Can't boot WinXP.

[Skyve]

My friend needs help with his computer and I couldn't find a way to fix it.

For some reason, when he boots, his computer restarts when the WindowXP bar is loading. We've tried booting in Safe Mode so we could re-install WindowsXP but we still crash at the WindowXP bar.

I've considered booting by the WindowsXP CD by entering the BIOS but we don't know the password (don't remember/don't know it). So yeah, we're kind of running out of solutions. Is there any other way to reformat? We don't want to use the "remove the CMO Battery" trick right away, it seems like a last resort.

[KillAndChill]

There should be a key you can press to give you a choice of what to boot from without changing settings in the bios. F12 on mine, just google it.

[William-CL]

Sounds Awfully familiar.

Step 1. Open the case and Locate the Power Button Cord going into the Motherboard.
Step 2. Power on Computer while holding onto the the Cord and unplug it once it powers up.

That is my problem right now. It does the same thing as his. You will have to Plug it in and do that every time if that's the problem. Get a new power button which is no more than $10 on ebay or amazon.

[Amarisa]

Try taking the RAM out and testing a stick at a time to see if that works. I have had this happen many of times at work and it's in the RAM

[Zanti]

There should be a key you can press to give you a choice of what to boot from without changing settings in the bios. F12 on mine, just google it.

i'd start with this..

and i also had a password i didn't remember.
to get rid of the password i removed the battery and moved a 2 pin jumper to the other position with 2 pins on my old mobo.
booted once, gave the battery is removed text, then rebooted with the battery and jumper back in place and i got into my bios without password.

could be something else too since i see some people had other problems.. but this was how i solved getting into bios

[iGod]

My friend needs help with his computer and I couldn't find a way to fix it.

For some reason, when he boots, his computer restarts when the WindowXP bar is loading. We've tried booting in Safe Mode so we could re-install WindowsXP but we still crash at the WindowXP bar.

I've considered booting by the WindowsXP CD by entering the BIOS but we don't know the password (don't remember/don't know it). So yeah, we're kind of running out of solutions. Is there any other way to reformat? We don't want to use the "remove the CMO Battery" trick right away, it seems like a last resort.

Funny that's the first thing I do with these problems, not sure why you think it's a last resort, is the case under warranty or something? I'm sure you'd use the warranty if it was.

[MrTwilliger]

Honestly, my first point of calling whenever I see an issue like this is to determine whether it's a hardware fault of a software based fault. The easiest means to determine this (that I've found) is to start the computer up and run a live session of linux off a CD( I use ubuntu personally). If it loads up fine and works you can just about assume it's a problem in regards to a boot file within windows itself. If it fails to load than you can start diagnosing potential hardware issues or lose connections.

Best of luck

[Razorhead]

For some reason, when he boots, his computer restarts when the WindowXP bar is loading. We've tried booting in Safe Mode so we could re-install WindowsXP but we still crash at the WindowXP bar.

The "rebooting" is caused by a BSOD (blue screen of death), it just disappears so fast u don't even see the blue screen.
while booting, press F8
then choose the option: do not automatically restart on system error (or something like that)
Then u will see ur blue screen
From there on it's just googling either the error message or error code:
eg. Unmountable_boot_volume (do a chkdsk to fix it), page_fault_in_non_paged_area (normally = 0x50 error => RAM issues), ...
eg. 0x7B (AHCI - IDE - SATA option in BIOS is messed up), ...

I've considered booting by the WindowsXP CD by entering the BIOS but we don't know the password (don't remember/don't know it). So yeah, we're kind of running out of solutions. Is there any other way to reformat? We don't want to use the "remove the CMO Battery" trick right away, it seems like a last resort.

Normally there is a way to reset the BIOS by switching a jumper on ur mobo. If not, use the cmos battery trick.
It only reset BIOS settings to default, but at least u'll have access to ur BIOS again.

As for choosing boot device, most mobos have a "boot menu key".
Normally it's "enabled"
On laptops, almost always "disabled" (change it in the bios)

in most cases:
MSI = F11
ASUS = F8
Packerd bell laptop = F8
Dell laptop = ESC
HP laptops = Esc or F9

[Skyve]

Thanks all, I'll try these suggestions and if they don't work I guess I'll use the CMO battery trick. I just think it's a last resort because I could potentially **** the motherboard up.

For some reason, when he boots, his computer restarts when the WindowXP bar is loading. We've tried booting in Safe Mode so we could re-install WindowsXP but we still crash at the WindowXP bar.

The "rebooting" is caused by a BSOD (blue screen of death), it just disappears so fast u don't even see the blue screen.
while booting, press F8
then choose the option: do not automatically restart on system error (or something like that)
Then u will see ur blue screen
From there on it's just googling either the error message or error code:
eg. Unmountable_boot_volume (do a chkdsk to fix it), page_fault_in_non_paged_area (normally = 0x50 error => RAM issues), ...
eg. 0x7B (AHCI - IDE - SATA option in BIOS is messed up), ...

I've never had that option show up, seems to easy lol. I'll tell my friend to give it a try.

[William-CL]

Thanks all, I'll try these suggestions and if they don't work I guess I'll use the CMO battery trick. I just think it's a last resort because I could potentially **** the motherboard up.

I did that.. I broke the Clamp that held it in(in a very bad way.. No way to fix it without permanently Sealing the battery in with Epoxy or something. Some MB's have very small clamps you gotta press, don't just force it out if you need to do that.

[[SD]Twysta]

I doubt it's going to be a hardware fault since it's rather strange that it gets to the windows loading bar, and it certainly is strange that it crashes on that screen consistently.

I'd go for the CMOS reset. That will work 100% because then you can change the boot priority to dvdrom and be done with it.

My second best guess would be a heating problem. It could still be hardware related but I personally doubt that. Do what Razorhead said, that will help you confirm

[Skyve]

We grew some balls and went with the CMOS battery. We managed to change the boot sequence and everything is good now.

Thanks!!!!!!!1111111

[Temperature]

Last time i got this error, it was because i unplugged my PC while it was updating windows :$

[William-CL]

Last time i got this error, it was because i unplugged my PC while it was updating windows :$

Thats the exact opposite of you what do when updating..

[Temperature]

Last time i got this error, it was because i unplugged my PC while it was updating windows :$

Thats the exact opposite of you what do when updating..

I know :$ i was in a hurry, but won't do it again