PC Keeps Rebooting

[badaxe87]

My PC keeps rebooting. I am running Win XP Service Pack 2. My nephew was on my PC and would only confess that he downloaded a game but would not name which one. I tried going into safe mode, bios, and restore with no luck. I'm not sure if this is the blaster worm. Please help!

[TurcoLoco]

If you really had SP2 installed, I doubt it would be the Blaster.
At what point does the 'reboot' occur (during XP logo screen, after logging in, etc)?
Any messages of any kind at that moment?

What happens when you tried to boot in Safe Mode? Same exact problem at the same exact point or different?

You might have to use the Recovery Console using the Windows XP CD, do you have that? Provide more info so we can continue further...

I am not around as often anymore but I am sure someone'd lend a hand.

~TL

[badaxe87]

When I try to reboot from Safe Mode, the same issue occurs. In the normal mode of the reboot, the PC gets to the Windows XP splash screen, then goes black and reboots. When I try to go into Safe Mode, the PC will hang at the .sys files for a minute, then reboots. I have the OEM version of Win XP recovery discs. Is it possible I could do a virus scan from a USB Flash drive?

[jholland1964]

Have you checked First in Start Programs? I know on MY XP machine if a new program is installed it will show somewhat highlighted in the Program list. OR if you see a game you do not recognize just Right Click and choose properties, this will tell you when it was created on the machine.
Also check the internet history in your browser, this may give you a clue as to where he "surfed" and where he may have downloaded this game from.
Also, you might check Add/Remove to see which games are noted there. Just highlight each one and you should be able to see the installation date.

[TurcoLoco]

Judy, since he can't even get to the login screen, there is no way of doing what you suggested.
Whatever needs to be done has to be done from boot. It is not typical of WindowsXP to reboot at that spot due to system file corruption or registry problems.
Possible cause of this is either: a) corrupt system files b) corrupt registry or c) serious malware infection (which could be also the reason for a and/or b).

For this kinda of a problem, I personally would have to use some of my special boot CDs to run some utilities and try to fix the issue but if there are important files that needs to be rescued. Putting another working HD that has a working OS on it and Slaving the problem HD to copy the files over would be my first step before messing around with anything else.

You could also take this HD to another system and Slave it (as long as that other system can access NTFS partitions).

Using the XP CD and booting to it and at the setup screen, running the Repair process (the second Repair option not the first one which would take you to Recovery Console) would simply delete the entire Windows folder and re-install it without touching the installed applications, but new SID and profile tables would be created and since the registry would be refreshed too, all applications that had their program files (.ocx, .dll, .sys, etc.) that were registered previously would need to be re-installed to be functional again. All other data and files located in previous user profiles and 'Program Files' folder should still be accessible.

To me, this would be another method to access the important files and copy them to another removable media before re-intalling XP from scratch.
Whatever the cause of the current situation, continuing to use the system even after a so-called successful repair process would not be wise, imho.

Further more, I am not sure if know what an OEM version of XP Recovery Disc is. Are they floppy diskettes or restore CD given by the PC vendor?

Well, sorry but that is all I have for now.

~TL

[jholland1964]

Judy, since he can't even get to the login screen, there is no way of doing what you suggested.

To this I say...DUH...
shows I shouldn't be working past 10 p.m.! I usually am not this dense! Carry on ~TL!