PC in perpetual boot loop

peter tron · 12 Jun 2013 at 22:34

hi all,

ok, as the title thread mentioned, i'm stuck in a boot loop with my pc.
i have attempted to scour the realm of google to help me trouble shoot/diagnose this issue., so here goes:
by the way, this is new to me, i've never encountered this before. i don't even know if this is the correct forum area

i was restating the pc after trying to get a game via steam to recognize d3doverider for its vsync purposes.
i restarted, and that's where the boot loop began.

i unplugged all usb peripherals apart from the keyboard and my lcd tv.

no change.

i tried booting in safe mode.

no change

last known configuration

the same problem

i found my original os install disc, pooped it in and i'm assuming that it should automatically go to language settings with options to "repair disc", but i don't see that.

is there something i'm missing?

i repeatedly tap f8 to get to the advanced options, but i don't see an option to repair the disc.

can you guys advise?

Mobo: Gigabyte H61MA-D3V Socket 1155
GPU: Nvidia GTX 460
CPU: i3 2100
RAM: 4gb
PSU: evo labs 750watts

koolpc · 13 Jun 2013 at 19:33

Everytime i have seen this it has meant a complete reinstall of Windows!! System is corrupted

V F · 13 Jun 2013 at 19:45

Or possibly the hard drive has went kaput. I've had those exact same symptoms. So many sectors and blocks was non writable, slow death. Boot repair loop until I changed the drive.

FBi7 · 13 Jun 2013 at 20:02

I've had this recently. Took the mobo out the case and it fired up first time. Must've been dust causing a short circuit or something.

Maybe worth a try before you write off components?

peter tron · 14 Jun 2013 at 17:01

@ koolpc:

i have my vista 32 installation disc. how do i use it to try and re-install?
i and placed it in the drive, but i don't see any option on the 'recovery screen' to access it.
all that is on the screen is safe boot mode, last known configuration etc

peter tron · 14 Jun 2013 at 17:20

@ V F:

my friend told me it could be a virus on the hdd. or it is just dying/dead.
i have heard that i can get an external sata desktop enclosure for it, so i can plug it in to the back of my mac. then (hopefully) i can transfer the files onto a waiting dvd-r.

i have no wish to transfer the files directly to the mac desktop if something is corrupted.
i could download avast (if it is available for a ppc mac) and scan it when i plug the enclosure in the back of the mac?

peter tron · 14 Jun 2013 at 17:23

@FBi7:

you removed the mobo?
so you removed it, as in just had it resting outside the cracked case on a flat surface etc?

Swordfish · 14 Jun 2013 at 17:23

koolpc said:
Everytime i have seen this it has meant a complete reinstall of Windows!! System is corrupted

Not at all.

V F said:
Or possibly the hard drive has went kaput. I've had those exact same symptoms. So many sectors and blocks was non writable, slow death. Boot repair loop until I changed the drive.

Could be.

Best thing to do is get hold of a Hiren CD/DVD and boot to that.

Use the tools there to test the hard drive and if that is healthy boot into MiniPE (windows) and run check disk on your drive (CHKDSK "drive letter" /F)

FBi7 · 14 Jun 2013 at 17:34

peter tron said:
@FBI7:

you removed the mobo?
so you removed it, as in just had it resting outside the cracked case on a flat surface etc?

Yup, took the mobo out the case and placed it on a non-conductive surface. I only plugged in the bare essentials: 1 x gfx card, ram, 1 x hard drive and hooked up the psu. Then I briefly shorted the two pins on the mobo that the power switch plugs into and she burst into life.

peter tron · 14 Jun 2013 at 18:48

Swordfish said:
Best thing to do is get hold of a Hiren CD/DVD and boot to that.

Use the tools there to test the hard drive and if that is healthy boot into MiniPE (windows) and run check disk on your drive (CHKDSK "drive letter" /F)

cheers swordfish, i'll get on that!

FBi7 said:
Yup, took the mobo out the case and placed it on a non-conductive surface. I only plugged in the bare essentials: 1 x gfx card, ram, 1 x hard drive and hooked up the psu. Then I briefly shorted the two pins on the mobo that the power switch plugs into and she burst into life.

urghh!
burst into life and not flames?
heh, the mention of 'shorting pins' scares the stuffing out of me

koolpc · 14 Jun 2013 at 18:55

Swordfish said:
Not at all.

