Bootup problem :(

[Small Shoe Magoo]

Alright, I have been problem free for a while now... but something is wrong once again..

At bootup (after the windows xp loading screen) the computer suddenly blue screens, turns off, and reboots... Over and over.

I had no viruses at all, and I am sure of that. The error message has something to do with "Memory" each time... So I thought my RAM may have been unconnected somehow, but it was not. I tried going into safe mode... but it blue screens as well. I thought my computer may have overheated... but I left it off for about a day and a half and the problem still occurs.

I tried repairing XP w/ the disk.. once again blue screened.. I have about 3gb of RAM in that computer, so I'm pretty sure it's nothing to do with the RAM...

However, the motherboard is pretty old, but my computer still recognizes things that are connected into it at startup, so I would hope that's not the problem...

I had no problems... My computer was running fine, and then suddenly shut off (now it's doing this)

I can't reformat as well, same reason as the repair.

Help please http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />?

[guestolo]

The blue screen message might help
Can you choose to Not Auto restart the machine in the startup menu

The same menu you choose Safe mode by tapping F8

[Small Shoe Magoo]

o.o I've been meaning to get to this, but I moved the monitor and forgot about the computer for a while. Well, I started it up today, checked inside - made sure nothing was loose, and still the same error, but this time it doesn't blue screen. It gets past the windows XP bootup and reboots.. It's weird :\

[Small Shoe Magoo]

^^^

[guestolo]

Have you tried running Memtest86 and ensure it's not Ram problem
Burn it to CD and check out the Memory
http://www.memtest86.com/download.html

I like version 3.3
Also, do you have a live distro of Linux hanging around, such as knoppix or Ubuntu
You may want to see if you can boot with it and see if you have any problems

[Small Shoe Magoo]

I'm pretty sure it's not the memory. I've swapped it for a few other ones hanging around and still have the same problem, but when I get home from school I'll be sure to try that out.

[Small Shoe Magoo]

The memory is fine

[guestolo]

Why not try the following

Remove all but one stick of Ram, if possible on your computer
Remove all other periphials you don't need hooked to it except for PS2 keyboard, mouse, monitor

Try booting, see if it's any help

[Small Shoe Magoo]

Tried already, same problem

Thanks for the quick reply

[guestolo]

I had the same problem with a friends computer recently

Unfortunately to resolve the problem was a bit of trial and error

Changed IDE cables, memory, CD drive, PSU, video card, PCI Usb
removed network card, etc.. he didn't need to boot the computer

None of the above helped, so it was down to motherboard and processor
Turned out to be processor

So make sure to remove what you don't need from the inside of the computer to boot
Eg.. network card, etc...
Try and boot and/or try XP cd to boot

OR, try a live linux distro such as knoppix and see if you can get the machine to boot

[Small Shoe Magoo]

Alright, I'll go do that right now.

[Small Shoe Magoo]

Did that, removed the network card, that was pretty much the only thing not needed.

So it's pretty much down to the HDD, Motherboard or Processor I guess. HDD is about 6 months old, so I don't think it's that.. (also because it reboots when XP install cd is in), Motherboard is pretty old, and Processor is old as well.

And I don't have any linux lying around, but I have Vista.. :S, which doesn't seem to work well on that computer (freezes on loading screen).

Would you suggest me dling linux and trying that?

[guestolo]

It's a good cd to have around anyways
It's a bit of a download, but like I said, it's good to have around

Try this
If you don't have any software to burn image files
download and install
[color=\"#0000FF\"]burnatonce>>bao0995.exe[/color]
Onto a working computer

I'm assuming you have high speed internet, you'll need it
Go to the following link
http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

At the link, you can read the info about knoppix if you want
Click on the DOWNLOAD button
Next page you will want to choose a mirror to download from
Just because a location may be closer to you, it may not always be the fastest connection
I find that the download location from
ftp.kernel.org   [rsync]   [ftp]   [http]   Kernel.Org (California, USA)
is very good speeds if your in North America

You can select it by Clicking  on ftp as eg..
At the new page click on ACCEPT
This will bring you to an Index of what you can download
Scroll down to KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso and click on it
Choose SAVE TO DISK and OK
Select the location to download, such as desktop

After download is complete you will want to burn the ISO as is

Fire up Burnatonce, put a blank CD into the drive
In burnatonce, select Setting>>Device Settings, this will show you the options
Ensure the speed of write is correct, you can lower it a bit to ensure a good burn
Afterwards, click on the WRITE button or FILE>>New Image
Navigate to KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso
and double click on it to Select it
Then click on the WRITE button again
Let it complete the burn process, after it is successful you are ready to try it in the nonbootable computer

If the computer boots with knoppix, it may be the XP disk possibly that could be the problem

[Small Shoe Magoo]

Alright, I'll try it, but it boots from the XP disk, but shortly into the setup it restarts.

I'm thinking it's the processor.. I don't see any blown capacitors on th motherboard.. and I've been needing a new processor anyways..