cannot start pc

peter_the_planter

Wifes uncle has just been given new pc for birthday, naturally he's broke it!!!
When you start up it goes into safe mode, choose normal and it loads windows for 20 seconds and then restarts all over again. Choose safe mode and it loads the drivers , loads windows for 20 secs and restarts. Choose last safe setting and it loads windows again for, guess how long and then restarts.
If you choose the Acronis system it starts for 2 secs and hangs.
Now considering he was not left a Windows disk, Start-up/recovery disk how do you get into windows?
Del does not let you into bios and I can't use my own XP disk as its registered to me.
I gave him a disk with Spybot etc on to protect him but he was told it wasn't necessary????
Any thoughts?

-TangleFoot-

Perhaps a repair installation would fix the problem? Any Windows XP (Home/Pro) disc will do; the product key isn't stored on it, and the PC should have a sticker on the side or rear with its own one, should setup ask for it.

peter_the_planter

Thanks, I wrongly thought windows had the No in it. I would give it a try and hope it does not ask for the number as the supplier also did not note the serial number down. Not the worlds best supplier is it?( I did not choose them)

-TangleFoot-

Something sounds kooky there; who supplied it? If the PC did not come with a Product Key sticker and a Windows/Recovery CD then you should make a complaint.

peter_the_planter

He's going to. BTW someone with more knowledge than me(not difficult) has also tried using win disk but no luck. Probably MBR corrupted or hard disk failure in some way.

-TangleFoot-

peter_the_planter wrote:

Probably MBR corrupted or hard disk failure in some way.

Doubtful, since, as you say, Windows sort of loads, then restarts. Does it restart during the repair attempt?

Oh, and by the way; a Microsoft OS Product Key looks something like this, in case you don't already know.

ben500

I know it's not exactly the most current virus but have you checked this pc for "mydoom" the problems you describe are very similar.

-TangleFoot-

Good point there. Might also be a good idea to read up on Sasser and MSBlaster too.

Plus, if you've got access to a computer with a CD-writer and broadband, you can make yourself a nice all-in-one troubleshooting tool with http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Browntoa

you should to be able to make a boot disk from another xp machine then most virus software has a dos run option ....well I know AVG does...

-TangleFoot-

That won't work if the hard drive was formatted with the NTFS filing system...

peter_the_planter

He's decided to call out the people who supplied him with the PC. He thinks it was playing up when the chap installed it. (Thanks for the pretty picture of the M.S code, just like the one on my comp.)