It has been the case for me everytime i have seen it

koolpc · 14 Jun 2013 at 18:58

peter tron said:
@ koolpc:

i have my vista 32 installation disc. how do i use it to try and re-install?
i and placed it in the drive, but i don't see any option on the 'recovery screen' to access it.
all that is on the screen is safe boot mode, last known configuration etc

Go into the bios (Usually by pressing 'Delete' or 'F2' at start up) and select DVD as boot drive and save.

Restart PC and press enter when it asks to boot from DVD.

Follow on screen prompts. Do a full clean of drive (Dont select upgrade) and then install OS onto it.

Let us know how you get on

You will lose all stuff on HD so if you can find an enclosure for it you might be able to extract all files off of it if you have another pc to transfer to.

I dont think it is a hard drive failure. I think it is a corrupted HD.

peter tron · 14 Jun 2013 at 19:30

koolpc said:
You will lose all stuff on HD so if you can find an enclosure for it you might be able to extract all files off of it if you have another pc to transfer to.

I dont think it is a hard drive failure. I think it is a corrupted HD.

if i go the route of trying out the hiren cd, that way i should find out if the hdd is corrupted (or not).

if it is corrupted, i'll get another one

do i need to buy an enclosure, or can i plug the old pc hdd into the back of the new hdd when i install it?.
is this is what is termed "slaving"?
a friend told me i can do that instead?

koolpc · 14 Jun 2013 at 20:06

peter tron said:
if i go the route of trying out the hiren cd, that way i should find out if the hdd is corrupted (or not).

if it is corrupted, i'll get another one

do i need to buy an enclosure, or can i plug the old pc hdd into the back of the new hdd when i install it?.
is this is what is termed "slaving"?
a friend told me i can do that instead?

No. You can't do that.

You would need another PC to connect the hd to either in an enclosure or direct to PC.

peter tron · 15 Jun 2013 at 20:11

deleted

peter tron · 18 Jun 2013 at 11:08

Swordfish said:
Best thing to do is get hold of a Hiren CD/DVD and boot to that./F)

i've never done this before.

i've burned the iso's for the Hiren and MiniPE discs.
how do i boot the hiren disc?

koolpc said:
Go into the bios (Usually by pressing 'Delete' or 'F2' at start up) and select DVD as boot drive and save.

Restart PC and press enter when it asks to boot from DVD.

will i need to do the above?

Swordfish · 18 Jun 2013 at 18:02

Yes.

Put the Hiren Boot DVD into the DVD tray and restart the PC. Press the appropriate key to enter the boot menu (probably D8,F11 ro F12 or ESC).

Depending on the version you have you want to navigate to the Dos Tools Menue and then to Hard Disc Testing. Select Seatools (as this will test other drives). Select yoru drive and run a long test on it.

Once the drive test has finished and assuming the drive is healthy repeat the taks above but select Windows XP Mini PE from the options list and let Windows load. Once Windows has loaded run a command prompt (there will be a shortcut or click start, run, and enter CMD). Once you have the command propmt up you need to enter the following (without the quotes) "CHKDSK <drive letter>: /F

Let the check run through and do this for all the drives you have.

peter tron · 18 Jun 2013 at 20:19

i got into the gigabyte bios menu.

i selected the dvd drive as the priority
i selected the hdd secondary to that , saved, restarted.

the hiren cd booted up, chose seatools.
it started testing, then told me that there was no hdd installed?

Swordfish · 19 Jun 2013 at 10:15

OK. I beleive that is because your drive is set to ACHI mode. Happens sometimes. Go into the BIOS and change it to ATA/IDE (either works) and reboot doing the same thing with the Hiren and launch Seatools then. Your drive will now be visible.

One thing make sure once you have doen your testing that you switch it back to ACHI.

peter tron · 19 Jun 2013 at 20:31

i checked under the 'peripherals' tab, found 'SATA mode selection', IDE was already selected.