Help! Windows does not complete boot and reboots by itself

Doublespresso

Would really appreciate some help here:

Last time I had windows running (this morning) i got a strange meesage:

"Unkown Hard Error"

I clicked ok, and it kept coming up, so eventually I switched the laptop off via button.

After that I couldnt reboot again, -it goes through the motions, I see the windows logo and the progress bar and then pause and it reboots all over again.

I tried to boot in Safe mode, I got a list of DOS type lines and then a pause and it reboots by itself again (I end up with the screen asking if I want to boot in safe mode etc or as normal)

Basically I cant get to a working windows screen, I guess I have a bad segment on my HDD where Win loads..

BTW I have a Samsung lappy with Win XP SP2

(I entered at the bios and it sees the HDD ok as 40008MB)

Help!!

phill79

If you have your Win CD handy. Stick it in and choose the "r" option to repair and go into the recovery console. Once there (after choosing the windows installation and admin password), type in:

chkdsk /r

Its not always able to recover the install, but I've had a lot of success with it.

Doublespresso

Thanks, I think that Samsung doesnt supply a Win XP disc, but some kind of recovery disc, is it the same thing?

Will any Win XP Disc do? (eg the one supplied with my Dell PC)

phill79

To get into the recovery console (which is what I described), any CD should do.
To do a repair install (something else entirely), only the correct CD will do.

Doublespresso

Thanks, while we're at it, could you explain the difference between the two and why/when you'd need one or the other?

I will check to see which CDs I have when I get home later tonight.

phill79

Doublespresso wrote: »

Thanks, while we're at it, could you explain the difference between the two and why/when you'd need one or the other?

I will check to see which CDs I have when I get home later tonight.

The recovery console commands are DOS type commands which work with the existing install trying to recover it. Whereas the reinstall does a complete install of Windows over the top of your current install but keeps your files and programs intact. This will only be an option if you have the correct CD anyway.

Doublespresso

thanks for the succinct and clear explanation

mdbarber

phill79 wrote: »

The recovery console commands are DOS type commands which work with the existing install trying to recover it. Whereas the reinstall does a complete install of Windows over the top of your current install but keeps your files and programs intact. This will only be an option if you have the correct CD anyway.

nice help m8, but that falls short in one respect, some recovery cds will actually destroy all data on the hdd and reinstall all windows/programs to factory settings

ashby

My son had this same problem and someone here mentioned AVG8 as the possible cause. Restoring to before he'd installed AVG8 solved it for him.

Doublespresso

ashby wrote: »

My son had this same problem and someone here mentioned AVG8 as the possible cause. Restoring to before he'd installed AVG8 solved it for him.

That's interesting as I recently installed the AVG new version i.e. 8 (they kind of force you to do it) and this could well be the cause.

I still cant find the recovery disc (it could be in storage!) is there any other way I can get Windows to boot up?

[Off topic: BTW I am hugely disappointed with AVG, as they seem to have started to use underhand marketing techniques to "fool" you into getting the paid version]

mdbarber

Doublespresso wrote: »

That's interesting as I recently installed the AVG new version i.e. 8 (they kind of force you to do it) and this could well be the cause.

I still cant find the recovery disc (it could be in storage!) is there any other way I can get Windows to boot up?

[Off topic: BTW I am hugely disappointed with AVG, as they seem to have started to use underhand marketing techniques to "fool" you into getting the paid version]

Agreed on the marketing but they gotta make a living guess not many were buying full product.
If it is avg causing it then booting into safe mode will give you the chance to uninstall it,
press f8 and keep slowly tapping just after power on, this will give you the menu for safe mode etc.
One peice of advice, follow the instructions above to repair disk errors, THEN do this procedure to remove avg, otherwise u will chase your tail for a long time