Windows keeps endlessly restarting...

TheManCalledZeeTheManCalledZee
edited February 2006 in Science & Tech
Its a long tale. I will try to be as detailed as possible.
===================
Windows crashed one day. Start messing up big time. It would get halfway to starting but crash and reboot right before the "Welcome Screen". I tries re-installing windows, but eac time I tried to install windows it would
1) Give me an IRQL_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO error in the command prompt (copying files) section of the installation
OR
2) Get past that, get to actual installation, ask for CD key and everything, but crash with a similar message partway through the installation.
===================
After much pain, I took it to Best Buy. They ran their diagnostics and told me only the HD was bad. I got a brand new 200 GB Seagate. I ties installling windows. Strangely, the first installation attempt actually gave me the same IRQL error message again. During the second try, windows got installed and booted up just fine.
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I was very happy. I downloaded Winrar, vlc media player, WS_FTP, AOL Instant Messenger, Quicktime, iTunes and a few others to get the system going. The system suddenly crashed. It rebooted, got me back to windows, worked normal again for 5 minutes and then crashed again follow an "Automatic Windows Update." Then is rebooted again and again.
===================
Now I am right back at square one. The computer KEEPS restarting non-stop now. It only gets halfway done with loading and before the "WELCOME" screen can even load up, it crashes and reboots again.

I tries failsafe settings in BIOS. Core CPU temperature is 54 degrees Celcius. The PC is not overclocked. And apparantly, Best Buy didn'y find anything wrong with the RAM, CPU or M/B (and its memory controller).

Any help you guys can give would be GREATLY appreciated. This is one of the most aggravating situations I have been in. The whole thing makes no sense. What can I do? What diagnstics can I run? Does anyone know what I can do to fix this problem? Does anyone know WHY it even happens?
===================
ANY help in this matter would be GREATLY appreciated...

Comments

  • TheManCalledZeeTheManCalledZee
    edited February 2006
    P.S. It does not work even in safe mode.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited February 2006
    Have a look here to get more info on the error - http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm
    I've had this and had to strip the PC down to just one HDD and one optical drive, nothing else connected. After windows goes in slowly connect other hardware until the dodgy item is found.
  • TheManCalledZeeTheManCalledZee
    edited February 2006
    bothered wrote:
    Have a look here to get more info on the error - http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm
    I've had this and had to strip the PC down to just one HDD and one optical drive, nothing else connected. After windows goes in slowly connect other hardware until the dodgy item is found.

    I took out one of the two RAM sticks, the Ethernet card, the sound card, the modem card. But the problem persists. I am fairly certain the problem lies with:

    1) The CPU
    2) The Motherboard Memory Controller
    3) The Power supply (very unlikely, but I have no way to test this so its on the table).

    Now: this morning I tried again.
    ===============================
    First, the windows loading screen appears for a few seconds, then crashes and reboots everything.
    ===============================
    Second, I tried getting in through the Windows XP CD. It said "Setup is inspecting yoru hardware... something something..." across the top of the screen, and BEFORE it could even get to the text-based windows setup, it gave me the following error:

    Line 19020 of the INF file \i386\txtsetup.sif is invalid.
    Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit.

    Pressing any key reboots the computer.
    ===============================
    Third, a few times it got past this, magically, and would start loading the files and drivers... then it would say "Setup is loading Windows..." at the bottom of the text-based setup screen and the proceed to crash again with the following message:

    A problem has been detected & windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. STOP: 0x081x (0x%p, 0x%p, 0x%p, 0x%p)

    If this is the first time you've seen this stop error message screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps.

    Check to be sure that you have adequate disk space. If a driver is identified in the stop message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates. Try changing video adapters. (what the hell does this mean BTW?)

    Check with your hardware vendor for any BIOS updates. Disable BIOS memory options such as cashing or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then select Safe Mode.

    Technical Information:
    *** STOP: 0x0000008E (0xC000001D, 0x90992995, 0xf8980398, 0x00000000)

    Now let's do a process of elimination:
    - The Hard Disk is brand new. This should really not be the source of the problem.
    - The RAM seemed to work fine with 1 or 2 sticks, even in different slots. So that is OK, I would however like to double check it.
    - The Sound Card, Moden Card, Ethernet Card and all OK because I took them out and the problem persisted.
    - I don't *think* it is the XP CD, because it loaded before just fine. It installed XP and XP ran on the HD from the same CD.
    - The power supply is the least likely source. The power seems to be running fine throughout the Tower.
    - The CPU may be malfunctioning, but I have a feeling that I would not have been able completely install and run windows if that was the case...
    - The Motherboard itself or at least the Memory Controller may be at fault. But then again, Windows did install and load up on the system with the same M/B last night... so what the hell went wrong.

    So I am essentially back to square one...
  • DonutDonut Maine New
    edited February 2006
    I'm kinda leaning toward hardware issues. Did this machine run before or is this a new build?

    Could you do us a favor and post your complete system specs? Also if you can get into your BIOS, if it has a hardware monitor section please post your temps and the voltages it's reading.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited February 2006
    I'm thinking your suspicions about the MB may be correct, but just to make sure, a few passes of Memtest-86 would be a good idea. If it fails, try one stick at a time. I would also test your RAM in another computer the same way. A failed memory test could mean either the RAM or the controller.

    Did the place that tested your old HD try it in a different machine? It could also be a bad IDE or SATA Controller.

    Good luck. :)
  • ThelemechThelemech Victoria Icrontian
    edited February 2006
    :nudge: Your mother board -
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