Please help - Constant reboot

dadecamp

under worked, over paid
Joined
30 Apr 2004
Messages
123
I hope (know) someone here can suggest what is happening to my sons PC. ;)

It started out just randomly shutting down. He would tell me that it would reboot for no reason but I found out that it happened at certain times like when minmizing or maximizing a window. We did a windows xp repair installation but after a few days it would start up again.

It got so bad that it would do it almost every time you messed with a window. It also would do it when changing from icon view in my computer to detail view of your file list.

I un-checked the auto restart so I could get a BSoD and a code but it would just reboot without the BSoD.

Then it just started freezing. :mad: I would do a hard restart and it would not boot into windows but would loop into a reboot until it would stop at the screen to choose safe mode etc. It will boot into safe mode but not into normal. It would still freeze in safe mode.

I have tried:
removing ram sticks one at a time
remove video card and run from onboard video
remove nic card
swapped power supply
ran HDD diagnostic - negative
Today I tried system restore from safe mode
I also tried doing a repair installation but it reboots right after entering the 25 digit code ( tried 8 times)

System (before ripping out parts):
MSI 815EPT MS6337
Intel PIII 1.13 Tualutin
2 sticks of generic PC133 SDram 128mb each
Raidon 7000 64mb card
Monster 400 sound card
Linksys nic card
generic ps2 keyboard
Logitech optical mouse.

Thanks
 
You have the msblast virus
Go to your antivirus software's parent site to download the removal tool and run it.
 
Originally posted by Welsh
You have the msblast virus
Go to your antivirus software's parent site to download the removal tool and run it.

I don't think so. I had it and cleaned it quite a while ago and also keep up on windows updates and virus scanner patterns.

I also cannot even boot up since I am stuck on the middle of a repair.:confused:
 
If it attempts to do it again, go to start -> run and type:
shutdown -a
 
Originally posted by Electronic Punk
If it attempts to do it again, go to start -> run and type:
shutdown -a

I don't understand. If it attempts to do what? I can't even get past entering the key. It just reboots.
 
When I've encountered those symptoms before, they were caused by corrupt video drivers or faulty motherboards.

Try running on Windows' default generic VGA drivers. Don't simply switch to your onboard video in the BIOS, but actually force the Display Adapter to be generic VGA. See if that runs stable; if it does, run DriverHeaven.net's Driver Cleaner to flush out all your old video drivers and install the latest from ATI. (In my opinion, the only sure way to resolve serious driver issues is to reinstall the OS, but that's the easy way out.)

However, if it's freezing in Safe Mode and looping during boot, it reminds me of a certain line of IBM 300GLs whose motherboards were notorious for defective capacitors. All I can suggest is to examine your motherboard for physical damage, and hope your problem is caused by software...

So check your video, check your motherboard, and good luck!
 
Originally posted by Mr. K
When I've encountered those symptoms before, they were caused by corrupt video drivers or faulty motherboards.

I will try to do the driver thing but if I can't get past the key entry I will be stuck and most likely have to do a reformat and install from scratch! :mad:

I will look hard at the mobo. I hope that it is not the issue. Not a real big problem just I don't want to invest in a pIII tualitin board and don't want to buy both board and processer.
 
This happened to me once. I had the same problem at work. Turned out to be that the power supply was being overworked because someone installed a new radeon 9800 with out asking the admin and not realizing that its a 250 watt power supply. And they're suppose to be power users.

So, how powerful is your power supply because you're either dangerously low or this isn't the problem.

Another thing to try is if you have an extra hard drive lying around install windows (or linux) and use the current as the second hard drive.
 
I had a ColorCase 550 w powersupply in it, fairly new, and changed it to an older proven ColorCase 350 w to see if the new one was the problem. No go.

No extra HDD's lying around. The current HDD is and old 5.1gb Maxtor that was replaced under warrenty about 3 years ago. I downloaded Maxtor's diagnostic utility and ran it to find no problems or errors.
 
Right, so I doubt this will help, but I had a shutdown-problem before due to a faulty PSU. What it would do was to let me start it up a while, almost till I could log in... then die. I figured it was overheating. The system would die, but the power-LEDs would still be on. Very worrying to say the least.

