What is a "boot loop" and how do I tell my friend how to get outof it?

I have a friend on the phone who can't boot up in WinXP Home.
A tech support person at our ISP told him it is called a boot loop and
could not help.

When he tries to boot up, even in Safe Mode, it starts to boot and it
goes back to "Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or
software change might have caused this. If you computer stopped
responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to
protect your files or folders choose last known good configuration to
revert to the most recent setting that worked. If a previous startup
attempt was interrupted due to a power failure (which he didn't
have)or because the power or reset button was pressed or if you aren't
sure what caused the problem choose start windows normally."
Then there is a list:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with networking
Safe Mode with command prompt
Last known good configuration (most recent settings that worked)
Start Windows normally

He has tried the choices except for "with network" since he doesn't
have a network.

His computer is HP Pavilion 7935
bought from Tiger Direct in about 2002 and they did not provide a
Windows system disk. He called HP tech support and they longer have
information for this model.

He said he's about ready to take a hammer to it, but I told him to
just get away from it till he cools off.

Do any of you have an suggestions how he can get it to boot into
Windows without a system disk. I sure don't.
--

Grandpa Chuck
-ô¿ô-
~

 

Get him a disc. Any Microsoft XP Setup CD should work. (Obviously, "system
restore" or "system recovery" discs probably won't be any help.) By default,
HP didn't install the Recovery Console boot option, which is where he
probably needs to go.

 

Have him check his mouse and keyboard connections for a tight fit. If any
are USB replace with a ps2 and then try it.

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I just got a bit more information from my friend who is having the
problem. He had just moved the computer downstairs so his wife who is
no longer able to climb stairs can use it. The first time he booted up
it looked okay with the background and all of the icons, but then it
froze. He tried pushing the reset button and nothing happened. The in
order to kill the power he shut it off at the surge protector. It was
then when he turned the power back on and attempted to boot up that
this boot loop stuff started.

When I just talked to him he said his mouse and keyboard connections
are plugged all the way in. He lives across town from me and I am not
going out tonight. I did tell him if he doesn't have it running by
tomorrow evening I will bring him my original WinXP Home disk. He is
concerned about the registration number, but I assured him since he
has his registration number written down he should be alright.

I told him your suggestions and will talk to him again at about 10:30 CST.

 

There is something he could try tonight: remember the F8 boot menu? It
should have one more thing that the "windows wasn't shut down properly" menu
doesn't have. If he does the F8 to force the boot menu, he should look for
"Disable automatic restart..." or something similar to that.

The CD Key isn't important at this point anyway. He's got a valid install of
Windows; he's probably not going to have to re-install.

With the XP CD, I'd start by running the Recovery Console and doing a chkdsk
/f on the hard drive.

 

Simpler would be to start by breaking the problem down into parts,
and first analyzing those parts. For example, hard drive manufacturer
and HP both provide comprehensive hardware diagnostics. I don't know
how to boot those diagnostics on that HP. However the point is to not
even let Windows get into the problem. Boot the diagnostic or boot
the disk manufacturer's diagnostic from (maybe) a floppy to first
establish what is and is not working. Trying to restore software when
hardware is unknown - risky and too often makes a problem more
complex.

Once a diagnostic reads disk data correctly (by many different
methods), only then move on to a next sub-part of the problem.

Maybe 30 different problems could cause this. Let's take one as an
example - that somehow the BIOS setting has changed. If trying to
restore an Operating System on a 'changed' BIOS, then system may
overwrite other data - write in the wrong place - further complicating
the problem and destroying good data.

Better is to first establish disk is even working. Then establish
whether BIOS settings are OK. Once we have established everything in
hardware and firmware OK, only then are we ready to address a last
part - restoring Windows.

Do not fix anything until first is established what is good.

As an alternative; it is probably a small disk anyway. Get a larger
disk. Load the OS on that new disk. Once a system has been
established, then connect the original disk. This way data is not
lost, system is verified before disk data is put at risk, original
hard disk can then be verified, confirmed, data recovered, etc. And
finally he has a second disk to use for data backup, to boot system
after another failur, or whatever.

But again, notice how it works. Don't start fixing things. That's
simply asking to make a problem more complex. Step through the
problem. Those who try to fix problems rather than first learn what
has failed only get more complex problems. emotionally distraught -
and don't learn from their event.

 

Pull out any PCI cards and reseat them. Do the same with the ram.
disconnect everything outside except monitor mouse keyboard. Remove any
add on cards except for video (unless it's built in.) Reset bios defaults
to normal or safe mode if present.

 

A mutual friend says his hard drive has probably failed.

Can I take that hard drive out of his computer and put it in one of my
old computers as drive X or something and then copy his files either
on to my C drive or on to recordable CDs?

Any other ideas?

--

Grandpa Chuck
-ô¿ô-
~

 

That depends on the failure. If it is a hardware failure, probably not. If
it is a software failure, sure. But judging from the symptoms you posted
before, I think Windows has a problem, not the physical hard drive.

 

Okay, so refresh my memory about how I, or he, can change the boot
order so his computer will try to start from the rescue CD instead of
drive C. I can't believe I have forgotten how to change the boot
order. Maybe it's just a "senior moment"?

 

Press the Del key, when you boot the machine up.
It`ll take you to the BIOS page.
Tab thro` the pages, to find Boot order, make the
CD the first bootable device.
Save settings, and exit.