Computer Restarts at Windows Loading Screen

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Commuter specs:
- Asus Motherboard P4P800 Deluxe
- Seagate 120GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache
- Intel CPU Pentium 4 2.80GHZ 800MHZ HT
- ATI RADEON 9600 256MB DDR AGP 8X
- Two 512MB DIMM RAM total 1GB RAM
- Power Supply 400W P4 Antec SL400
- Creative SoundBlaster AWE64
- Windows XP Pro
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My PC restarts at the windows loading screen. I have tried Safe Mode option but it restarts after the file “agp440.sys”. I tried a different hard drive and get the same problem. I tried the windows repair option but it hangs when it’s examining the hard drive. I’m out of ideas in what to do can you please help me this is my work computer and I need it. Thank you.

[Thrax]

Please follow these guides and let us know how they turn out:

http://icrontic.com/articles/advanced_data_recovery
http://icrontic.com/articles/diagnose_with_memtest86

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Please follow these guides and let us know how they turn out:



So far these are the result the memtest86 is still running though
In the advance data recovery section everything was perfectly fine
In the diagnose with memtest86 test 5 gave me 10 errors and test 8 gave me 52 errors and I had 1 for pass, then test 5 again 16 errors and test 8 again 79 errors and another pass, then again test 5 gave me 12 errors and test 8 gave me

[Thrax]

You have bad memory. If you have multiple sticks of RAM, you need to test one stick at a time until you locate the bad one(s) and then throw them/those away.

Time to go RAM shopping.

[stream]

You have bad memory. If you have multiple sticks of RAM, you need to test one stick at a time until you locate the bad one(s) and then throw them/those away.

Time to go RAM shopping.

i tested my RAM's into another copmuter and windows loaded fine but when i used another RAM into my computer it still gave me the same problem. do you think its my CPU or Motherboard?

[Thrax]

It's POSSIBLE that it's the motherboard. It's very rare that the motherboard is actually the culprit. I would get a can of compressed air and thoroughly blow out the DIMM slots on your computer, and insert the RAM sticks one at a time. Test each stick after putting it in.

The RAM may have simply jostled loose over time.

[stream]

It's POSSIBLE that it's the motherboard. It's very rare that the motherboard is actually the culprit. I would get a can of compressed air and thoroughly blow out the DIMM slots on your computer, and insert the RAM sticks one at a time. Test each stick after putting it in.

The RAM may have simply jostled loose over time.

i tired the compressed air but there was no luck. any more ideas?

[Thrax]

Okay, given that it sounds like your motherboard has gone belly up. This is exceedingly rare. There's one more thing I'd like to try before we call it DOA:

Do you have:
1) Any memory that you know for a fact that works properly and..
2) Has never been used in the PC you're having trouble with?

If so, use just one of those memory sticks and run memtest on the troublesome PC with the new RAM inserted. If it still fails, it's time to replace the motherboard.

[stream]

Okay, given that it sounds like your motherboard has gone belly up. This is exceedingly rare. There's one more thing I'd like to try before we call it DOA:

Do you have:
1) Any memory that you know for a fact that works properly and..
2) Has never been used in the PC you're having trouble with?

If so, use just one of those memory sticks and run memtest on the troublesome PC with the new RAM inserted. If it still fails, it's time to replace the motherboard.

I did what you asked. I stopped MemTest at 23:42:10, it passed 132 times with 0 errors but when I try to boot it normally it still gives me the same problem. What should I do next?

[Thrax]

Okay, it looks like your memory doesn't work right on your PC, but does work on another PC. And another PC's memory seems to be working just fine. This is good because your motherboard is okay, but bad because it looks like the memory and motherboard are somehow incompatible.

Have you run Drive Fitness Test yet? :)

[stream]

Okay, it looks like your memory doesn't work right on your PC, but does work on another PC. And another PC's memory seems to be working just fine. This is good because your motherboard is okay, but bad because it looks like the memory and motherboard are somehow incompatible.

Have you run Drive Fitness Test yet? :)

dont know what Drive Fitness is?

[GrayFox]

DFT (http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm)

It's a diagnostic program for Hitachi's hard-drives but it works with others as well. (I prefer seatools for dos (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools) from seagate as its more maintained)

[stream]

ok i did a long test and it passed. could it be the CPU or power supply?

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hello anyone please help my problem has not been resolved

[GrayFox]

The next thing I would try is formating the drive and reinstalling windows.

Note: All data and applications on the system will be lost.

[Thrax]

Okay, have you tried to perform a repair install on your machine with the RAM taken from another machine that works okay?

[stream]

yes i tried the repair install with the new RAM but it still hanges when its examining the Hard Drive

[stream]

i would like to avoid losing all my data by the way since this is my office PC

[stream]

Dose anyone have any idea on how to fix my computer??

[Thrax]

I've been pondering your issue for a few days, Stream. Don't worry, I haven't bailed on you. :) I'm trying to come up with some more testing options so we can narrow this down.

[stream]

Thanks Thrax... sorry

[Siggy]

OK - A few questions:

Does the computer go through POst and reloads windoze and gets to same point before starting all over again?

Have you reset the BIOS back to defaults?

