It just boots and boots and boots again

I just stole this from somewhere else so that I wouldn't have to type it all out for you!



Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order

When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below:

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
Press Enter to start the Windows Setup. do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R".
Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations.

Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the options, END setup. After the reboot read Warning#2!

Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot. Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact.

It doesn't have a CD drive

can i boot it through another computer - as in, if i connect them with usb cord and put the installation cd into that other computer that has a cd drive?

What? No CD or DVD Drive in it? Is this thing an antique?

No chance of stealing one for a few minutes from another machine? Or connecting an external drive? Boot off of a network connection?

or is there a secret boot button? you know, like holding f5 down for a real long time or something like that?

I have an external hard drive! will that help in some way?

Your external hard drive would only be helpful if it is a bootable system disc (i.e. it has all the WindowsXP system files on it and it is properly configured...) If it is just a storage drive it won't be of any help.

If your laptop has a floppy drive you could make WindowsXP boot discs on floppy... (Yuck!)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

there should be some way to boot in safe mode, it's usually an f button of some kind

F8 during boot up may get you into safe mode. It usually doesn't work properly with systems in thesse boot-loops though.

it's hard to believe, but it doesn't have a floppy drive either!! it has nothing, it's a tiny little thing,.

i found a reset button at the back and pushed it...lessee if that does anything.

nope, it still boots and boots

Have you got a model number on that thing?

f8 key will get you to safe mode but that only works if the problem isn't on the mbr section of the drive.

Does it have a floppy drive? This will tell you if the problem is hardware or windows.

If all you need is a file from the drive, you can remove the drive and put the drive in a usb case to connect it to another computer to get files from the drive. A usb case for a 2.5 inch drive will probably run you about $25 plus the time of pulling the drive and putting it in the case. That may be less time than making recovery disks and attempting to rescue the system.

Shart PC-UM32W I think

I always keep one of these handy to hook up drives to without having to throw them in a case.
You can get them with ATA and SATA now so they will work with any hard drive.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189169

thanks, parados, i'll look around (Best Buy?) That might be worth the investment. I don't care about the computer itself, just need that one file

Ha, interesting. this time it let out series of high pitched beeps...but it keeps bootin and bootin.... Starting in safe mode did nothing either.

Ok! That explains things a bit. The external CD drive was a $300 option back when that thing was new (in 2002!)

If it's just the one file you want I'd say that removing the hard drive form the laptop and connecting it to another computer is probably the fastest way you are going to get it done.

....though i hate to give up. i'm usually like a bulldog set on something until it's fixed.... my old puter did this when it had a bad memory card.... but i found it out and fixed it. might have to tinker with this one for awhile too, else it will drive me nuts.

1. Turn it off for a couple of hours. It may be overheated.

2. Reset the memory sticks. They work loose from thermal expansion and contraction sometimes.

3. Try booting to safe mode, as some have suggested. Sometimes the timing is tricky, though, so try F8 repeatedly (don't just hold it down) from the time the Sharp splash screen appears.

4. You may be able to remove the drive and attach it to another machine. You may need a special adapter to connect a laptop drive to a different machine.

5. I don't suppose the file you need is on the external drive?