Windows XP keeps restarting

[mlange]

I'm new to the PC-Doctor kit but I thought I read somewhere it could help troubleshoot a driver that would keep Windows from sucessfully starting up.  I have a client PC that has Windows XP and will not start in Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, or Normal, in all modes it starts and after a few seconds restarts.  How would I use the kit to aid in troubleshooting this?

[James_PCD]

Hello Mlange,

SC can help troubleshoot a driver that is causing issues with Windows.  However, this information is only available within the Windows product and since you are unable to get into Windows, you will not be able to get to this information.  Unfortunately this is a known limitation within the product.

There is a request to make this information available within our DOS product as well. Our product team is looking into ways of making this happen. I am un-certain if and when it will be made available in an update.

[Thomas K]

mlange.

Your best bet, is to do the following.

Use PC Doctor DOS (MultiPurpose Device) and make sure the hard drive is not failing.  This is very important first step.  If you have failing sectors, or read input/output errors, it wont matter how hard you try.  

You can TRY to flag Windows XP to do a chkdsk on the drive, it might fix itself, this can only be done upon initial boot anyways, you cant do a chkdsk on primary partition, and is advisable.

Secondly, I advise you to go get AVG Rescue Disk.  At this point, you need to scan the drive and make sure its clean, clean, clean, of all crap that could be interfereing.

Please note, that AVG Rescue works off of linux, and if you do a alt+f6 (or is it alt+f7) you can see a log of what has happened (alt+f1 will bring you back to the AVG menu).  So do this after AVG has tried to mount all partitions.  if you see Errors, you know its the drive, if its not, well, continue to scan.  make sure you do an update if possible (I highly suggest the AVG Rescue USB) for scans, this allows you to update the virus database.

Between PC Doctor, and AVG Rescue Disk/USB I really have not NEEDED much else, and have managed to clean and rescue about 99% of systems, and/or data on this systems.

There IS a third step, but Im sure you have already done this.  Use the Windows install disk, and go into recovery mode, and run the required tools to restore the booting.  Alternatively you can do a 'rescue' install if memory serves.

google 'using windows xp recovery console'

Good Luck

Thomas