Have you run FIXMBR and chkdsk /r
boot from a Windows XP CD, let the intial check run until you get to the installation option screen.
Select "R" for repair, then select the installation directory you're trying to repair, enter the administrator password. (usually blank)
This will get you to a boot prompt.
Run FIXMBR and then when that is done Run "chkdsk /R".?

Have you done a repair install?
a Repair Install is usually performed by booting from your WinXP CD and proceeding as if you were doing a clean install. At the point where Windows discovers a previous installation it will offer you a few choices. Pick "Repair previous installation", not "Add a new copy", etc

Cheers

[stream]

I removed the BIOS battery for a few minutes and set everything to default but the PC still restarts at the Windows loading screen. as far as post there are no beeps at the start up. I have tried the repair option but it stops at the point where its examining the Hard Drive.

[Siggy]

Have you run FIXMBR and chkdsk /r
boot from a Windows XP CD, let the intial check run until you get to the installation option screen.
Select "R" for repair, then select the installation directory you're trying to repair, enter the administrator password. (usually blank)
This will get you to a boot prompt.
Run FIXMBR and then when that is done Run "chkdsk /R".?

[Thrax]

Windows will not start if it's the same hard drive used on your old motherboard. If the repair doesn't work, it doesn't work, and it may be time to simply start clean. That happens.

[stream]

so your saying my best bet is to format and start a fresh OS?

[Thrax]

That's always the best bet for people with Windows trouble, and if that doesn't fix the issue, then we know for a fact it's hardware issue. A fresh OS is such a great thing, but most people don't want to do it.

[stream]

ok I put the hard drive in another computer as secondary so I can backup the data then format it for a fresh Windows install, so windows did a check dick on the secondary drive then put it back into the PC that I was having problem with and it loaded windows like nothing was wrong and since then its been working. Damn windows wasted a month of our times. I greatly appreciate all the ideas and suggestion you guys gave me to fix my problem. THANK SO MUCH :)

[Thrax]

Fresh reformats fix everything. :D Thanks for coming to us for help! Please make yourself a regular member. :)

[Professor420]

I just thought I'd say I had the same exact problem as the OP. Memtest, seatools, and chkdsk all came out fine. I'm sure it was some compatibility problem between my new mobo and old HDD with my OS. So I repaired Windows as Siggy suggested, and its working now. Icrontic saves the day as always.

[RichD]

I had this exact same problem also on an ASUS Mb.

I found that it restarts just after the loading bar on boot up and also in safe mode. When I tried to reinstall the machine just locked up.

Try Flashing your Bios with the latest version. it is really easy to do. Look on the MB driver disk and they should have a flashing utility. I cant remember which one I used but you create an MS Dos boot disk, download the latest BIOS version from ASUS and copy it on to the disk and then boot from it.

I still had to reinstall windows because I was previously using unsupported nforce drivers but you might be lucky.

Im at work now but I will dig out links to drivers etc for you tonight.

Hope this helps!

[Professor420]

Well my problem has been solved as has been stream's, so but perhaps it would be useful for future reference for others.

[RichD]

Yeah I read the first page of the thread, decided it hadn't been solved so added my comments. I hadn't realised that there was a second page until after I posted! Doh!

[xcrx]

I am also having this problem. Here are my specs

Biostar tforce 6100
amd 3000
1 gb ram
700 wat psu
Radion x1950

It started with my computer restarting it self randomly, I assumed it was my psu because i had a small old power supply. I have gotten a new power supply and it did not solve the problem. I have tried new ram, new HD, and a different windows install disk. but the problem just kept getting worse. Now the computer wont even get past the windows boot screen. It starts loading and then restarts. I have replaced everything except the mobo and proceser which i was hoping to avoid doing. Does anyone have any ideas as to other solutions i could try before buying a new mobo.

thanks

[Siggy]

I am also having this problem. Here are my specs

Biostar tforce 6100
amd 3000
1 gb ram
700 wat psu
Radion x1950

It started with my computer restarting it self randomly, I assumed it was my psu because i had a small old power supply. I have gotten a new power supply and it did not solve the problem. I have tried new ram, new HD, and a different windows install disk. but the problem just kept getting worse. Now the computer wont even get past the windows boot screen. It starts loading and then restarts. I have replaced everything except the mobo and proceser which i was hoping to avoid doing. Does anyone have any ideas as to other solutions i could try before buying a new mobo.

thanks

Maybe you should start your own thread so that people can help you - This thread is solved so not many people will be looking at it

[RichD]

I am also having this problem. Here are my specs

Biostar tforce 6100
amd 3000
1 gb ram
700 wat psu
Radion x1950

It started with my computer restarting it self randomly, I assumed it was my psu because i had a small old power supply. I have gotten a new power supply and it did not solve the problem. I have tried new ram, new HD, and a different windows install disk. but the problem just kept getting worse. Now the computer wont even get past the windows boot screen. It starts loading and then restarts. I have replaced everything except the mobo and proceser which i was hoping to avoid doing. Does anyone have any ideas as to other solutions i could try before buying a new mobo.

thanks

Might sound a bit stupid but try taking the fan off your cpu heat sink and hoovering all the dust and crap out of the fins, then replace the fan. If you dont get enough airflow over your your heatsink to keep it cool you can have this problem.

[xcrx]

I though about that too but my CPU stays at 38c so i dont think thats the problem plus the computer restarts at the same time every time you try and boot it so if it were a heat issue it would vary a little bit.