If virus scan the system with a virus scanner,you may want to include using a number of spyware utilities to scan system
Depending on how you reached your conclusion that was a virus may not be that,XP has a built in feature to reboot when a hardware or soft ware problem is detected upon boot
Use Safe Mode to check Device Mananger for any conflicts or yellow exclamation marks besides hardware.
This could be either hardware or software. Boot into Safe Mode (F and post a comment to let us know if it runs longer than 2 minutes.
If it does run longer in Safe Mode, scan with AV and Spyware checkers (be sure they are up-to-date) before you try to boot in normal mode and post a comment to let us know what happened.
This is endemic where the harddrive medium has been used up and is no longer even in the machine, it is also, less common, a symptom of an antenna that is gone or no longer working correctly.
I would boot into safe mode and disable anyhting that is starting up. See if that helps. If it is the virus scanner doing that (because you said it is rebooting to fix a virus problem), disbaling it should stop it. Here is my personal list of free scanning.
As of 4/23/05
To completely avoid spyware and viruses, turn PC off. Truthfully. If you really want to use it, prevention with running programs are best. Read their docs on how to use them and update them. All these are FREE. Oh, yes! KEEP WINDOWS UP TO DATE! Use the AUTOMATIC UPDATE feature.
If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem. Also please exercise your best judgment when posting in the forums--revealing personal information such as your e-mail address, telephone number, and address is not recommended.
PC Keeps Rebooting, Virus
to fix a virus problem???