]

I have the reinstall disk for the laptop but I must not be doing something correctly because I can't get it to work.

I have backed up all my important files off of the desktop so I am not concerned with losing anything. I did the restore but it only worked for a day before it started rebooting again. That's why I wasn't sure if it might be an actual component of the computer that went and it was just maybe a coincidence that it happened at the same time. I didn't know that you can't copy programs like that. The laptop doesn't have anything on it as I just use it as a backup for when my son is in the hospital so I can work from there or do homework. The neighborhood kids were using it for a couple of weeks when the virus hit.

Any suggestions on how to undo whatever I did? (on either computer?)

[glc]

I have done the chkdsk but it won't complete the process and tells me there is an error.

That sounds like a failing hard drive. However, here is how you do a full system recovery:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...cname=bph07145

I have the reinstall disk for the laptop but I must not be doing something correctly because I can't get it to work.

Press Ctrl+F11 immediately on startup, this will take you into Symantec PC Recovery, this will reinstall everything WITHOUT having to use the CD.

[denisewool]

I did a full system recovery on the desktop and after 1 day it started rebooting again. I was wondering if it could be harddrive so I was on the right track. I wasn't sure how to tell. So how do I figure out what I have or what I need to replace it? I know nothing about hard drives.

The laptop doesn't have Symantec on it. But the Dell site says to hold control and press F11 and it will take you to the recovery area. This is not working for me. When I do that the computer doesn't seem to recognize it. That was why I tried to do the reinstall from the disk. But I must not be doing it correctly because I can't get it to do it from there either.

[rjfvillarosa]

The desktop:
Does it start up at all now?

The laptop:
What wording is printed on the disk you are using to reinstall the operating system?

[glc]

The laptop doesn't have Symantec on it. But the Dell site says to hold control and press F11 and it will take you to the recovery area.

Symantec PC Recovery is NOT the same thing as Symantec Antivirus. If the laptop was built after 7/2004 it has PC Recovery, which is accessed with Ctrl+F11.

On the desktop, open the case and look at the hard drive. Determine the brand, download diagnostics from the hard drive manufacturer, and run them. If the drive tests bad, buy a replacement - and you WILL need a full CD recovery set to load it.

[denisewool]

The desktop starts but immediately starts rebooting. How do I go in and test it?

The laptop disk says WindowsXP Professional OS Reinstallation

[denisewool]

I can't get to the Symantec recovery. The laptop does absolutely nothing when I do the control F11.

How do I download diagnostics from the hard drive manufacturer and run them if the computer won't stay on long enough for me to do it? The only way to keep the computer on is to start it in safe mode and then I can't access the internet. I do have the recovery disks for the desktop. This is how I got it to work for a day. I can try to do another recovery and hopefully it will let me get online long enough to download the diagnostics. Can they be ran in safe mode?

[denisewool]

This is exactly why I am going to school for computer engineering and software! I want to be able to fix my own computer and KNOW what the heck I am doing! lol

[rjfvillarosa]

Laptop first:
When you switch on your laptop and it boots to the Dell logo screen, up in the top right hand corner you should see:
press F2 or F3 to enter setup.
press F12 for boot options.
Press F12 and when you are confronted by the option screen, open and the CD drawer and put your XP reinstall disk in the tray and close it, select option 4 and boot from the CD device. Follow the on screen instructions to do a full reinstall of your OS.

You say you are doing Computer Engineering. Are you ready to get your hands dirty?
Take the side cover off your desktop and see if you can read what make your harddrive is. IF you can still boot the desktop into safe-mode without it rebooting, you can go to Control Panel>System>Device Manager and read the harddrives ID number.
ST = Seagate.
WD = WesternDigital.

What computer are you making these posts from? does it have a CD writer? do you have any blank CD's? do you know what an ISO image is? do you know how to make a bootable CD from an ISO image file?

[denisewool]

Not sure which number you want: s/n= SO13J1OXB89739
SASP16049
SP 1604N
SAMSUNG SPINMASTER

I am making most of these posts from work. The laptop will also let me access the net I just have to go through a bunch of crap to get the OS to load then it plays music in the background the whole time even if nothing is open!?

Yes I have access to a computer with a CD writer. No idea what an ISO image is so I have no clue how to make a bootable CD from an ISO image file. lol

And might I say PLEASE GET MY HANDS DIRTY! I am so tired of not knowing how to fix this thing! Teach me master! I am just starting the actual computer class end of my schooling.

[rjfvillarosa]

When you boot up (start) your computer it begins a process of self checking known as POST (power on self test), there is a small chip on the motherboard known as the BIOS chip.
This chip contains all the information needed to boot your computer up and to tell it where to look for the operating system (Windows). When you create a bootable CD you interupt this process and basically you tell the BIOS to boot from the CD and not the harddrive containing the OS.
To do this you need to make a bootable CD and one of the most usefull things you can do with a bootable CD is use it to launch diagnostic tools. If the CD boots up ok it is a reasonable assumption that your computer only has one or two hardware problems.
The most recommended utility CD around here is the ultimatebootCD, this CD will boot your computer to a DOS like mode and give you access to a bunch of good diagnostic tools some of which are the actual manufacturers diagnostic tools.
Have a good read of this page:
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
You need to download the ISO version, scroll down the page a bit and you will see 'P2P' scroll past to the Mirror Sites and download your ISO from one of them, the download link is in the left hand column.

