XP PC suddenly in a BIOS reboot loop

[mwortman]

Okay, this is a new one... with the Compaq laptop I have had for almost a year. I have been using it to watch videos on the plasma and it has worked fine... then it rebooted, got halfway through the BIOS (Phoenix) load and all the indicator LEDs went black and it restarted.... this keeps repeating. It doesn't complete the BIOS load (no beeps) and never gets to loading Windows.

I went into the BIOS setup and reloaded the default values but that had no effect. I also removed the power and battery and that, too had no effect.

The one change that happened was I watched on-demand Netfix for the first time and that required loading their software and a Win Media player upgrade. I restarted after that and had no trouble watching the film. I left the room after it was over and it was in the restart cycle when I returned.

What do I do to get my PC back?

Michael

 

[kimsland]

Try releasing the voltage, as you already described above.
Then removing the Ram card(s) from the underneath panel (usually cover with 1 screw)
Then blowing out any dust
Then refitting the Ram
Then plug the power back in (leave the battery out still)
Then turn On

Please reply back with result

 

[mwortman]

OK, I removed the AC and Battery, removed the RAM that wasn't soldered to the motherboard it looked clean but blew it out anyway and then reinstalled the RAM restarted it with out reinstalling the battery... same symptoms.

Michael

 

[kimsland]

Actually it sounds as though you are getting past BIOS (just) and then it restarts.

If you have anything plugged in the back, like printer; camera; mouse so forth, please unplug them - only leaving Power
Then try again

If that doesn't work:

If you have your Windows CD
Set the BIOS for CD first (this may already be the default condition)
then put your Windows CD in the drive
And restart
Hit any key to start windows setup (the CD)
Follow the directions HERE on Repairing Windows

 

[mwortman]

good news and bad news...

The good:
I found the DVD's I burned as recovery disks and after using a paperclip to manually open the DVD tray I restarted the laptop.

The Bad:
The message was "No hard drive found"

 

[AYTRIX-TEC]

looks like there was an issue when u installed the on demand Netflix. on the side of the laptop there should be a screw underneath holding the HDD drive in place. unscrew and unplug the HDD, ensure that there is no dust there or in the HDD slot plug back in and reboot.

the laptop could simply be overheating from overuse.


Regards James

 

[mwortman]

Thanks, James... removed and replaced the HD… Same symptoms but I paid more attention to the HD this time and heard it rev up to speed and then a light thunk, thunk thunk, as (I presume) the head was seaching until is restarted.

 

[AYTRIX-TEC]

are there any disk in the DVD/CD drive when ur booting?

if there is take it out as this well stop if booting properly

james

 

[kimsland]

thunk, thunk thunk

If that is comming from the Hard Drive, then it has failed.

You will need to purchase a new Hard Drive for your computer.

• Remove the Hard Drive and caddy again
• You should notice some phillips screws holding the caddy and end connector
• Remove the screws (and ideally put them in a small zip tight plastc bag)
• Remove the narrow end adaptor (these can be a little difficult to smoothly pull away from the HDD)

Check what size hard drive you have (usually ~40 - 80 Gig)

• Buy a new Hard Drive (larger GB size the better)
• Put the end connector on the new drive
• Put the caddy and screws back in
• Re-mount the new hard drive in your laptop

Begin the Windows restore from CD

Reply back! (may take some days - ie purchase new Hdd)

 

[AYTRIX-TEC]

agree with kimsland any HDD going thunk thunk thunk means its gone.

James