can anyone help, my computer in sheffield keeps restarting when i try and load it up. it was working fine until a few weeks ago when i left it with some friends. it doesnt load up to windows... any ideas what to do?

: oops :

erm details are a bit sketchy

could do with some details about what windows it is, xp?
details of processor etc?
maybe programs on it?

when you first boot it up, try going into safe mode (f8 i think) keep tapping
if that works you can try starting system restore and going back to before your norty friends had it

Originally posted by melthebell
: oops :

erm details are a bit sketchy

could do with some details about what windows it is, xp?
details of processor etc?
maybe programs on it?

when you first boot it up, try going into safe mode (f8 i think) keep tapping
if that works you can try starting system restore and going back to before your norty friends had it

hey thanks, yeh i can go into safe mode, il have to try and restore it from there. iv got windows 98. will i have lost any data on it?

dunno..............also if you have / can get a win 98 cd try reinstalling over itself........you wont lose docs etc but itll replace any missing dlls etc

also if you can get into dos mode / command prompt window, you can try recreating the master boot record which could be corrupt..........go into dos mode then type fdisk /mbr

thanks.. il try what you have suggested, next time im in sheffield.

If it starts loading windows and resets half way through then fdisk/mbr won't help. If it gets into windows in safe mode then you have a fair chance of not loosing anything. you need a windows 98 boot disk, then you need to run setup from the windows 98 cd, it will reinstall windows over the current instalation. if that does not work and you need to save data then your best off taking the hard disj out and sticking it into someone elses computer and copy stuff off it. been drinking so hope that makes sense!

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
If it gets into windows in safe mode then you have a fair chance of not loosing anything. you need a windows 98 boot disk, then you need to run setup from the windows 98 cd

If the salma can boot into safe mode, there's a very good chance that a re-install is not required (this behaviour could be caused by malicious SW);).

Thats also true but unless the rqd s/w to remove spyware is already installed, its easier to reinstall windows (10mins) then sort it after.
set fire to it and go to the pub is my sugestion.
:D

thanks for the suggestions, it doesnt actually load up to windows. when i switch the computer on it loads for about 10 seconds and then restarts the whole process again.

Originally posted by salma
thanks for the suggestions, it doesnt actually load up to windows. when i switch the computer on it loads for about 10 seconds and then restarts the whole process again.

Sounds like you've either got a corrupted driver or a virus/trojan.

Get your data off it as previously mentioned then reformat and re-install after you first partition your disk in to two partitions, one for windoze and programs and the other for your data, next time. Then you won't lose your data when windoze bombs next time (and there will be a next time.........)

the first thing to try is to restore the registry entries to a known good configuration from the dos prompt.

firstly you will need to boot to the Windows 98 startup menu. (as computer is booting keep tapping F8)

At the resulting menu select 'command prompt only' (either option 5 or 6)

at the resulting command prompt type

"scanreg /restore" (without the quotes), you will then see a blue screen and hopefully a list of dates (please note these will be in US format so read the relevant dates neccessary).

Select a suitable date at which the pc was running ok at and hit the enter key.

If the registry is ok then you should have a working PC. If that doesn't work then try the reinstalling option

thanks guys! il try these suggestions, hopefully it will start to work again.