Soooo... maybe you have heat issues? I don't know... but it could be worth a check. =/
 
Funny that you aren't getting BSoDs..this same thing was happening to me in August. Turned out to be a faulty driver. I recommend you check all your drivers / update as neccessary. I believe it is a driver problem, because I was told before on this very forum that a hardware problem would cause your system to freeze, not reboot. Rebooting is caused by driver problems.
 
You may have a corrupted bios. Clear CMOS, and reset BIOS. Try running in safe default mode first then go into optimized default settings. My experience is with the award bios systems.If you aren't sure how to do this do the following. Unplug the power supply from your mainboard, remove the battery, and wait for several minutes.
 
Hi,
Looks like your getting quite a few opinions here - the trouble is that it can be soo many things that are causing this. So its better to start from the beginning and get down to the root of this issue by trying the most basic things first.

Therefore - I know you say that it crashes whne trying to "repair" the installation after entering the CD-Key, but are you able to go into windows in Safe-Mode? You can do this by pressing F8 on startup. What this does is enter into a windows environment with minimal drivers loaded. If you can, and you can run with it for a while for testing - i would assume that it may not be a hardware issue and instead a driver issue.
 
Try Reformatting ... But delete the partition, recreate the partition then install the OS (or restore disk the manufacturer gave you) .. if that don't work it's a Hardware issue ..
 
Just a thought, but is your processor fan running OK? I've had this occur with a duff fan before and the symptoms are similar.
I only mention as no one else has and I hope I'm not teaching you to suck eggs!!!
 
well how about firstly when you boot up your pride n joy, you enter bios and set everything 'optimised' and accept and then reboot.
When you reboot remove all the devices plugged into usb ports.
Thats means unplug em.
If your pointer in usb port then stick it in another usb and leave it when you boot up.

My only pain driver was a naughty usb adsl modem driver, which when windows was running install would crash severly when re-installing xp pro.

I have learn't a lot of my stuff from trial n error.
be patient, try try and try again ;)
 
Gets the feeling thread starter don't want our help or any experiences of problems such as his/hers we have encountered.

Thinks we should post some £1.50 ($2.50) per minute technical support lines.

Turns head, I think you're probably right.
 
Go Easy!...

... on Dad(s)! He may be busy taking some advice before reposting... He may have been offended at the "pride and joy" reference when, being a Dad, it's his sons machine we're discussing... either way give him at least 48 hours to post before invoking the "pay for advice" post! (Then again, since he's underworked and overpaid this should present no obstacle for him).

But seriously - this being my 200th post - I need to try to help too!

Now just so happens I have a reboot issue, sometimes, far more intermittent, and on my new AMD 3000+ machine. I have got no where near the problem, which may indeed be hardware (about to unplug and reseat my AGP card). I WOULD indeed be suspicious of drivers IF there were blue screen incidents - but there seem to be none. Also remember the problems began without any h/w change (so far as we are told). So it's a bit open there...

However a couple of obs - USB seems to be involved (optical mouse?) and I am deeply suspicious of the (USB 1) modem I am presently using on my new machine until I can keep it stable enough to configure router with confidence. So I would encourage Dad to try that route of investigation as pain free and with a potential resolution. HMMmmm I said a couple, now what was the other? Oh yeah... believe there's a version of linux you can get that boots from CD - if you can get hold of it (maybe on your own machine) and slip it in and boot stable - well then you can eliminate hardware faults and are down to driver debugging...

I hope my 200th post is worthy! (At least I tried! :rolleyes: )
 
pride n joy ='s boy. (_ockney Rhyming Slang.

I was being sarcaustic!

I dare invoke negative feedback, might get might hand bitten off.

When ones computer goes on the blink, I could have a major war, soldiers blasting the bits off, of each other and earthquake, flooding, a jet about to land in my garden etc... etc... etc..

If my PC aint workin' that's life come to an end as far as I am concerned.

I am reading between the lines of his/her pain.:mad:

I was not and I stress I was not, being a beech :eek:
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
Xie wrote on Electronic Punk's profile.
Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
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Rest in peace my friend, been trying to find you and finally did in the worst way imaginable.

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