WinXP PRO Safemode Auto Reboot Loop

[wgardenhire]

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

[wgardenhire]

Would a boot cfg /basevideo suffice?

[Reverend]

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

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

[wgardenhire]

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.

[rik]

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?

[Curio]

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.

[Reverend]

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.

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

[beelzebub]

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.

[wgardenhire]

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.

[wgardenhire]

The last driver that loads is AGP440.sys

[Curio]

Yes thanks for that reverend.