HELP! PC in constant reboot mode!

[Ilovedeals]

I'm having a real problem with my pc - since this morning it has been in constant reboot mode - it gets to the Win XP loading screen and then just when my desktop should appear, there is a flash of a blue screen (like one of those error screens) and then everything shuts off and reboots. This just repeats constantly. Can anyone tell me what the problem is and how I can solve it?

fyi - my system is 3 years old, a P4 2.0 512 SDRAM with a 256 mb vid card and a 80 GB HD (all original except the vid card and one stick of 256 SDRAM).

I have a recovery cd, but am wary of using it. I'm afraid of losing data - even though it does say that one of the options won't result in lost data - just that I would need to reinstall software. Should I try that option? (It is called "Non-Destructive System Recovery: ...will recover all of your factory-shipped applications, drivers and OS without affecting any data files that you may have created since purchasing this PC.")

One other thing I noticed, on the very first bootup screen, when it shows your system specs, RAM, etc, I noticed that it says "Secondary IDE channel no 80 cable conductor installed". Could that have anything to do wth this? (this message may have always been there - I just noticed it today).

Thanks for any and all help people!

P.S. I had a problem something like this 6-7 months ago. Should I be seriously thinking about replacing either my HD or my PC altogether?

[shopper_of_things]

Did you install any new software or hardware lately?

Can you boot into safe mode?

Check your HD's IDE cable, power cable, and master/slave/cs dip switch.

[shop ahoy]

I also had a problem with constant reboots earlier this year.

See http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243594

In my case, it happens when my wireless router is powered off and my PC can't lock on to it.

My lazy solution? Leaving my wireless router on 24/7.

[Ilovedeals]

I have only installed Nero 7 recntly (bought from ebay - might be a fake?)

How can I boot into safe mode (forgive my ignorance!)

Could the HD set-up really be an issue? (I haven't touched any hardware in months).

I do have a wireless router but it is always on also - haven't turned it off in forever.

Thanks for further help/suggestions!

[TotallyKiller]

Did you install any new software or hardware lately?

Can you boot into safe mode?

Check your HD's IDE cable, power cable, and master/slave/cs dip switch.


Good advice. Check your hardware to make sure that everything is connected securely.

Also, as above, see if you can boot into safe mode. It's possible this is something that has ocurred recently and possibly looking at a restore point might work for you. If you can go back a few days, it might correct it.

[windwaker]

Hold F8 before XP splash loads. Choose "Disable auto restart..."

[Ilovedeals]

Hold F8 before XP splash loads. Choose "Disable auto restart..."

I tried this - thanks! - it stopped the restart from happening. Then I got to see the blue error screen. It read as follows:

STOP: c0000221 {Bad Image Checksum}

The image kernel32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header checksum does not match the computed checksum.

Does the above statement indicate to anyone what I should do next? Should I try using another of the safe mode functions - would any of them help correct this problem?

Thanks so much!

[Loco]

for a quick check if it is hardware related, you could under clock the ram in the bios. such as force it to run at 266 or reduce timing. If you get into windows then one stick may be having problems.

[Oversized Rooster]

kernel32.dll is the main core of the system, if I'm not mistaken. Or it is one of the primary DLLs.

Anywho, trying different startups won't matter, because this file is needed for anything to run.

I sense a clean install coming on...

[shopper_of_things]

for a quick check if it is hardware related, you could under clock the ram in the bios. such as force it to run at 266 or reduce timing. If you get into windows then one stick may be having problems.
I would suggest try fixing the kernel32.dll problem before looking for more esoteric problems like flaky memory.

Find a Windows install CD or recovery floppies and boot from it. There should be a Repair Windows option when it boots up. Sorry I can't be more specific since I haven't had to resort to this for a very long time.

[stixxx]

you should use your recovery cd since this is software related and your Operanting system has screwerd up on one of the most important part of you operating system.Nero must have messed something up if that was the latest hing you installed.So try the CD and follow the instruction and it should install the files that is needed for the Operating system to be stable again.

[stixxx]

shopper of things beat me 2 it..lol.. :lol:

[Loco]

I tried this - thanks! - it stopped the restart from happening. Then I got to see the blue error screen. It read as follows:

STOP: c0000221 {Bad Image Checksum}

The image kernel32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header checksum does not match the computed checksum.

Does the above statement indicate to anyone what I should do next? Should I try using another of the safe mode functions - would any of them help correct this problem?

Thanks so much!

Oversize Rooster is right Kernel32.dll is an important sytem file that protects the other windows system files from being changed.
shopper_of_things and stixxx could be right as well

And I was suggesting a quick easy way to eliminate hardware as causing the error. Manufacturers are commonly over rating their ram these days, and checksum errors can happen on any system files as windows is loading it into memory.

