Stuck in an infinite boot loop

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

My computer keeps looping around the boot screen. I can’t find a way out.

A few days ago my computer:

1. Would not detect my USB Memory Stick.

2. Was also not showing any open programs/applications in the Windows Task
Bar as it should. It didn’t matter if there were several docs open or several
programs/applications running, there was nothing in the Task Bar. Not even
the Quick launch icons that I had installed. There was just the Start Button
and the Date/Time. The only way I could know which applications were running,
and be able to swap between them, was to use the Windows Task Manager.

These problems (USB detection and Task Bar) started suddenly, at about the
same time, a few days ago. There is no new hardware recently installed on my
computer. There are no new programs/updates recently installed/downloaded on
my computer.

So having suspected that it could just be an O/S fault, I thought to repair
the O/S using the Restore CD.

1. I first uninstalled SP2 which was preventing Restore CD installation
(Restore CD has SP1).
2. I selected Repair Present Installation from the Restore CD console.

After about 45 mins the process was complete and computer said it was
restarting. This is when the looping started. Instead of going to Windows
logon screen, the computer kept looping back to the screen - “Windows did not
start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused
this�

I’ve tried Starting the computer in all the given options on that screen:

1. Safe Mode
2. Safe Mode with Networking
3. Safe Mode with Command Prompt
4. Last known good configuration
5. Start Windows Normally

The Dell logo appears normally, with the white bar loading at the bottom of
the screen. Then instead of going to the Windows logon screen, a blue screen
swiftly flashes for a split second, so fast that I can’t read what it says,
and the computer loops back to the “Windows did not start successfully……�, to
restart the infinite boot loop. At one time I left the computer on for 1.5
hours and found it still looping.

I’ve also tried F12 (Boot menu) and selected to boot from the CD/DVD/CD-RW
Drive where I inserted the Restore CD, but after it prompts me to press any
key to continue, only a black screen appears - forever. No key stroke can get
me out of the black screen. I have to switch off the computer every time I
want to stop.

I'm not “computer literate�, and I’m stumped.

My computer is 2years 8months old.

Dell Inspiron 1150 Laptop
XP Home
Intel Celeron 2.4Ghz
512MB RAM
40GB
AntiVir 6 Personal Edition Antivirus
Spybot Search and Destroy
WinPatrol 9.1

Sorry about the very long story. I needed to cover as much as possible in
order to be as clear as possible.

Thanks for all replies.

KC1109
kusie_c@yahoo.co.uk
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

The system can be set to create a boot log. During a Safe Mode attempt at booting, and file named %windir%/NTBTLOG.TXT is created.
Boot to the Recovery Console, and use the command line to read the file (MORE NTBTLOG.TXT). The last line in the file will probably
be an attempt to load some bad driver, and you can remove the device (physically) that is having a problem, to then run a repair
setup again.

--

Mark L. Ferguson
FAQ for MS Antispyware version 1.0.509
http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm
marfers notes for windows xp http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/chatNotes.htm
..
"KC1109" <kusie_c@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message news:FB290EA2-75AC-4842-9FCB-0389A9F99D3B@microsoft.com...
>
> My computer keeps looping around the boot screen. I can't find a way out.
>
> A few days ago my computer:
>
> 1. Would not detect my USB Memory Stick.
>
> 2. Was also not showing any open programs/applications in the Windows Task
> Bar as it should. It didn't matter if there were several docs open or several
> programs/applications running, there was nothing in the Task Bar. Not even
> the Quick launch icons that I had installed. There was just the Start Button
> and the Date/Time. The only way I could know which applications were running,
> and be able to swap between them, was to use the Windows Task Manager.
>
> These problems (USB detection and Task Bar) started suddenly, at about the
> same time, a few days ago. There is no new hardware recently installed on my
> computer. There are no new programs/updates recently installed/downloaded on
> my computer.
>
> So having suspected that it could just be an O/S fault, I thought to repair
> the O/S using the Restore CD.
>
> 1. I first uninstalled SP2 which was preventing Restore CD installation
> (Restore CD has SP1).
> 2. I selected Repair Present Installation from the Restore CD console.
>
> After about 45 mins the process was complete and computer said it was
> restarting. This is when the looping started. Instead of going to Windows
> logon screen, the computer kept looping back to the screen - "Windows did not
> start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused
> this"
>
> I've tried Starting the computer in all the given options on that screen:
>
> 1. Safe Mode
> 2. Safe Mode with Networking
> 3. Safe Mode with Command Prompt
> 4. Last known good configuration
> 5. Start Windows Normally
>
> The Dell logo appears normally, with the white bar loading at the bottom of
> the screen. Then instead of going to the Windows logon screen, a blue screen
> swiftly flashes for a split second, so fast that I can't read what it says,
> and the computer loops back to the "Windows did not start successfully..", to
> restart the infinite boot loop. At one time I left the computer on for 1.5
> hours and found it still looping.
>
> I've also tried F12 (Boot menu) and selected to boot from the CD/DVD/CD-RW
> Drive where I inserted the Restore CD, but after it prompts me to press any
> key to continue, only a black screen appears - forever. No key stroke can get
> me out of the black screen. I have to switch off the computer every time I
> want to stop.
>
> I'm not "computer literate", and I'm stumped.
>
> My computer is 2years 8months old.
>
> Dell Inspiron 1150 Laptop
> XP Home
> Intel Celeron 2.4Ghz
> 512MB RAM
> 40GB
> AntiVir 6 Personal Edition Antivirus
> Spybot Search and Destroy
> WinPatrol 9.1
>
> Sorry about the very long story. I needed to cover as much as possible in
> order to be as clear as possible.
>
> Thanks for all replies.
>
> KC1109
> kusie_c@yahoo.co.uk
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

"Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:

> The system can be set to create a boot log. During a Safe Mode attempt at booting, and file named %windir%/NTBTLOG.TXT is created.
> Boot to the Recovery Console, and use the command line to read the file (MORE NTBTLOG.TXT). The last line in the file will probably
> be an attempt to load some bad driver, and you can remove the device (physically) that is having a problem, to then run a repair
> setup again.
>


Thanks Mark.

Unfortunately I cannot get into the system to boot to Recovery Console,
which means I cannot bring up the Command Prompt.

Like I said in my earlier post I’ve tried F8 at boot up (with the Windows XP
CD in the drive) and failed. This option takes me to the Windows Advanced
Options Menu screen, where I’ve tried all options given on that screen. All
that happens is a blue screen that flashes for a split second, then the
computer loops back to “Windows did not start successfully……�

I’ve tried changing the BIOS boot device priority and put the CD/DVD/CD-RW
on top, but it still didn’t work. After being prompted to “Press any key to
boot from CD�, computer says -“Setup is inspecting your computer’s hardware
configuration� . This screen lasts for one second, then it goes blank (or
black, rather). The first time this happened, I left the computer like that
for 30mins thinking the it was still checking my hardware configuration as it
had said. After waiting 30mins not a single key worked to get out of the
black screen. I had to switch off the computer and start again.

I’ve tried F12 and selected to boot from CD/DVD/CD-RW where I insert the
Windows XP CD, but it behaves just like above.

Is there any other way to bring up the Recovery Console?

KC1109
kusie_c@yahoo.co.uk
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

BartPE is probably your only hope.

(BartPE) bootable live windows CD-DVD: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

--

Mark L. Ferguson
FAQ for MS Antispyware version 1.0.509
http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm
marfers notes for windows xp http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/chatNotes.htm
..
"KC1109" <kusie_c@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message news:0EA7150A-F84F-4110-8B44-B488B5E6711C@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
>
>> The system can be set to create a boot log. During a Safe Mode attempt at booting, and file named %windir%/NTBTLOG.TXT is
>> created.
>> Boot to the Recovery Console, and use the command line to read the file (MORE NTBTLOG.TXT). The last line in the file will
>> probably
>> be an attempt to load some bad driver, and you can remove the device (physically) that is having a problem, to then run a repair
>> setup again.
>>
>
>
> Thanks Mark.
>
> Unfortunately I cannot get into the system to boot to Recovery Console,
> which means I cannot bring up the Command Prompt.
>
> Like I said in my earlier post I've tried F8 at boot up (with the Windows XP
> CD in the drive) and failed. This option takes me to the Windows Advanced
> Options Menu screen, where I've tried all options given on that screen. All
> that happens is a blue screen that flashes for a split second, then the
> computer loops back to "Windows did not start successfully.."
>
> I've tried changing the BIOS boot device priority and put the CD/DVD/CD-RW
> on top, but it still didn't work. After being prompted to "Press any key to
> boot from CD", computer says -"Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware
> configuration" . This screen lasts for one second, then it goes blank (or
> black, rather). The first time this happened, I left the computer like that
> for 30mins thinking the it was still checking my hardware configuration as it
> had said. After waiting 30mins not a single key worked to get out of the
> black screen. I had to switch off the computer and start again.
>
> I've tried F12 and selected to boot from CD/DVD/CD-RW where I insert the
> Windows XP CD, but it behaves just like above.
>
> Is there any other way to bring up the Recovery Console?
>
> KC1109
> kusie_c@yahoo.co.uk
>
 

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