rebooting computer

[Sysman]

It refuses to do that because "it can't check the disk that system files are on whilst windows is running".

Do you have more than one disk? If so you can put a minimal installation of Windows on another disk, and boot from that to repair your current C:

It would seriously help if you can find your system CD.

[PingPing]

If you can't find your system CD you could use a linux CD (like SystemRescueCD) to make a mirror image of your current (faulty) hard drive and put it on a different (non-faulty) hard drive.

I'm assuming you know how to use linux, right? If not, now is as good a time as any to start learning some basic linux skills. The abovecaptioned link contains a lot of documentation that will hold your hand through the process. Don't be fooled into the amateurish nature of the web site - the SystemRescueCD is a very powerful distribution of linux and may save you a lot of agro in the future should you come across similar hardware/data problems.

[Board Game Geek]

Get something like Bart's Boot Disk, burn to CD, and then boot from CD.

You'll then have boot time windows installation that runs in RAM, and you can use the various tools on the CD to try to repair the HDD.

[Churchill]

My computer keeps on rebooting itself.

Is there some diagnostics program somewhere I can use to find out why?

I've got XP.

(and yes I will take this as a hint that I should buy a new one but I can't do that quickly ATM)

TIA

tim

When was the last time you hoovered all the tulip out of your PC?

Blocked heatsinks can cause major overheating problem which can cause a reboot.

Apologies if someone else posted this but I can't be arsed reading the rest of the thread.

[tim123]

Thanks guys.

Seems to be completely buggered now. It tells me it's missing a system file and wont boot up at all.

Now that I've recovered my laptop from my sister's (long story) I am back online. I've taken the disk out and put it in an external box and it seems to be OK, so I've lost nothing of importance.

Churchill might have been right about the heat sink. It was full of dust. but it's too late now.

Anyone want an unused DVD writer!

tim

[eliquant]

To me it "sounds" like the CPU may be overheating, check its temperature with the BIOS or a special tool (87 degrees celcious is very hot and shut down will ensue).

I didn't read all the history of this problem but if the computer restarts say after
afew minutes of a stone cold machine boot it could be the CPU overheating.

[Platypus]

Thanks guys.

Seems to be completely buggered now. It tells me it's missing a system file and wont boot up at all.

Then, probably the hard-drive starting to fail. Western Digital?

You could replace the hard-drive and do a fresh install of Windows.

I've taken the disk out and put it in an external box and it seems to be OK, so I've lost nothing of importance

Glad to hear it!