Windows XP Rebooting Problem

Trying to troubleshoot a problem with my 5 year old home built computer which uses Windows XP Home Edition. It gets part way through the boot up process, flashes a blue screen, but not long enough to read, and then starts to boot again. Can't get it to fully boot up in normal mode. If I push F8 and choose Safe Mode it will boot and run Windows in Safe Mode. I recall it started to reboot all on its own at random, but now it is every time on startup.

Windows Recovery Console had been installed some time ago, and that is another start up option. I tried running it, and it fails. However, I do get a blue screen that stays long enough to read. It says I may have corrupted hard disk files and I need to run chkdsk /f. When I try running chkdsk from the Windows run window, I get an error saying volume is in use and cannot run chkdsk.

Tried booting from the original Windows XP CD. It seems to install the generic drivers, but finishes with an error message that says there are no hard disks installed on the computer. There are of course and I can access the two physical disks I have with Windows Explorer running in safe mode.

Thoughts on what could be going on? The last time crazy stuff like this happened, it turned out to be the power supply. This time I checked all voltages and all is normal.

I have removed all data from the disks, and am trying to decide whether to do a complete reinstall from scratch or keep trying to troubleshoot it.

 

Thanks, I have now done that, and can read the BSOD. It says that I should check to see if there is sufficient disk space -- which kind of suggests to me it is not seeing a hard disk, as there is lots of disk space.

It also says to change video adapters. I have already done that as I suspected the video, and put in a new adaptor. I know the full driver install is not done, as I can't get the thing to accept the drivers in safe mode. It even seems to have trouble reading the driver CD. I tried to install them from a second computer on the network, and it just said they were the wrong drivers. The display is fine in safe mode, and is just not at the full resolution.

Also says to check for BIOS updates, and disable BIOS memory options. There is nothing but numbers and letters in the STOP line.

Further thoughts? Why would it see a hard disk in safe mode, but not in normal start up mode?

 

Here is what I see:

*** STOP: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005,0xAFE64621,0xF78A1D34)

 

See any drivers in device manager that are missing/corrupt? While in Device Manager: View -> Show hidden devices.

 

When I booted up today to run in Safe Mode, it gave me the option to do a System Restore. I picked a date before the time it stopped booting. However I still get the BSOD on boot up. The Stop line is somewhat different though:

*** STOP: 0x0000007E (0x0000005,oxB0027621,0xF78A2038,0xF78A1D34)

On next boot up, I got a message that the system restore failed and no changes were made.

In Device Manager I see a ? Other Devices, and then 4 Unknown Devices under that, as well as ? Video Controller (VGA Compatible). I also get the Device Manager Wizard screen about 5 times on each start up saying new devices were found. However, I am not able to install device drivers. Also at this point I cannot get get it to open the CD Rom drive. I have been assuming this is the new video card I installed and can't get drivers installed for it, no matter how I try.

The original video hardware was built into the mother board. I was pretty much having all the same issues with it, and I put the new video card in because I suspected the hardware was bad. The card is an inexpensive ASUS EN8400GS Silent. It is supposed to be compatible with XP and W7, and I have XP SP3 with an Intel Pentium D processor.

What do you think next? Pull video card and see if the STOP line changes? Try a different date in System Restore?

 

I checked System Info. I/O, IRQs, Memory, all show OK. Video Controller is listed under Problem Devices. Display is blank. In Windows Error reporting, about the time trouble started I see an Application Error - Faulting Application avgtray.exe, version 12.0.0.1827, faulting module...

I did upgrade to AVG 12 about that time. It may have been a chicken and egg thing though. The computer was acting flaky before it refused to boot, and I may have done it to do a better check for a virus.

I tried to run AVG and got a message "Licence number could not be verified. This error is usually caused by a corrupt installation...." Thinking I should just uninstall it?