WinXP PRO Safemode Auto Reboot Loop

As is my habit, I periodically run my scanners while in safemode to guard against any particularly nasty intruder. You know, the ones that try to hide below the radar, so to speak. The safemode reboot resulted in an auto reboot. I have attempted to force safemode through every avenue available including HAK. Even Advanced Users Control Panel and Recovery Console have been no help. Repair install, System File Checker, chkdsk /r, you name it. I have run every scanner known to man, I think. Scanners have been run from system and online. From HiJack This on down, nothing reveals nothing. All drivers are XP compatible. CPU temp is 62C. I have checked and rechecked, repaired and re-repaired. The only thing I can find is in Event Viewer System log. Source is Svr, ID is 2000; this shows as an error code. MS Knowleged Base has no info. The Web has nothing except references to a problem with Win2000/NT. That recommends a servpack. BTW, MS Baseline Security Analyzer also gives clean bill of health. Call me crazy, but I think that something is hooking the function call with a redirect to a psuedo safemode screen which is being used to cover a boot call. Does this make sense to anyone. Is it possible. I need some truly serious help. I'll dance at your wedding, sing at your funeral, AND, vote for you in the next election; if you could only help me out.

Are you saying you can't boot safe mode?

Thats real odd, seems as though you've tried pretty much everything other than you know what....Format.

Hopefully someone will have an answer.

[edit]=Mr someone showed up= Curio

Yepper, that's awhat I'ma saying. Scary, ain't it?

That is what I'm saying. No matter which route I take, the end result is a non-anticipated, non user initiated system restart. What's happening? Oh, BTW, Curio, I would if I could, but I cannot because there are none.

Have you installed any new software recently ??

Only XP update KB898461. Surely that.......OMG. I wonder. I just looked back a little further. On the 15th, I have 5 Security Updates; 883939, 896428, 890046, 896358, & 896422. That's 6 total new updates to system just prior to safemode boot failure. I guess I have my work cut out for me now. Nothing but uninstall, re-install, rule out.

to start 62 c is extremely high...with that said I would try taking all cards out except video and disconnect all IDE devices except your primary hard drive and see if boots up. If it boots up start connecting one at a time till you find the culprit.

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Originally Posted by wgardenhire

Only XP update KB898461. Surely that.......OMG. I wonder.

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I wouldn't think its that causing the problem. That is just an update that installs a permanent copy of the Package Installer.

Have you tried system restore ?? Select a point prior to the windows updates.

Alternatively uninstall the updates one by one via add/remove

That was long ago and far away.

You could try disabling auto restart:

Right click My Computer.
Select Properties and on the Advanced tab hit the Settings button under Startup and Recovery.Uncheck Automatically restart. Hit OK.

Yeah, that's the only thing I know to do. Uninstall all, check if safemode is open, etc. When the boot process is underway, the safemode screen comes up with safe in all four corners and the product id and build number overlayed in the middle. Of course, the overlay runs across the words safe becaues of difference in screen resolution. Then, there is a screen change with an obvious display adjustment and the safemode screen comes back but this time with the correct resolution for my configuration. I can tell becaues the Product ID with Build Number is centered perfectly with no overrun into the corners. It should not do that since video drivers will not have been loaded. This driver loading is occuring just prior to the auto reboot being initiated. Any thoughts.

Thanx Phishhead, I'll see what I can do about that temp problem immediately. I really wasn't aware that it was that high. I've always seen that kind of temp.

Disabling Auto restart was one of the first things I tried. Have done that from msconfig, boot.ini, you name it. However, I just checked and I'll be damned. Didn't change it back after repair install. Gonna log off and try one of my forces. I'll be right back.

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Originally Posted by wgardenhire

This driver loading is occuring just prior to the auto reboot being initiated. Any thoughts.

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You could uninstall you vid card drivers to see if it can get past the auto reboot sequence

I can do that in a boot process, without uninstalling the drivers, can't I? Or is it better to completely uninstall?

Would a boot cfg /basevideo suffice?

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Originally Posted by wgardenhire

I can do that in a boot process, without uninstalling the drivers, can't I? Or is it better to completely uninstall?

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Try both. Although total uninstall would be more efficient than a selective boot.

I tried a safemode boot resulting in a reboot. After the safemode screen in low resolution, XP start screen comes up low graphics, starts RCPSS, executes wlnotify, returns to safemode screen hi graphics, reboots. I also tried safemode command prompt, just to see, same sequence except that after safemode screen in hi graphics, command prompt screen (full screen) comes up in lo grahics only momentarily, then a reboot.

Let me catch up...the system boots fine in normal mode but will not boot into Safe mode without rebooting itself?

I wouldn't suspect a driver of that. How about killing all startups and non-MS services? Or during a safe mode boot, what is the last driver that loads before the reboot?

I like the sound of temporarily changing the video card - if you have a spare - it sounds from your description as if the reboot is triggered by the video mode change. During the early part of the boot sequence a special driver is used then when it goes into safe mode it initially starts at VGA 640x480 then later swaps to the SVGA driver.

Re-installing your video card drivers may also change the result (if they have corrupted) I am struggling to think of something that loads in SAFE MODE after the desktop and menu appears, anyone think of something. It is the point in the boot sequence when LKG is written but I think that happens directly you log on and a disk fault in the LKG files would be picked up by chkdsk anyhow.

Lot of fizz on the web about this problem being caused by InCD (the packet writing software that comes as part of Nero Burning Rom) if you got it try removing it.

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Originally Posted by Curio

Lot of fizz on the web about this problem being caused by InCD (the packet writing software that comes as part of Nero Burning Rom) if you got it try removing it.

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In particular a problem with InCD 4300. Remove it or update to the latest version.

I recently had this problem with a clients computer, it stemmed from two problems, bad ram and crappy power supply that killed the ram. If you can try different ram and power supply (without spending cash), try that. But the best suggestion I have heard is take out all unnecessary hardware and try from there. If you have an ATI card the drivers might have done something if you recently updated them.

Okay, have been gone for awhile. Did as the Reverend said, but it didn't help. My bright idea of doing it from boot.ini resulted in a continuous boot loop. ;). Somewhere along the way of trying to F8 out of everything, I stumbled on someting that worked. Went ahead and uninstalled video anyway; just in case. There appears to be one way to get to safe mode. Last known good configuration. Why it holds safe mode, I don't know, but I ain't complaining. Of course, while I was there I ran every scanner I had, sfc /scannow, chkdsk /r, you name it I did it. It had taken me twelve days to get there, I wasn't going to waste it. Now I'm satisfied it isn't a bad guy (I think?). I have checked for a redirect to wininit. The last driver to load that I can see in api. I DO HAVE NERO. Thanks for the tip Reverend, I would hate to lose it. Didn't want anyone here to think I had just dropped off; I know so many do. There are a lot of memtest pgms out there. Who's trustworthy? Powere Supply shouldn't be bad; fairly new, but who knows. Guess I could bench the system. I don't have the necessary diagnostics.

The last driver that loads is AGP440.sys

Yes thanks for that reverend.