Booting problem

[slicebogey]

My computer gets to a point and then reboot endlessly. If I attempt to go to safe mode it stills reboot endlessly.

TIA

[classfour]

Hardware: CPU fan clogged, CPU thermal paste old and ineffective, RAM issues, hard drive issues, video card issues, modem issues, CD/DVD drive issues, bad IDE cables.

Me: I'd start by cleaning out the heatsink under the CPU fan. If that doesn't help, I'd pull the CPU fan and ground myself on the case, then clean both surfaces (CPU & heatsink) with alcohol (using a Qtip) and re-thermal paste the CPU and Heatsink using some barrier between my skin and the paste (skin oils will cause hot spots and ruin the thermal paste).

Google IT

If you're uncomfortable doing it, take it to an expert.

[Bjs]

Check these :

Sticking keyboard key .
Stuck pc start button or reset switch .
Burned or damaged reset switch .

Power unit damage .
Fan failure (clogged with dust) .

Enter bios , reset to default , test to see if reboot repeats .

Addon card failure (triggers restart) .
Ram - clean slots , reinsert firmly (normal for dell's)

----------------------

Visual inspection :

Motherboard - check capacitor's (little metal cans)

Compare them to matching type ... visually inspect for signs ...

Brown / black mark on top .
Brown / black ooze on top (appears cracked)
Discolouration when compared to similar component on board .

Blown out bottoms can only be see with the mother board removed .

The failure of these come from , overheating , overdrawn current .

------------------------

A difficult one to asess is , startup driver error .

If a system driver is corrupt or missing , this can also trigger the problem ... you dont always get notified of this problem .

If you know about how to use the F8 key to get to the menu that allows you to enter safe mode ... dont go there .
There is an option to "log" to file the bootup sequence ... use it .

Problem is getting to this log file when you cannot get access to the os .

I suggest downloading puppy ... a bootable mini linux distro via a freinds pc if possible ... it's small , burn with nero works ... I'll have to do a full test on other's soon .

Enter bios , set cdrom to bootable only , disable all other bootable devices .
Slip puppy in , save settings , and wait .

Should puppy actually load , and remain running , then the problem is coming from a corrupted file is the windows os .
Depending on puppy , you should beable to use the file cabinet icon to browse the MNT ... which is mount points .

Depending on the system's layout and number of drives ... if windows was on c drive , then it should be listed as you would expect ... you then need to browse for the startup log that was generated ... print it .

If you had a usb thumbdrive connected at the time prior to puppy booting , it will be listed as well ... copy the startup log to it ... this way you can post the info .

Some linux distro's behave unusual ... not being able to read file's on system ... puppy dosent deal well with sata ... this is why I have several different mini linux distro's ... just incase .

----------------------

Just out of curiosity ... what happens if you sit at the F8 menu ... dose it reboot or not .

[redwudz]

If Safe Mode won't work, I suspect hardware first.
I would unplug all drives except boot. Remove all cards except the video card and try again.

If no, switch out RAM modules. Substitute or remove some of them and try again.

Still no, try another video card.

That's the basics. Eliminate everything that it's not and what's left over may be the problem. This is for hardware.

More important at present is you said it won't boot or run Safe Mode. At what point in the boot process does it fail?

Do you get the regular BIOS beep? Or something strange? Is there an error message?

If the problem is during the BIOS boot, you can change the boot to ask before it does the next step. This should be in the same page as Safe Mode.

Another option I have found useful is to use a Bart PE disc and boot entirely from the disc. You don't even need a hard drive installed. This will tell you if the OS is the problem or the software.

Anyway, you need to rule out what isn't causing the problem. Then the answer is likely what's left.

[DanielSmith]

you should describe what is on your screen and what you have done with your computer last time you use it

[dcsos]

This can also happen if your boot drive has failed, sorry to say

Can you BOOT to a CD or Floppy Disc without looping?

[goldtree]

It does sound like you have a Worm on your computer. As soon as the computer boots go to Start > Run > Type " Shutdown - a " and then hit Enter.This should prevent your computer from rebooting. then go to Microsoft and scan your computer http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

[John]

im with classfour on this one, it used to happen to me, if your cpu isnt kept cool enough, its got a safegaurd to prevent damage. does it boot up when cold.