A repair install can follow or access the repair console and delete the offensive file and extract a good copy from install disk.

STOP: C0000221 - Bad Image Checksum. User32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header check sum does not match the computed check sum.
Back to the top Back to the top

CAUSE
This issue may occur if any of the following conditions exist:
• A damaged file exists in the folder in which Windows is installed, and this file is not overwritten during Setup. For example, if you receive the error message that references the User32.dll file, the User32.dll file may be damaged.
• One or more of the random access memory (RAM) modules that are installed in your computer is faulty, or the RAM configuration is incompatible.


Replacing the Corrupt file http://www.winxpfix.com/page18.htm

How To - The SOLUTION:

To resolve this issue, use the Windows Recovery Console to extract a new copy of the Kernel32.dll file from the original Windows XP compact disc (The CD). To do this, and follow these steps:

Follow these steps to install Recovery Console:


1. Start the Recovery Console. If you do not have the Recovery Console installed, start it from the Windows XP compact disc (The CD). Follow the a. b. c. d. steps to install Recovery Console:

a. Insert the Windows XP CD in your CD drive and restart your computer. If prompted, select any options required to boot from the CD.

b. When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts; you need to choose the repair or recover option by pressing R .

c. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access from the recovery console.

d. When your prompted, type the Administrator password.

2. At the command prompt, type cd system32 , and then press ENTER.

3. Type ren kernel32.dll kernel32.old , and then press ENTER.

4. Type map , and then press ENTER.

5. Note the drive letter assigned to the CD-ROM drive that contains the Windows XP CD. It is displayed in a format similar to the following:

D: \Device\CdRom0

6. Type expand drive \i386\kernel32.dl_ (where drive is the drive letter of the CD-ROM drive that contains the Windows XP CD), and then press ENTER. For example:

Expand d:\i386\kernel32.dl_
Note the underscore character after the "L" in Kernel32.dl_

The following message appears:

Kernel32.dll
1 file(s) expanded.

7. Type in exit, after the computer restarts remove the Windows XP CD and start the computer normally.

Hope this helps. :)

[Mr Nobody]

Another option: Slave the HD over to another PC and copy a good DLL over.

(Since I hate the recovery console...even though I'm a command line freak. Go figure. :))

[Ilovedeals]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I did the recovery CD option - in a safe mode so it wouldn't delete my files on the HD. (I began doing this before the last 3-4 posts were posted). My system does now start-up - shows my desktop with the same wallpaper as before and all my old program icons. It seems that the recovery process didn't entirely do the trick though. I have a number of problems:

- No vol control in the usual place on the XP taskbar (I hae no volume control at all). No other icons are in the lower right taskbar either. Seems like my sound card drivers have been removed or damaged.

- I can't use Windows Update. I get an error message saying "an exception occurred while trying to run "shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL "C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuaucpl.cpl,Automatic Updates"

- Several programs just don't run - or do after a couple attempts to open them.

- I'm not sure if I am back in XP SP1 or not. When I have opened the Security centre it doesn't show anything about Virus or firewall protection. Strange if it is SP2 right?

- When I did the recovery process there were quite a few files that were missing or corrupted or something - all with the following extensions: .inf (quite a few of these), .dav and .pf (less of these). I had no choice during the recovery process but to click "OK" ater each a message popped up for each of these files being missing or corrupted. Then later in the recovery process it said something about putting all of these files into a file called "304". Make any sense?

I don't have my XP CD at all. I'm not sure if I even got one from Best Buy when I got the computer 3 years ago (was a grand opening special). Don't they do that sometimes - not give you a OS CD? If they gave it to me I have lost it.

Any suggestions for how to approach these problems from here? My system does start now, but it has those above mentioned problems. I should also mention that I managed to run my updated antivirus software and it found nothing.

Thanks everyone for sharing their knowledge and insight. I really really appreciate your help!

[shopper_of_things]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I did the recovery CD option - in a safe mode so it wouldn't delete my files on the HD. (I began doing this before the last 3-4 posts were posted). My system does now start-up - shows my desktop with the same wallpaper as before and all my old program icons. It seems that the recovery process didn't entirely do the trick though. I have a number of problems:

- No vol control in the usual place on the XP taskbar (I hae no volume control at all). No other icons are in the lower right taskbar either. Seems like my sound card drivers have been removed or damaged.

- I can't use Windows Update. I get an error message saying "an exception occurred while trying to run "shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL "C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuaucpl.cpl,Automatic Updates"

- Several programs just don't run - or do after a couple attempts to open them.

