computer problem - continual reboot

[Crackle]

My desktop is just rebooting every time it gets to loading XP. I suspect a boot sector curruption on the disk but I don't know. It can be read as a second disk in another pc, so the disk still works. I've tried to run the xp repair utility but it says it can't see any discs to repair but they are present in the bios. Just in case I upgraded the bios.

I was looking for some boot sector utilities so I could try that and eliminate or fix it but without success, so hoping someone might know one I can use off a bootable usb or similiar as I obviously can't boot into XP, though I could mount it in a windows7 machine as a 2nd disk.

Or have I misdiagnosed it, help appreciated, otherwise it's a new disk and time to upgrade to windows 7.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Boot from the XP disk on startup after the BIOS menu

Load into the Repair/Recovery console

On the black screen follow the steps to select the C partition

"fixboot"

"fixmbr"

reboot as normal

 

[Andrew_Culture]

You can boot linux from a cd or usb disc. Do you have another computer you could shove this drive into?

 

[User169]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

 

[Crackle]

Boot from the XP disk on startup after the BIOS menu

Load into the Repair/Recovery console

On the black screen follow the steps to select the C partition

"fixboot"

"fixmbr"

reboot as normal

That's the bit that doesn't work, can't find a disk to repair, puzzled I am

 

[Crackle]

You can boot linux from a cd or usb disc. Do you have another computer you could shove this drive into?

then what?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Booting or installing Linux from a USB/disk usually verifies and/or modifies the boot record in order that it can create it's own allowing dual booting. It might be worth a go but could also be a complete waste of time.

Is the drive and partition displayed when you go into the install menu instead?

 

[steve52]

EEK! wandered in here by mistake,am running back to the shed to sort my scrws and polish me hammers

 

[Crackle]

Booting or installing Linux from a USB/disk usually verifies and/or modifies the boot record in order that it can create it's own allowing dual booting. It might be worth a go but could also be a complete waste of time.

Is the drive and partition displayed when you go into the install menu instead?

I might give it a go, pretty sure I've used it before but can't recall where I got it from, so any links appreciated.

I never went down the install route to see. Will have a look in a bit and report back but like I said it can be seen as a 2nd disk in a W7 machine, so I think the disk is OK.

Of course it could be a failed motherboard do you think?

 

[Crackle]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

Heh, I don't need to, it seems to be doing just fine on that front without help from me

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

It could well be Crax, especially if it's useable in as a secondary drive elsewhere.

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop mounts on a bootable disk no problem if you have a program to burn the .iso

 

[Crackle]

It could well be Crax, especially if it's useable in as a secondary drive elsewhere.

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop mounts on a bootable disk no problem if you have a program to burn the .iso

I'm thinking motherboard now, as it fails to find any discs, also I can't seem to make any bios changes stick, which could also be the battery I guess but probably not.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Give it a shot, CMOS batteries dying can do all sorts of weird

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Have you tried grabbing hold of screen, rocking it back and forth while screaming 'just farking work you farking piece of shoot'?

Won't make any difference but it's very therapeutic.

 

[rich p]

Have you tried grabbing hold of screen, rocking it back and forth while screaming 'just f***ing work you f***ing piece of s***'?

Won't make any difference but it's very therapeutic.

Is that what your boss does to you?