Friend's computer refuses to boot into Windows (Win2k), suggestions?

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Petra

Gawd
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
640
Hey guys, haven't posted in a while... Anyway, my friend started having trouble with his computer yesterday so he brought it over here to have me fix it. I've been tinkering with it for a while and, short of a reformat, I'm running out of ideas... (The noise from its Volcano 6Cu+ must be getting to me :rolleyes:... Thing's crazy loud and doesn't cool for shit compared to my SLK-900U)

The Problem: When loading Win2k, as soon as the progress bar in the startup screen reaches the end, the computer restarts.

What I've tried:
-Set the HDD to Primary Master (for some reason he had it set to slave)
-Cleared and reconfigured BIOS
-Ran the Windows repair utility that's on the Win2k install disc
-Moved RAM from slot 3 to slot 1 (Random, I know, but worth a shot)
-4 loops of memtest86 (passed with no errors)
-Checked PSU voltages (they seem alright)

System Specs:
-XP 1700+ (at stock clocks)
-256MB PC-2700 (Seems generic--CAS2.5 with Samsung chips)
-MSI K7N2 mobo (MS-6570 Ver:1)
-GeForce4 MX (dual VGA)
-350w Antec 'SmartBlue' PSU

Thanks in advance for the help!

*edit* Updated system specs and stuff I've tried.
 
Well, 4 loops of memtest86 later and still no errors... I went back into the BIOS afterward and checked the PSU voltages and it appears that the voltages being put out by the computer's 350w Antec 'SmartBlue' PSU are okay. Any more suggestions?
 
Agreed with above. Unless it's done the exact same thing before, thus ruling in any sort of hardware config, then it's probably something that got corrupted in the file system at some point recently. Dump it and reload it.

You can't get into Safe Mode, can you? If you're talking about the DOS'd loading screen with the loading bar (not the white windows one), it sounds like you've go time to hit F8 and make a selection before it gets to the end. Figure that way maybe you can save some of his stuff if he needs it.
 
... if he wants to save his stuff, he can just use your comp, and burn it or whatever. use linux, or BeOS or some other OS, to gain access, or just install another copy of windows, and hope that his shit isnt encrpyted...
 
When loading safemode it restarts in the same way it does when loading Windows. So, basically, it won't let me into the OS at all. If I need to, I can plug his HDD into one of my other computers as a slave and just copy whatever files he wants saved. So a reformat and reinstall is the only fix, eh?
 
Quick update for you guys...

I formated the HDD and installed WinXP Pro--everything seems to be working fine now. Thanks for the help :) (I just wish it could have been done without reinstalling Windows :rolleyes: )
 
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