Computer keeps restarting during boot

[adamyoung]

i've got a machine that keeps rebooting when its booting up, it checks for LAN boot (skips that), then checks CD, then shows Windows XP screen for a second and a blue screen sooo quickly that it cant be read or paused. Ive checked bios etc and it set up exactly the same as the rest, is it just in need of a reinstall or more serious?

[nuttygeek]

Hi i have had this issue before and reinstalled Xp and hen its been fine, So i would start with a rebuild and then let us know if that doesnt help, i have found it to be bad memory chips in the past, but start with a rebuild.

Nuttygeek

[steve]

Press F8 before start up to load the Windows Advanced Options Menu.

Select - Disable automatic restart on system failure

This will display the BSOD without restarting, giving you a chance to write down the error message.

[Geoff]

If a rebuild/reimage doesn't fix the machine. Suspect faulty memory.

[mac_shinobi]

Depending on the BSOD / stop error it could be something else and hence the error will narrow it down to what the culprit is

You could always use a linux live disc like knoppix or bart pe or ubcd4win or something to that extent if its just a case of replacing a dll , but if thats the case then a re image / re build would defintly sort the issue out.

[tarquel]

Press F8 before start up to load the Windows Advanced Options Menu.

Select - Disable automatic restart on system failure

This will display the BSOD without restarting, giving you a chance to write down the error message.

Never noticed that before..lol

...probably because with troublesome XP pc's I deal with, they usually are XP Home [outside of work yep lol].

Good one to remember that

Nath.

[mac_shinobi]

Normally the setting to stop the machine restarting before you cant read it is here :

Right click my computer --> properties --> Advanced --> startup and recovery --> Then click settings and uncheck the "Automatically restart" option and it wont restart whenever it hits a stop error or a BSOD or w/e you want to call it.

I'm betting there is probably a way to do it via the registry as well but I aint looking now lol

[kingswood]

Gecko: How would you get to that configuration option if the machine isn't booting into Windows ;-)

The F8 option is the best one. You need to look at the error and then search the MS KB for a fix. But I'm thinking a piece of hardware pre-kernel load has bombed out; Geoff might be right about it being memory. Just re-image it and see.

Paul

[mac_shinobi]

Cos you apply it to the machines before you have the issue Via registry key using GPO or something like that :P

If you cant get into windows and you dont want it to restart you can use matts hives to edit and apply registry keys to windows :

http://www.matcode.com/codes.htm

Which is the same way you retrieve a windows xp or any other serial key from a dead machine as per this :


1. Created a Bart PE iso, nothing extra added, just used defaults.
2. Booted dead system from PE CD.
3. Downloaded LoadHive from http://www.matcode.com/codes.htm and put it on a floppy.
4. Ran it from the floppy in PE, loaded C:\WINDOWS\System32\Config\software ... it mounted the hive as SOFTWARE_00.
5. Ran regedit, found the SOFTWARE_00 subkey and navigated to CurrentVerion, exported that subkey to the floppy.
6. I moved to a working XP machine, backed up my DigitalProductId key. I edited the reg file from the floppy to only contain the DigitalProductId key.
7. I merged the DigitalProductId key from the floppy, ran Keyfinder (Magic Jellybean Software) and it pulled the key !
8. I merged the backup I made and ran it again, and sure enough it had my original key.

wink wink nudge nudge.

[mac_shinobi]

That is if the F8 key dont work, depends on how much time you want to waste on it

That or you can just re image it as you said

[mark]

Why not try swapping out the ram first - before re-building I mean.

[mac_shinobi]

why not just use knoppix live disc, navigate on the hard drive to where the log files are for that machine, find out the exact error it is having and either google that error or post back )

I am not saying that swapping out the RAM is a bad idea, just that its a jumping in the dark so to speak kind of move because without the error , it doesnt help pin point the issue(s) that the machine is having and for all we know it could be the hard drive or something else, it may even be a stupid windows error and just needs a re image

[mark]

Well if it booted off RAM then you could get to the error reporting :P

Windows error/ cured by a re-image has gotta be favourite yes. I suspect the machine must contain needed data or Adam would've tried that first.