constant reboot loop

  • Thread starter Thread starter nself
  • Start date Start date
N

nself

I downloaded Windows updates and now my computer just
keeps rebooting without ever completing.
 
-----Original Message-----
I downloaded Windows updates and now my computer just
keeps rebooting without ever completing.
.
Is anyone else having this problem of your PC constantly
Click to expand...
rebooting after downloading Windows2000 updates?
 
rebooting after downloading Windows2000 updates?
Click to expand...

My pal tells me that's happening to him too.
It boots to the stage where it presents a message that doesn't stay
long enough to be read before starting over again.

He's visited the Microsoft knowledge base that seemed to identify the problem,
and though he's tried to fix it using the advice there, its going from bad to
worse. I don't think it can recognise the HDD at all now.

He thinks it may have contracted a virus into the disk boot sector, but
that's hard to believe since it was working fine before the update.

Sorry to be rather vague but I can only go by his verbal reports as he is off
line due to the problems. Will try to get some facts in cronological order.

Meanwhile, any ideas?

Roger
 
Roger said:
My pal tells me that's happening to him too.
It boots to the stage where it presents a message that doesn't stay
long enough to be read before starting over again.

He's visited the Microsoft knowledge base that seemed to identify the problem,
and though he's tried to fix it using the advice there, its going from bad to
worse. I don't think it can recognise the HDD at all now.

He thinks it may have contracted a virus into the disk boot sector, but
that's hard to believe since it was working fine before the update.
Click to expand...

It would be 'hard to believe' if he has a robust firewall, but just because
it was working fine before, is neither here nor there. Look back at
previous posts both here and in mpw.general and you'll see that this
is a fairly common problem - and maybe you'll find a solution.
 
Alan Illeman said:
It would be 'hard to believe' if he has a robust firewall, but just because
it was working fine before, is neither here nor there.
Click to expand...

After reading some more, what you say is probably correct, though he did have up
to date Anti Virus active, but I agree that's not the same as a robust firewall.

Roger
 
cronological order.
Click to expand...
err.. Chronological order.

After downloading service pack for Win 2000 blue screen with repeated reboot and
error 0x0000007b.
MS Knowledge base gives Article 822051 and 822052 for error 0x0000007b.

Next actions taken:
Created 4 floppy boot disk set. (using another machine)
Options:
1. C for Recovery Console
2. R for Repair, Emergency repair disk - this chosen.
Result was at first 'Ok' but then message Win 2000 hardware error, disk
corrupted.
Rebooted and disk - invisible.

Attach another HDD as slave, this recognised.
Run CHKDSK 'f' - runs through checking three times, then reset with 'Vector File
Table (MTF) Mirror'.
Finds 'Windows System Error'.

Nothing more done, and the disk not formatted though this was auto suggested by
CHKDSK.

It looks as though the best plan is to go over the previous posts on this
problem and to see if a precise cause for the 0x0000007b message can be
identified.

It doesn't look good, does it?

Roger
 
Leeanne said:
This has happen to me also. I downloaded a Window 2000
Update from the Automatic Update. Said yes to the re-start,
now I have the constant reboot loop.

Tried to repair it without any luck, now my only option is to
re-installing my OS.
Click to expand...

Before you reinstall, if you can, try to find out the cause of
the problem so you can prevent it happening again. I would
suggest, if you haven't already done to, that you disable the
"Automatic Updates" service and only download the updates
you require (i.e. not all of them just because they are there).
Download what you need using a User or PowerUser
account. Go offline and logon as Administrator to install them,
preferably one at a time, rebooting between each install.

I also suggest you visit the update site to find out how to
uninstall a specific update, before you install it. Lastly
get yourself a firewall and up-to-date antivirus scanning
software.

Alan
 
Roger said:
After reading some more, what you say is probably correct, though he did have up
to date Anti Virus active, but I agree that's not the same as a robust
Click to expand...
firewall.

P.S.
He had Norton Personal Firewall active as well.

There does seem some contradictory information in that the 'security' advice is
NEVER to turn off the security when on line, but the Microsoft article 822051
suggests the reboot problem 'may occur if antivirus software is running on your
computer when you install Windows 2000 SP3'.

You just can't win.

Roger
 
Roger said:
have
firewall.

P.S.
He had Norton Personal Firewall active as well.

There does seem some contradictory information in that the 'security' advice is
NEVER to turn off the security when on line, but the Microsoft article 822051
suggests the reboot problem 'may occur if antivirus software is running on your
computer when you install Windows 2000 SP3'.

You just can't win.

Roger
Click to expand...

The security they are referring to is your FIREWALL.
Antivirus software doesn't provide security (except so-called
Resident Shields - for scanning incoming emails), it only
verifies that you are still secure.
 
The security they are referring to is your FIREWALL.
Antivirus software doesn't provide security (except so-called
Resident Shields - for scanning incoming emails), it only
verifies that you are still secure.
Click to expand...
And there was I thinking it was stopping viruses attacking my computer.

Hmmm.. So if I have this right the correct procedure when updating is to keep
Firewall turned on but turn off Anti Virus.
If that is the procedure then that specific instruction ought to be much more
conspicuous.

Corporate users will view firewall as a separate item, usually separate
hardware, but for home users, especially those with an integrated internet
protection package its expecting rather a lot to assume they will be able to
make this differentiation.

Roger
 
Roger said:
And there was I thinking it was stopping viruses attacking my computer.

Hmmm.. So if I have this right the correct procedure when updating is to keep
Firewall turned on but turn off Anti Virus.
If that is the procedure then that specific instruction ought to be much more
conspicuous.

Corporate users will view firewall as a separate item, usually separate
hardware, but for home users, especially those with an integrated internet
protection package its expecting rather a lot to assume they will be able to
make this differentiation.

Roger
Click to expand...

Updating should, imo, be a three stage task:

[1] online, with firewall active, but not the AV, download the update
using a User or PowerUser account.
[2] offline, using the Admin account, check the downloaded file
with your AV software.
[3] offline, using the Admin account, with AV disabled, install
the downloaded file.

You could add a step between 2 and 3 - to backup your system
software - so that you can recover easily, if there are problems
with the install of the downloaded file.

Commonsense is uncommon ;-)

Alan
 
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