Computer restarts after Windows XP logo

[bddotnet]

I have an HP dc5000 tower that I purchased for a co-worker. It gets to the Windows XP logo screen then goes black and reboots. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

The only idea I can think of is:

1) bad power supply
2) bad hard drive

I will be taking it back tomorrow and getting a replacement.

Any ideas?

[entrecon]

Have you tried re-starting in Safe Mode?

I had work laptop do this after I did some Windows updates. It was shortly after I started at the company and didn't know they pushed updates. Evidently I wasn't an admin on my machine and something didn't install right on the update.

[bddotnet]

entrecon -

Yes and it did the same thing. I chose Safe Mode from the F8 list.

[IanS]

best bet with a new machine showing these symptoms and no quick fix is to return to the outlet and get a replacement. In the UK you'd get a new machine not that one fixed, I don't know the situation in the US.

[geekworx]

I would say it's an application starting at start-up or a driver causing the reboot. I would take it back too. If you want to keep the machine, reload the OS and see if that works.

[entrecon]

Where are you buying all of these crappy machines and parts?

[YvetteKuhns]

I have an HP dc5000 tower that I purchased for a co-worker.

I guess we can see why the co-worker got rid of it! ;)

I sounds like the power supply. Is it the right one for the tower? Is the switch in the back in the right setting? I remember a similar issue a few years ago. The power supply must be right for the motherboard, so be sure to check the manual.

You can easily check the hard drive with another computer. Older drives are not always compatible with or detected by the BIOS (without tweaking). You should try a new hard drive with the OS installed to see if the computer stays on.

[IanS]

I have an HP dc5000 tower that I purchased for a co-workerfor not from

[YvetteKuhns]

Oops! I must be tired! I got sick from kitchen renovations and the medicine makes me dippy. Or I was thinking about why the tower wouldn't work after entrecon's comment. ;)

[entrecon]

If this was the first PC they had trouble with, I would not have asked. How many different PCs and parts have they posted about here that have seemed bad or not working right? I just want to know where they are buying then from so that I don't buy from there. I don't have the time to deal with it. I want it to work out of the box.

[YvetteKuhns]

I thought the same thing, entrecon. He did post a link to a cheap motherboard in another thread. I can't recall having such problems with NEW products except for one power supply that worked with one tower and not another. That power supply was purchased from a different source than my usual sources. I don't want to "advertise" in this forum, but if anyone asks, I can tell them where I buy my parts affordably.

[geekworx]

If it is booting to XP logo and then rebooting consistently, it is an OS or driver problem, not hardware problem in my opinion.

[YvetteKuhns]

If it is booting to XP logo and then rebooting consistently, it is an OS or driver problem,

I had this problem when trying to install Windows XP (64 bit) over a hard drive that apparently had Windows 98 (32 bit). I think I had to run the Maxtor Drive Utility on the hard drive before installing the software. Maybe the same problem occurs if you try to install Windows XP (32 bit) over Vista (64 bit). Also, I do recall reconfiguring in the BIOS when adding or swapping hard drives.

[IanS]

If it is booting to XP logo and then rebooting consistently, it is an OS or driver problem, not hardware problem in my opinion.
Probably, but I expect a computer to work out of the box - they can sort it out or give me my money back would be my attitude on this one. I have the skills to troubleshoot and fix the problem, but if I've chosen to buy a standard setup, I expect it to work out of the box.

[entrecon]

I guess we haven't asked THAT question. Is this an out-of-the-box set-up or did you do something to it configuration wise?

[YvetteKuhns]

entrecon, based on other posts by this person, we both probably figured he built this. Excellent question.

Bobby, is this a pre-built tower with the software already installed or did you customize it yourself?

[geekworx]

Probably, but I expect a computer to work out of the box - they can sort it out or give me my money back would be my attitude on this one. I have the skills to troubleshoot and fix the problem, but if I've chosen to buy a standard setup, I expect it to work out of the box.

I agree, but I am just speaking as a trouble shooter. OP asked if we had any ideas, I would chase software first, not hardware. If OP was my mom and bought it from a retailer, I would tell her to return it.

[bddotnet]

This was a completely pre-built tower. All I did was transfer her music and pictures from the old tower to the new.

Turned out that the hard drive was bad...the company replaced it, reloaded XP on it and all is well...Thanks everyone!