Dh's Computer CAUGHT in loop Restarting-UPDATE!post21

[tink2dw]

I think my Dh's computer,a one year old hp desk top, has gone crazy!! It won't go into SAFE MODE, all it will do is keep trying to restart Windows, but it fails, then the screen says "monitor is going to sleep", but instead, there is a page that says an install has failed, then it goes back to the restart page with a 30 second count down to start Windows again?? The only screen we can get into is the f10 one. The last thing Dh did before this started was to uninstall one of those 1 hour trial games that had expired.

I'm hoping someone can help us. Dh is out of work and needs his computer to help him find jobs.

Please help us???

 

[teacups]

Do an internet search and see what you come up with....

 

[Toby'sFriend]

there was a virus a couple of years ago that did that - I can't remember the name.


I don't suppose you happen to have an emergency start up cd or disk?

 

[I'mNoPrince]

If running XP and you have Restore Avail try that before anything else. Go back until the morning of when the problem started. Shut down then start back up uninstall game and then do a restart.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

If you cannot get Windows to boot up, you'll need to do a System Restore from a command prompt. Here's a link to Microsoft's solution:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

 

[pyrxtc]

What also might be happening is that your system memory is too full. Happened with me, I didn't ahve enough memory full for the computer to start. Bring it to a computer specialist and ave them save everything you ahve on there extra and then doa full system restore. they can then give you back all of your extra's on your computer (which you must immeadiately save to disc and delete fromt he computer) or ahve them put it on disc for you. Much easier the 2nd way. You could also give them a portable hard drive to put it all on.

 

[tink2dw]

The computer never starts so we can't get into anything, like AVG or Spywareblaster.

It says Windows XP and the blue light goes back and forth like it could start but it doesn't. Then it repeats, it fails, then the screen says "monitor is going to sleep", but instead, there is a page that says an install has failed, then it goes back to the restart page with a 30 second count down to start Windows again?? Again and Again!!

I would have taken it to Fry's but we have NO Money to take it to be fixed.

That's why I thought I would ask the DIS Experts for help? I have tried and tried to get it to do something anything different.

Would it help to change keyboards or change the mouse, or try putting a CD in the drive??

 

[pyrxtc]

nothing is going to help if it has no memory to start. It is going to cost you no matter what.

 

[NotUrsula]

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but there is a strong possibility that you are dealing with a real blue screen of death.

My work laptop did EXACTLY what you are describing about 6 weeks ago; our entire IT department tried to save it, but had no luck -- it was dead as a doornail, and everything on the hard drive was completely unrecoverable (luckily I do daily backups on my network drive, so I didn't lose any data.) Total non-recoverable drive failure. If the hard drive has been noisy lately and it has been progressively booting more slowly, this could be what has happened.

I was told at the time that SOMETIMES in this situation, powering it down and letting it rest for at least about 72 hours *may* allow you to boot it up one last time in order to do a backup, but that this sort of pattern is usually a sign of impending system failure. Sorry if this is what has happened.

 

[HM]

If you tried the system restore and it didn't work, then your hard drive probably died. Our new HP computer did the same thing in December...less than a month after we bought it. We had to get a whole new hard drive installed....and lost everything that we had put on it.

 

[momto2inKC]

Oh no, unfortunately it sounds like your drive has gone bad. This just happend to both of our Emachines!! Luckily our tech was able to save some stuff on the hard drive (mainly our pics). The new hard drive was about $70, plus labor.

 

[may06orbust]

I'm no expert, but I would try to shut it off and let it rest like the PP recommended. You can do that by pressing and holding the on/off button on the HD tower. If you're able to get it to start properly after it's "rest", I would start trying to back everything up and run a system restore. Good luck!

 

[tyedye]

I am far from being an expert but have had my share of pc problems. If you can get to the system configurations screen perhaps you can tell it to boot from the cd drive and put your windows cd in that drive. This has saved me a few times from having to replace the pc but it didn't save me from losing anything on the HD as when it reinstalled windows all data was lost. Best of luck.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I did have to just replace DDs HP power supply . Her front light just flickered and nothing else would happen. I got one off of E-Bay for $25 total . I put it in and it's been working fine now.

 

[brentalex]

I think my Dh's computer,a one year old hp desk top, has gone crazy!! It won't go into SAFE MODE, all it will do is keep trying to restart Windows, but it fails, then the screen says "monitor is going to sleep", but instead, there is a page that says an install has failed, then it goes back to the restart page with a 30 second count down to start Windows again?? The only screen we can get into is the f10 one. The last thing Dh did before this started was to uninstall one of those 1 hour trial games that had expired.

I'm hoping someone can help us. Dh is out of work and needs his computer to help him find jobs.

Please help us???

Have you tried to really start it in Safe mode? On most computers I have worked on, that option comes up when you hold the f8 key down before the XP logo comes up. Shut the computer off, hold the power key in until it shuts off. Then start it back up and hold the f8 key in as soon as the HP logo goes away. This should give you an option to start it in safe mode and hopefully once there you should be able to run some virus scan software on the pc to see if there is anything odd on it.

 

[mousehouselover]

Sounds like the same thing that happened to our system on Fri. Ours is only 7 mos old and still in warranty (most systems have a full year.) Dh called tech support who told him to do several things and now they are sending us restore disks. I advise you to call tech support if your system is less than 365 days old and get them to walk you through it. They tried charging us for the disks but Dh said no way, it's in warranty and they waived the fee. ($30)

Good luck, I hate it when our computers start acting up.

 

[donac]

My hp had the same problem the Friday before taxes were due. I found a small place in the next town over. He was able to download my taxes so I could use my laptop to finish them up. He saved all my documents, wiped the harddrive clean and then reinstalled the programs that he had that were in the computer. He also put in all of my documents back. It cost me $75 plus taxes and it is running great. Good luck.

 

[tink2dw]

I hope it hasn't died completely. We got it not last year but the year before on Black Friday for $399.00. I can't remember whether we bought an extended warrenty or not??

I printed out the intructs you all left and will try them tomorrow.

If anyone else can think of anything Please, Please post!!

 

[dunningdisney]

possible virus: this is from my McAfee VirusScan program

W32/IRCbot.worm! is a medium risk worm for home users. You can be infected simply by going online. Once infected, you computer will restart continuously.
Good Luck!

 

[5Slays]

Our computer did the exact same thing last week, and our warranty ran out in March!!!! HP told us that the hard drive died and we are going to have to replace it.