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WinXP reboot loop

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by aben16

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Hi,
My windows XP is keeping rebooting and rebooting in a loop. I do not know if a virus problem ( It started when I was surfing in the net)or a component problem (processor, RAM or Hard Drive).
I have data that I do not want to lose.
How may I fix this problem?
Thank you

15 replies

by bart777

Hopefully you can boot into safemode.

If you can once the machine has started go to system properties/advanced/system restore. Remove the check from the Automatically reboot box. While in safemode run a virus scan using a tool like stinger from NAI. Also look in the registry for erroneous entries and also in the start up tab of you start menu.

If you can't even get to safe mode it may be time to format and start over.

Good luck.

by cglrcng9

Do not start over...This is a common problem lately w/ WIN XP Home. Keep trying repeatedly to get into SAFE MODE (it could take you up to 55 tries..I know that is asking a bunch of patience, but if the data is worth it you must try repeatedly). When you hear the hard drive start to thrash a bunch, then you know you are close and that try or the next will allow it to boot into Safe Mode.

Once in safe mode I personally would use Disk Dr. from a Norton SystemWorks disk and schedule a DiskChk (you can also use the Recovery Panel from your WinXP CD, but that diskchk will/may take days (48-72 hrs sometimes) to correct the problem "Dskchk /r" or "Dskchk /p"), where the DiskChk scheduled via Nortons Disk Dr. will usually take about 2-4 hrs. to fix the Security Descriptor problems usually caused by the latest XP Home updates. You can see the problem called out and found when checking the drive in Safe Mode using Disk Dr..

I have now fixed 84 XP Home systems in this manner in the last 2 months without a single file lost. So do not give up....this problem takes patience and the right tools is all.

Good Luck. But if you need more info e-mail me and I'll be glad to help.

by cglrcng9

BTW, not 1 of those 84 systems had a virus once in and booting properly again...And not one file lost on those 84 (though I did lose 3 systems (first was my own dual boot system of course after a Windows update on July 4th when MS Support was out of the office of course, not that they belived then that the problem existed when I called on the 5th!), and all the data before I knew how to cure the problem without starting over...no patience or customers that had attempted to re-install XP before I got there).

by cglrcng9

One other thing here, you really know you have this particular problem if returning to most recent configuration that worked doesn't work, booting to Safe Mode doesn't work, or Safe Mode w/ networking doesn't work...In fact none of the normal options gets you anywhere.

Just keep trying Safe Mode...It will eventually Boot into it....Believe!

by aben16

Thank you very much for your comments but it did not help to resolve my problem.
I want to reinstall winXP (upgrade). Am I going to lose data?
Thank you.

by cglrcng9

Short answer is yes! If you attempt to re-install windows w/ that Security Descriptor problem existing you will lose data as you will need to completely re-format. But you said you wanted to save the data & be able to reach it. If you need help e-mail me and we'll work a way I can help out over the phone or an Instant messenger or something.

Were you able to reach Safe Mode @ all? If not keep trying and when you get into Safe Mode contact me. If not then contact me as long as you have the CD and I'll help you use the Recovery Console to run chkdsk from there.

If you attempt to replace the MBR you will lose the file NTLDR (which is XP's NTLoader Boot Menu), it is replaceable from the CD in Recovery Console, but I have not been successful yet in re-installing it while the Security Descriptor problems exist so warning there.

by cglrcng9

I can tell you only 2 things so far have caused this reboot loop problem that I know of on the XP machines I have seen as "unhealthy" and that is this Security Descriptor problem (rectifyable using Chkdsk, Chkdsk /r, or Chkdsk /p either run from the Recovery Console or via a sheduling of Chkdsk using Norton's Disk Dr. if installed or run from CD in Safe Mode), the other is the Blaster Worm, which you can cure using Symantec's FixBlasterWorm fix tool. But both act very different. The Security Descriptor problem re-boots at the Log Into and loading system settings window everytime (just a timeout really since it cannot log on due to a security error), and Blaster will reboot over and over at many points, sometimes loading windows, sometimes not, sometimes launching applications. sometimes before hardware is even loaded on the boot...And it might even let you into Windows for an hr. before it reboots. The actual reboot w/ blaster is caused by a reboot on all errors setting from within Windows XP that can be shutoff but then you still need to cleanup the virus and reset it to reboot on all errors. Start>Settings>Control Panel>System> On the System Window click the Advanced tab> then click the Settings Button in StartUp & Recovery>then under System Failure section>uncheck Automatically Restart.

You must do this as soon as you can get into Safe Mode for either problem, cure the problem or cure the Virus, then remember to reset that checkmark later. I have seen some OEM systems (Dell's new ones for example),w/ that checkmark not set but the default as far as I know is a restart on system failure (need to ask MS why).

by cglrcng9

Give us a bit more info....Where is it re-booting? What have you tried, system info, etc. Did you try reaching Safe Mode? If so, how many times....Did you get there? Can you get there? Do you have your original XP CD? What version is it...(Home or Pro)? I'd like to help.

by glyall

have you use a diagnostic program?
there several out there.
check it pro is a good one
any good diagnostic program boots from a floppy.

run a complete test for the system.

I think you have a bad hard drive.
you can have a bad sector that windows system need to boot to. if windows OSs can not find all files that are needs it can cause a reboot

If you have a IBM pc you can download the diagnistic program for that model

Good Luck

by srtourettes

Okay when it tries to boot up can you push F12 to go to Boot Options? And then boot from cd instead of your hard disk? Then, you can start *setting up* Windows and it will search for previous editions of Windows and find that, and you can prompt it to repair that edition instead. Don't select repair when it says something about using Repair Console or Recovery Console b/c I have found that to be worthless. Also you could do upgrade or new installation and select to use same partition...then it will say it's not recommended and push "C" to do it anyway and then set it up in existing windows folder (it says all data in folder will be deleted but I have found all documents and other things are still in previous folders)

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