Computer keeps restarting

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This all started trying to download the latest version of iTunes for my sons new iPod. (Never succeeded) Anyway I ended up trying to install SP2, as it said I needed it. I did that and it gave me an error and told me to uninstall it and reinstall. I ended up just cancelling it all and shut the PC down. This is just a family PC that the kids use and is a Compaq Presario, 5100 series I believe. OS is Win XP. The next day when my son went to start the computer up, it got to the windows xp screen, then a blank screen, then it just continuously kept restarting itself. I tried safe mode, I tried booting from last working state, nothing. It won't even let me get to the start up menu or desktop, just the continuous restarting. It was also making a weird, dull sounding wind up noise. I don't have any of the original software or an XP disk. I'd trash it, but we do have some family photos etc. on that PC so beating it with a bat is out. Any help would be appreciated. I'm not really that proficient with the techy stuff but any detailed help offered would be very cool.
Thanks :)
 
You need to get your hands on an XP install disk, or take the computer to someone that has some computer repair knowledge and an XP disc... XP SP2 really needs to be installed on a "clean" system. There are 90 something Critical Updates that need to be downloaded and installed after you install XP, SP2. Your going to need to remove the existing hard drive, get another hard drive installed in your system and setup XP, SP2 fully updated, on it. Install the old drive as a slave and recover your files from it then
 
Thanks for the reply. Reading that, cost wise (as this PC is at least 5 years old) Would it be better just to get a new PC? I just have no idea the cost of any of that stuff.
Also, any chance it could be an overheating issue? (crossing fingers here)
 
No way that it is a overheating issue. The cost of a new computer depends on what you want. A decent computer from Dell is going to be around $800. You could build on for cheaper though, that is going to be a whole heck of a lot better than a dell or any other pre built for that matter. (at least in its price range) It is really rather easy to build one.
 
Remove the battery from the motherboard for 30 seconds. This resets the BIOS. Try it. It doesn't cost anything. A new machine at five years old is not a bad idea either. Good Luck.
 
I would love to try that, but I have no idea what that battery looks like, or how to do that.
Sorry, like I said when it comes to the inside of these things, I'm stumped.
 
You will need to open up your side panel and have a look inside there to find the battery. All it is, is just a small watch battery I suppose. It will be somewhere on the main board, which is what everything plugs into. It is small and silver and round. :)
Just pop it out for a few seconds then put it back in.
 
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