Last known config etc screen - then restarts

Placebo

PC Boots
-gets to the menu where it states that the computer did not shutdown properly the last time then i get the 3 options, start windows, start windows with last known working config etc etc

selecting any option makes pc restart and loop back to the same screen ? ne ideas ?

KdjaCL

Start in safe mode and see what the last driver loaded is, its usually the one thats causing the crash.

kdjac

Placebo

damn, ofcourse.
thanks, will try that. Its friends pc so assisting over phone !

Capt'n Midnight

start - run - msconfig

get then to select diagnostic startup - if all well then select selective startup next time - let then go through the options and call you back when they have narrowed it down.

thetourist

you may not be able to start in safe mode either but if you press f8 repeatedly then you'll get advanced startup options - one of them should be diable automatic restart - which should cure the looping problem - then you should be able to see the error

but if you cant start in safe mode then you could be in serious trouble anyway though - the restore console ( if you know how to use it and IF it is of any help ) is the only option i can think of short of remastering the pc but if files are missing or if a service is causing the machine to hang then it can be helpful for replacing/disabling etc

also if the problem's a virus then you may be able to remove the drive and scan it with a different pc - this might allow you to start the machine

Placebo

hey gum boots, youre right, safe mode didnt work, i didnt try the F8 - repeatedly though. I think the errors reads something like "problem caused due to a recently installed hardware/software"

I assumed he could do System recovery by using the cd but APPARENTLY that option isnt there so i got him to get down to the recovery console, not sure where to restore system files from, does system recovery console allow you to access the cd rom ? i might have to go up and take a look as hes pretty much an end user [so am i i guess ] so it takes ages on the phone.

thanks.

thetourist

Placebo wrote:

hey gum boots, youre right, safe mode didnt work, i didnt try the F8 - repeatedly though. I think the errors reads something like "problem caused due to a recently installed hardware/software"

I assumed he could do System recovery by using the cd but APPARENTLY that option isnt there so i got him to get down to the recovery console, not sure where to restore system files from, does system recovery console allow you to access the cd rom ? i might have to go up and take a look as hes pretty much an end user [so am i i guess ] so it takes ages on the phone.

thanks.

not sure about recovery console and cd - i can only wish you luck with it - it never helped me unless i either knew specifically of a file that needed to replaced and where to find it - or the other think is that it's handy for disabling services - you could try disable all if you run out of options it might work but it might leave your pc in a state !!
i hope you're not mixing the recovery console up with system restore because they're not related i dont think

if you cant start in safe mode then you really dont have many options before you have to reformat and reinstall windows ( and everything else ) -

good luck

ps - just re read the post - recovery console is about as advanced as it gets - so unless you either know what your're doing - or have a specific strategy in mind then i wouldnt tear my hair out over it - as i said it's also pretty limited

pps - if its due to recently installed hard/software then a) unplug any recently installed devices - pci or usb included - b) you need to get the machine to start in safe mode so you can run msconfig and disable startup items from there - if you cant do that then the only other thing i can think of is using the rec console to disable any services which may be interfereing with startup - a net tutorial may help you - there's not actually a lot to it
c) it sounds so aggressive that it might be avirus or malware - i would take the drive out and scan it in a clean pc with upt to date antivirus before i committed to reinstalling windows - is worth a shot -
d) not meaning to sound negative but it doesnt look good for this machine so i wouldnt spend much more than an hour or two trying to get to the bottom of it if i were you - unless there's a lot on there then you'd have it remastered in a few hours