xp probs

scooby555t · 28 Oct 2007 at 15:24

trying to fix my m8s pc
when xp loads it reboots the system i have no idea whats wrong with it any1 got any ideas
thanks in advance

Tute · 28 Oct 2007 at 15:41

Bit vague mate.

Specs? Any visible errors? What was the last thing you/him did before it started doing this?

scooby555t · 28 Oct 2007 at 15:46

emm no errors it comes up with loading windows xp gets to the end and then reboots ive no idea what they where doing before this happended.

its a amd althon xp cpu its a prebuilt michance parkerd bell i extreme system
he never gave me any restore disc's or anything. am trying a chkdsk /r option failing that i dunno

Tute · 28 Oct 2007 at 15:59

Try safe mode? Failing that it's going to be a reinstall.

swinnie · 28 Oct 2007 at 16:25

Just checked a flow chart out of a magazine.

They advise booting into Safe Mode or Booting into last known good configuration mode

scooby555t · 28 Oct 2007 at 16:44

tryed all of the above still reboots with no errors

Tute · 28 Oct 2007 at 16:49

scooby555t said:
tryed all of the above still reboots with no errors

I'd recommend a reinstall then. Sounds like he's stuffed something up and doesn't want to say what it is.

scooby555t · 28 Oct 2007 at 17:05

tis a she lol don't have a xp disc so i dunno what to do i have a legit serail for windows home on the side of the case *** i down load a copy off torrent ???

swinnie · 28 Oct 2007 at 17:39

Using someone elses CD with your LEGIT Product Key is legal.

Using a downloaded Image isn't allowed AFAIK.

MarcLister · 28 Oct 2007 at 18:01

You wouldn't want to download a torrent copy of XP. Firstly its on dodgy ground in relation to the law. Secondly the torrent copy could have been modified with evil intentions.

You'd need an identical copy of XP. So if she has XP Home SP2 you'd need the same otherwise the key won't work.

Tute · 28 Oct 2007 at 18:04

MarcLister said:
You wouldn't want to download a torrent copy of XP. Firstly its on dodgy ground in relation to the law. Secondly the torrent copy could have been modified with evil intentions.

You'd need an identical copy of XP. So if she has XP Home SP2 you'd need the same otherwise the key won't work.

Yep, although I heard it's okay to download but not to upload. So I guess if you disable uploading it's alright but the lines are a bit blurred.

I wouldn't do it though exactly for the reason pointed out - that torrented copy might be malicious and/or modified.

scooby555t · 28 Oct 2007 at 18:10

will ask for the restore discs tomorrow cheers for the help guys

MarcLister · 28 Oct 2007 at 18:13

Tute said:
Yep, although I heard it's okay to download but not to upload. So I guess if you disable uploading it's alright but the lines are a bit blurred.

That could be true but I wouldn't want to run the risk at all.

Tute said:
I wouldn't do it though exactly for the reason pointed out - that torrented copy might be malicious and/or modified.

That is probably the biggest threat. Since MS do not offer XP/Vista for download there isn't an existing checksum that people could use to compare "torrented" versions of Windows to. But that is for another time and another thread.

Edit - Could give http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326246 a try. Shamelessly nabbed from http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7368886&postcount=42.