XP Keeps Looping @ Startup
my machine suddenly won't start windows xp. it keeps looping. i can't start in safe mode or anything. any suggestions?
Software/Hardware used:
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
July 15, 2008 2:25 PM
UPDATED:
July 15, 2008 6:53 PM
Answer Wiki:
Make sure it's not just a blue screen error you are receiving:
-windows will restart automatically if a bluescreen appears
to see if it is a BSOD (blue screen of death) you need to disable automatic restart on system failure
press F8 while your computer restarts and select:
-disable automatic restart on system failure
(this is on the same screen you choose to go into safe mode).
if it is a bluescreen then the stop error code could help us determine what the issue is.
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and just to clarify
check disk /r: means repair, and /f means "fix".
if it's a boot partition error you might want to try using the "FIXMBR" command while in the recovery console.
one good tool to have is the Ultimate boot Cd, it can do the check disks and also Fix Boot partitions, and even reset admin passwords, check it out.
(it's free!)
http://ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
this should get you going.
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I must have answered the question at the same time as someone else…sorry for the confusion. This is what I wrote:
Have you recently partitioned a disk, added a disk, added/changed hardware, or the like?
This sounds like classic drive letter confusion.
First make sure all USB jump drives, flash cards, CDs, floppys, etc. are out of the machine on boot. (If not successful go on).
You may have had an improper log on/shut down that corrupted some files, so use the windows CD to access the DOS screen where you should run the following command: chckdsk c:/f (unless you configured it differently).
Or, you may have to use the “savepart” utility. This is an ISO file you can download. Download this and burn it using ImgBurn to a CD. Pop the CD in, type savepart in the DOS screen, choose update registry, dc disk number 0. Click on the partition with your system on it (usually C:). Advance and dc WINDOWS, advance and dc the partition, this will take you back to a familiar screen, dc C: partition. You should see a new box. Verify that the “partition ID drive letter” is the same as the “mounted device drive letter”. If these aren’t the same, your disk won’t boot.
I apologize for being unclear. When i say select or dc I mean double click.
From the recovery console I believe the command is chkdsk /r. From DOS it was chkdsk /f