hp vectra vli8 in boot up loop

[John Mullins]

A friend gave me this computer. The problem was there when I got it. He had tried to put Win 2K on it along with DOS and Win 98. I have tried to just install Win 2K and it did not work. When computer goes to reboot computer into W2K, it starts the loop again. I tried loading PCBSD with same results. I have updated BIOS(Phoenix 4.0 Rev 6.0.C), run fixmbr and fixboot from repair console, did not help. Computer is a P3, 700MHz. MOBO is KZM-6120.
If anyone can help me get this computer going it will be much appreciated.

[mechbas]

When you tried to install 2K, did you do so on a freshly formatted HD?

[John Mullins]

When you tried to install 2K, did you do so on a freshly formatted HD?

mechbas
I let setup format the drive. Then went thru the rest of setup till it got to the place where it reboots the computer. from there it brings the the opening screen(with the progress bar at the bottom). The screen then goes blank and it goes into the reboot loop.

[mechbas]

When you let setup format the drive was it a matter of maybe a few minutes or 30min. or more?
Seems that you have some sort of HD error. Don't think it's a system (mobo, etc.) error.
Do you have another system that you can stick the HD in for a AV check? Some Boot sector viruses are a pain that a new MBR and Format will not fix. Short of software specificaly desiged to search and destroy BS err.s, a low level format usually does the trick, but I suspect drive is rather large which will make something like that quite time consuming.
If you've another drive that you can try an install on you might try that to see how it goes.

[ect76]

Just a quick question to make this thread idiot proof - You did ensure that when it restarts it's booting from the hard disc, instead of the CD again and going back into setup from the start?
Sounds obvious, but it's momentarily confused me a couple of times during a reinstall!

Ewan.

[mechbas]

Just a quick question to make this thread idiot proof - You did ensure that when it restarts it's booting from the hard disc, instead of the CD again and going back into setup from the start?
Sounds obvious, but it's momentarily confused me a couple of times during a reinstall!

Ewan.

Valid question, however, someone that has experience with setup on several different OSs would probably have considered that before now. You think maybe?

[bobbyraw]

@ mechbas, you would be surprise at to how some simple stuff can slip you by when it comes to computer. However, i suggest you format that hard drive with some other utility then do the. But the best thing do do right now is run a disk utility on the HDD. to verify if the boot sectors are ok.

[John Mullins]

Hey guys,
It took about 20 to 30 mins. to format. I also took the CD out of drive. I tried another HD with same results. I have tried installing Spotmau premium 2008 CD. It will boot from the CD, then goes into the BIOS screen loop again.
I am asking my friends for a IDE controller card that I can put in and eliminate the onboard controller. I am running out of things to try, other than the MOBO.

Thanks

[ect76]

Well, my apologies if my post was a little basic, but from here I have no idea what his knowledge of computers is and I was just trying to make sure the basics were covered. Won't happen again.

Ewan.

[mechbas]

Let's back up some. With the new HD fdisk, format, the put the sys. files on f/win98, THEN see if it'll boot.

[walkerfred]

how do you format this thing

[jingda]

Hi and welcome to daniweb. With regards to your question, what do you want to format. Your internal hard disk or flash drive.