HELP!!!! Reboot Loop, but NOT alwaysSolved/Closed

Question

Hello, 

Hello, 

my laptop has xp sp3 on it now, but this problem started when i had vista business on it, although i dont think it is a windows related problem.....

The problem is that sometimes the laptop will boot up fully n works fine, but sometimes it freezes, which then it needs a reboot, now sometimes it will reboot fine again, but most of the time it goes into a loop tryin to reboot itself without the screen even showing anything....

i have tried it connected to an external monitor, but still the same prob, i have had it in bits to see if there is a loose connection anywhere, but non that i can find, i have replaced the cmos battery, but still the same... i did read somewhere something about dll files and i do recall at some point the laptop dumped a load of these files for some reason, but the laptop continued to work after a reboot....

I would REALLY appreciate ANY help you guys could give me as this has been driving me nuts over the past few months and i am unsure whether this problem is software or hardware related

mrrigga · Answer

You may find your answer on this thread:
https://ccm.net/forum/affich-10056-windows-xp-reboot-loop-help

athe09 · Answer

doesnt seem to be the same problem mrrigga, as most of the time i cant even get to the BIOS

mrrigga · Answer

Try this: R Repair Installation

Insert windows XP disk, boot the disk, choose R for repair press enter.

Command Prompt choose 1 or C: to repair drive c: press enter.

Command prompt type: fixmbr press enter, answer yes

Command prompt type: fixboot press enter, answer yes

Command prompt type: exit, press enter


If still no luck do a Repair install This way you keep all your files intact but you would need to do updates. here is how to do this.
XP Repair install

Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order. 
When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below   
This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft 
   Windows XP to run on your computer:
To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
Press Enter to start the Windows Setup. 
 
Do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press  R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press  R".  
Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations. 
Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the options, END setup. After the reboot  
Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot.  Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact.

athe09 · Answer

i cant try this as it only startsup for about 3 secs then reboots, it is very rare that it starts up completely, like i said i cant even get as far as the BIOS screen

mrrigga · Answer

Have you tried safe mode

athe09 · Answer

it wont boot that far, from the moment of switch on it is rebooting after 2 or 3 secs

mrrigga · Answer

Reboot loop is normaly caused because windows was not installed fully or correctly.
Lets try something else. Turn all power to your laptop off and remove the hard drive, with the hard drive removed restart and see if it boots into BIOS. Will come up with something like operating system not found.
If it boots into Bios again remove power and carefully replace the hard drive, restart load installation disc in drive. Then in Bios select start from cd drive and reinstall windows Lets hope this does the trick.

athe09 · Answer

ok tried the above, but still the same, screen doesnt come on, have tried external monitor n still the same problem blank screen with the reboot loop, 

now n again the screen will come on but if u move it, it either freezes or goes into the loop, i have checked all connections n they seem fine, but i am wonderin if it could be somethin loose or something not workin properly on the motherboard.

mrrigga · Answer

This gets more complicated as we go along. Now I am thinking graphics card which may want replacing or checking the conections which means removing screen and palm rest to get to it.
You say you tried without the hard drive.
Have you tried removing the ram and replacing or trying another ram modual.
Can you hear a beep when it boots to BIOS you should hear this without the screen

athe09 · Answer

av tried it with a known working RAM stick, makes no difference, n yes u can hear a beep even tho the screen doesnt light up

athe09 · Answer

ok quick update i seem to have got it to startup everytime, dont ask me how i did it BUT now the screen is really dim (it wasnt before) n it wont load passed the phoenix logo, the loading bar freezes about 3 quarters  of the way, if i press f2 or f9 it tells me to please wait but thats it nothing happens after that...

mrrigga · Answer

If you say you can get to the Phoenix logo try turning on the laptop while tapping F2 Hopefully this will open the BIOS. Select setup defaults then move to boot options and select boot from cd-rom/dvd drive. Insert your installation cd into cd drive click on save and exit in Bios, and try to reinstall windows. After starting watch the screen if the words come up press any key to boot from cd make sure you press a key or it will revert back to hard drive.

athe09 · Answer

thats ok, i reset the cmos n it started up no probs, turns out the hard drive was loose, but now i need to replace the backlight for the screen, which is in hand.

thanx for ur time n help :-)

mrrigga · Answer

Thank you.
Good luck with the back light

HELP!!!! Reboot Loop, but NOT always

14 responses

Similar discussions

Subscribe To Our Newsletter!