Making a bootable CD is easy just follow the instructions of the burning software you use and as it says in the quotation below use CDRW's in case some thing goes wrong and you make a coaster.
Once you have made the CD you will need to enter the BIOS of your desktop and change the boot order, we can go over that after you are happy you have successfully made the bootable CD.

After you have successfully extracted the single ISO file, you now need to burn it to CD. This is another topic that frequently trips up newbies who are not familiar with their CD recording software, such as Nero or Easy CD Creator. Some of you end up burning the ISO file itself to the CD, or some other weird results. The easiest way to burn the ISO file to CD is to use a small specialized freeware such as BurnCDCC or Active@ ISO Burner. Where possible, experiment with CDRW discs instead of CDR discs so that you can start over if something goes wrong, instead of churning out coasters.

[denisewool]

OK I got the ISO image file on disk. LOL now I am finally starting to understand some of the components and terms I just learned in my last class! I needed to understand this stuff a few weeks ago

[rjfvillarosa]

Now boot your desktop up and repeatedly tap the 'delete' key, this will hopefully activate the BIOS screen before your computer atempts to boot from the harddrive.
When the BIOS screen displays, open the CD or DVD drawer and put the boot disk in the drawer and close it again. In the BIOS slowly navigate around the basic settings and see if you can find the boot order, change the boot in every instance to boot from the CD, doing this will stop the machine skipping over the CD and going to the harddrive, some motherboards often ignore the boot order and go straight to the harddrive, why they do this I cannot tell you as I don't know.
Once you have changed the boot order press F10 to exit the BIOS and save your changes, your computer will now reboot and hopefull boot up to the UBCD Welcome screen, go to harddrive tools and use the 'Hitachi drive fitness test' to test your harddrive, the Hitachi is a generic tool that carries out good diagnostics on the majority of harddrives makes.

If the delete key doesn't do the job you will have to use trial and error on the 'F' keys to see which one gives you access to the BIOS screen.

Let me know how you get on.

[denisewool]

I went in and changed the settings in the BIOS to boot from CD. When it rebooted it says disk boot failure, insert system disk end press enter.

To get into the the BIOS settings I pressed F1 and entered the system setup. At the top of the screen it said Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility. Is this not the correct screen?

[rjfvillarosa]

Yes that is the correct screen.
Did you change all the boot devices? (it doesn't really matter because by displaying that message it has missed out the harddrive)
How many optical drives does the desktop have? If it is more than one try the boot process again but use the other drive, if not I am afraid you have made a coaster and you need to create your bootable disk again, this is why it's recommended to use rewriteable CD's.

[denisewool]

Downloading it again now.

[rjfvillarosa]

What are you using to burn the CD?
Why are you downloading another copy? first one corrupt or did you delete it?

[denisewool]

different computer. at home now. Going to try and do it again

[rjfvillarosa]

I have had trouble with Nero in the past when trying to burn an ISO.
Download and install DeepBurner (free version) it's very easy to use, very small and makes burning an ISO easy, just select ISO in the little window that opens when you start DeepBurner.

http://www.deepburner.com

[denisewool]

OK I am not stupid but I can't get Deepburner to open. It keeps telling me there is an initialization error. I have unistalled and reinstalled 3 times incase I did something wrong. I got the screen that I click on ISO but after that it won't finish opening and gives me that error.

[rjfvillarosa]

Your not having much luck with downloads are you?
What machine are you downloading to? Is it clean of viruses and malware?

Don't get despondent, it happens....

[denisewool]

It's the laptop. I just tried downloading Active@ISO but don't know what the target is but it won't let me put anything in that spot anyway. I am so frustrated that if it ever gets going it's going to feel GREAT!

[rjfvillarosa]

You said earlier that the laptop had been infected with a virus. It is possible that you still have problems with it especially if you let kids use it, (the worst infected machines I see usualy belong to kids).
What antivirus and malwarescanners have you got installed on the laptop?

Do you want to switch attention to the laptop and get that working correctly first?

[denisewool]

It's still not right either. I'm not supposed to download things at work so I was going to try and do it on the laptop. Everytime I start the laptop it asks me if I want to reopen a previous session or go to a new session. If I hit reopen, it will open 20+ screens and it constantly plays music and ads over the speakers the entire time it's turned on. I put AVG and Avast on it to try and get rid of some it and it worked well enough to get me back online. NO more kids on my computers! I tried to do a reinstall from the disk but it wouldn't work. I went to the Dell site but the control F11 thing did absolutely nothing. It's like it didn't even recognize I was doing anything.

[rjfvillarosa]

It sounds like your laptop is still infected with malware, viruses and malware are known to block or screw up downloads in an effort to stop you from downloading tools to remove them.
Try and download two programs to your laptop, one is a very good malware scanner and the other one is an excellent tool for doing general cleaning.

http://www.malwarebytes.org this is the malware scanner.

http://www.ccleaner.com this is the system cleaner.

If you can get malwarebytes to download and install do a full update on it and then run a full scan. Both of these applications are free. If you really are interested in computer hardware and software you have come to one of the best help sites on the net.

[denisewool]

Got the ccleaner installed and ran. the malwarebytes I have downloaded 2x and it won't open. I'm going to try it again now that the ccleaner has been run