Windows XP Installation Keeps Restarting

Try reading Microsoft's Kknowledge base article 174630 - windows restarts continuously with blue screen. It applies to Win2k, but It was tried  on XP home, and it worked. It explains how to stop the constant rebooting, so at least you have time to work on it.

HOW TO: Start Your Computer by Using the Last Known Good Configuration Feature in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307852&sd=tech

XP Repair
How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

if you can get into safe mode

HOW TO: Use the Driver Roll Back Feature to Restore a Previous Version of a Device Driver in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306546

HOW TO: Restore the Operating System to a Previous State in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306084

if you can't get into safe mode

HOW TO: Start the System Restore Tool from a Command Prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449&sd=tech

Dear Anthony1709,

Check this

http://www.pcscom.com/windows_xp_shutdown.htm

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

http://www.labmice.net/WindowsXP/Install/installbugs.htm

Thanks,
Sunray

hi:

check all connection of cable for ur hardware, or try to reseat them...

Format ur HD and do a clean install of XP..

A Guide to Installing Windows XP
http://www.pro-networks.org/XPMaNiA/install.shtml

Clean installing Windows XP
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm


q

Did you take the CD out of the tray?  If you don't it is going to reboot to the install application again and again.

Sometimes it is the simple things isn't Glenn. It sure does look like that Anthony forgot to take out the CD doesn't it. :)

:)  Yes Spencer, after reading everyone else's comments the obvious was obviously overlooked. :)

I learned to look at the simple stuff way back in my Chemist supervision days. I'd get calls at 4 AM because all they were getting were straight lines on the Gas Chromatograph. I learned to ask thim if the flame was lit on the Flame Ionization Detector. There would be this long silence and then an apology for waking me up. :)

That doesn't mean that is the solution to the problem, but it sure looks that way to me.

yeah i'm thinking gemarti's got it...

i couldn't figure out why the installer would keep restarting either...
but if your BIOS is set to boot from CD's its just gonna keep doing it until you take out the CD
Learnt that one the hard way lol

Gonzaria

Hi

Thats not the problem. I didn't think that would be the problem, as I have install windows xp many times with the CD in.

I try it, when it came to the part where it was going to restart, I let it restart and then I took the CD out, but when it restart it just said "No operating system found".

So it didn't work.

Thanks anyway.

Do you anymore suggestions?

:) Like I said "that doesn't mean it's the problem". :)

You did say though: >>I agree terms, skip the partition part, and it starts to install.

Why are you skipping the partition part? Are you upgrading a machine? Is this a new HD? If it is a new HD or you are not upgrading a machine then you need to format the HD. If you don't format the HD then you can get a "Operating System Not Found" error.

Try booting into the Recovery Console with the XP CD. If it finds an installation then log onto that system. Since this is XP Home just press enter when prompted for a password. At the C:\Windows prompt enter the following:

FIXBOOT C:
Then:
FIXMBR C:

Hi

I just figure out that the problem is nothing to do with the hard drive. This because I connect it to my desktop, and it works fine, and I install Windows XP on it fine.

So it must be something wrong with my laptop.

Do you have any ideas?

Thanks.

Hi

I got my laptop to work. I thought it was something to do with my BIOS.

So I went to my BIOS, and selected load default settings, once I did that it was fine, XP installed fine.

But I do have other question, I install my laptop hard drive to my desktop to see if my hard drive was working. To test it, I try installing windows XP Home Edition. It work. But now I have removed the laptop hard drive.

But when my computer starts it still asks me if I want to go to Home Edition or Pro.

How do I get rid of this? Is it something to do with the registry?

Thanks.

Edit the Boot.ini file.

It's a hidden file so do the following:

START | RUN | CMD
in the command window change to the C:\ drive and type:
attrib -h boot.ini

Now you should be able to edit boot.ini with a text editor like notepad

To hide boot.ini

attrib +h boot.ini

Award points to gemarti.

Thank you.

I wanted to add a caveat here for one solution I haven't seen mentioned.

Some motherboards take exception to having a non-HDD IDE device set as the master device on an IDE port before you have  an operating system installed.

For example, if you made your HDD the master on IDE 1 and your CD/DVD the master on IDE 2, rather than slaving your CD/DVD to the new HDD.

When you first start the computer, you may notice that the BIOS POST process takes considerably longer during the IDE identification than would be normal OR it may not POST properly at all.

The other result is the issue mentioned here; Windows XP setup will boot successfully from the CD and the setup process will partition and format the HDD, BUT on restart, it simply boots back to the CD.  This loop will continue until you slave the optical drive to the HDD.  Once it is slaved, setup completes properly.

You will also notice that the POST process has returned to normal.

I've had customers who wanted to return motherboards for RMA because of this issue; it appears to occur mostly with VIA chipsets, and specifically on Chaintech and DFI motherboards.  Besides the POST issues, there may also be issues with signals not being sent through the AGP port to the video card, which means the monitor will fail to turn on, or improper messages sent which means severe artifacting on the screen during POST.

I haven't checked to see if the issue continues after the OS has been installed by switching the CD/DVD back to IDE 2, but at that point the customer has a working computer, so besides the issue of cabling and the ridiculous designs of some of the newer cases (putting the CD/DVD slot at the top of the computer and the HDD bay at the bottom, facing the outer case panel) there really isn't a reason to switch it back other than pure curiousity.

Hope this helps some who didn't find their answer in the posts already submitted on this subject.