Member Avatar for makevelius

Hi, My name is mark and I recently bought a pc (Windows XP) from a friend and I checked for space etc and thought instead of just clicking on each program and uninstalling them one by one I thought I should try to restore the whole pc and start as if it was new, while the restoring was happening my electricity went as I am on a key meter so I went to the shop and bought electric and turned back on the computer (which is a Packard Bell with Intel Celeron) now the computer just keeps restarting its self in an infinite loop (I have tried safe mode etc) and won't stop it doesn't have any messages or warnings about corruption I am totally confused as i have searched all over the web and from what I have gathered is, it is failing its P.O.S..T. I don't have a disk of any sort and would really appreciate if anybody could help me

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Rik_

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Following the thread and the early replies from , and , here is a concise, ordered troubleshooting and recovery plan to isolate whether the restart loop is hardware or software, and practical next steps to recover data and the OS.

Start with hardware basics (fast checks first). Power down and unplug, then open the case and inspect for loose cables, bulging/leaking capacitors, or obvious damage. Perform a minimal boot with only CPU, one stick of RAM (try each stick in the primary slot), video card (if required for display) and PSU connected — remove drives and extras. Listen for BIOS beep patterns and note any LED activity; those patterns map to CPU/RAM/video errors in the motherboard manual. If the machine reboots before POST or shows no video, suspect PSU/memory/motherboard. If possible, swap in a known-good PSU or run a PSU tester. Run Memtest86 (bootable) to stress-test RAM.

If POST completes but Windows never reaches the desktop, focus on repairs from external media. Boot the machine from a Windows XP installation disc or bootable rescue media, enter the Recovery Console (or choose the Repair option during setup) and run these commands to check and repair disk/boot structures:

chkdsk C: /r
fixboot
fixmbr
exit

If Recovery Console is not available, use a Linux live USB/CD to copy important files off the drive before further attempts. An in-place Repair (XP setup -> choose existing installation -> press R) will replace system files while keeping programs and data; it requires the correct XP media and product key.

When software repair fails or the system remains unstable despite repairs, prioritize replacing or testing: RAM, PSU, then hard drive (check SMART / run manufacturer diagnostics). If bench-testing parts isn’t possible, a local repair shop can swap in known-good components without risking data. Final note: back up user data before any destructive operations, and proceed carefully with static precautions when handling internal parts.

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Member Avatar for benmar

your system need repair....try to repair it using your windows xp....

Member Avatar for makevelius

That was not helpful at all ! Unfortunately I know just a bit about computwrs. I need a description on what I need to do

Member Avatar for jingda

Is there any beep codes?

Member Avatar for gumbylives

Try replacing the power supply. I work for a body shop and I have had multiple PC that would at random times just shut off and then minutes later start back up only to have them shut off. it seems likely that with your power going off in the middle of and install/restore that there was a power spike causing the power supply to fail

Member Avatar for Rik_

This thread has been dead since december last year.

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