Need Help... Computer keeps rebooting when started

[tklimuk]

I have a serious problem with my computer hopefully someone can help me. Im running windows XP. When I boot the computer up it goes to the screen where you can run windows XP in safe mode or normal startup etc..... but when i click on one the windows xp screen shows with the blue bar but then the computer reboots. I took the RAM and HD out of my other computer and tried but it does the same thing so I am not sure what to do. I already put the windows XP installation cd in and tried that a number of times but it also causes the computer to reboot, usually at different times. A few times it reboot right away and other times it makes it all the way to the 'select partition to install on' screen. I put my norton antivirus disc in at boot and it doesnt find any viruses. Any help would be greatly appritaited. Thanks,

Tim

[primesuspect]

might be your motherboard, CPU, or power supply. Unfortunately, without a lot of test equipment, you're limited to the "process of elimination" method... Sounds like you eliminated the RAM as the culprit. I'd be curious to see if you boot into an alternative operating system on the same hardware what happens. You can download one of those "Linux-on-a-cd" things like Knoppix, just to see if it will boot and stay up. Or, go to www.memtest.org and download the ISO or floppy image maker, and boot off that (it will test your RAM). If it stays running, it might not be hardware.

You say you booted off the XP CD.. Did you do a repair install?

[kryyst]

Did you change any clock settings for your Ram or CPU speeds?

Also remove every non-essential from your pc so all you have is video and hard drive and see if it'll boot up. Could be a problem with a sound, Network, or some other card/device.

But in all honesty I'm thinking PSU, CPU, or mobo problems.

[cma]

Hi Tim,
Since yesterday, I do have a similar problem as you have.

I am running the Memtest86+ v1.11 juist right now. On my laptop I am searching for a solution. I do think of a virus off some kind.

After burning a DVD and closing down my pc, I could not start it probaly after some time. Bios messages are ok. Windows startup screen appears. Then I got the screen for choosing 'save mode', 'last good know setup' of 'normal startup'. After choosing one, the pc reboots and BIOS messages are displaying. Etc. Etc.

Booting with a Dos 6.22 floppy went ok. I could even flash my bios.
Booting with a Windows 98 floppy went ok.

If the memory test went ok, I probaly will reinstall Windows XP again.

Did you find a solution already?

Regards,

Chungmen Ma

[Turambar]

good tip: if u cant fix it fdisk it