- I'm not sure if I am back in XP SP1 or not. When I have opened the Security centre it doesn't show anything about Virus or firewall protection. Strange if it is SP2 right?

- When I did the recovery process there were quite a few files that were missing or corrupted or something - all with the following extensions: .inf (quite a few of these), .dav and .pf (less of these). I had no choice during the recovery process but to click "OK" ater each a message popped up for each of these files being missing or corrupted. Then later in the recovery process it said something about putting all of these files into a file called "304". Make any sense?

I don't have my XP CD at all. I'm not sure if I even got one from Best Buy when I got the computer 3 years ago (was a grand opening special). Don't they do that sometimes - not give you a OS CD? If they gave it to me I have lost it.

Any suggestions for how to approach these problems from here? My system does start now, but it has those above mentioned problems. I should also mention that I managed to run my updated antivirus software and it found nothing.

Thanks everyone for sharing their knowledge and insight. I really really appreciate your help!

Find all your important documents and back them up somewhere. Eventually, you may have to reinstall windows to fix this, or it may suddenly die for good!!!

For now, you should determine what caused it. It may be bad memory or HD. You should run a diagnositic utility. If your installation didn't come with hardware diagnositic utilities download some.

Here's a memory tester that I found: http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp. I don't know if it's good cuz my system came with its own.

You should find a HD tester too. Try your manufacturer's website. Mine came with the system also.

[Loco]

I should also mention that I managed to run my updated antivirus software and it found nothing.

Excluding viruses.

Is restoring to an early point an option, now?

Any suggestions for how to approach these problems from here? My system does start now, but it has those above mentioned problems.
After experiencing corrupted files on boot up, Errors during an install. In my experience, it gives some indication of a faulty stick of ram. It could be heat related, dead/dying fan, thick dust or just weakening hardware.

still an easy check for weak ram is lowering the ram timing.
Entering the bios and lower the CAS (i.e. 2.5->3.0) can sometimes do the trick or forcing it to run at a lesser set speed i.e. from 400 to 333mz.

Raising the voltage is a risk and can lead to stability -> Heat -> burn-out -> Dead computer.

Pulling one of the sticks of ram is also an option.

[windwaker]

You really need a backup plan. You're afraid to lose your files. Back 'em up. The fastest and cheapest no-software-involved solution would be an 5.25" external USB enclosure & a 80GB hard disk. Costs about 80 bucks. All you will do is plug it in an USB port and drag & drop files to it. Faster than any other removable storage except SATA. Then you can recover Windows from the CD. You should have one or ask your computer manufacturer like Dell, HP, Compaq, IBM, etc. You'd pay only the shipping.

I tend to agree with others that it could be a hardware issue that software can't fix. Especially an old PC. With lot of dust clogged up in every part. If you can open the case w/o voiding warranty, use an air duster(walmart) to blow the dust out in the garage. Look up how to enter BIOS in the manual. Reset everything to defaults.

[Ilovedeals]

Hi folks. Thanks for all the helpful replies - and sorry for a delay in sharing what I ended up doing!

I managed to use my DVD burner to back-up all my files. For some reason it worked, while my external usb-connected Hard Drive would not be recognized by my system.

So I did do a back-up and then used my system recovery CD to do a reinstall of XP with a "quick-format" of my HD. Everything seems to be working fine now...but who knows if this will last? I'll try and do a memory test using the software people recommended. If anyone has additional system testing software (free preferably!) that would tell me what might be wrong please let me know. Or any other final words of wisdom!

Thanks so much everyone! All of you make RFD a classy joint! :cheesygri

[magical]

You really need a backup plan. You're afraid to lose your files. Back 'em up. The fastest and cheapest no-software-involved solution would be an 5.25" external USB enclosure & a 80GB hard disk. Costs about 80 bucks. All you will do is plug it in an USB port and drag & drop files to it. Faster than any other removable storage except SATA. Then you can recover Windows from the CD. You should have one or ask your computer manufacturer like Dell, HP, Compaq, IBM, etc. You'd pay only the shipping.

I tend to agree with others that it could be a hardware issue that software can't fix. Especially an old PC. With lot of dust clogged up in every part. If you can open the case w/o voiding warranty, use an air duster(walmart) to blow the dust out in the garage. Look up how to enter BIOS in the manual. Reset everything to defaults.

excellent advice, just one thing to add, if you are going to get a external enclosure try to stay away from Maxtor 1yr warrantied hard drives as it isn't much of a backup if the hard drive is dead when you go to try to use your data.

Good luck.