Win XP Pro reboots after POST

Hi
I have just replaced motherboard and RAM - same Athlon AMD processor/HDD. Started PC, goes through the POST fine - sees the HDD ok - as the WinXP logo starts - and then it immediately reboots itself. Running XP Pro (SP1), 256M DDR RAM/Abit motherboard.
Any ideas or suggestions - someone has suggested flattening PC and reinstall XP but would prefer not to do this if possible.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

Have you tried booting into safe mode?

Wait... you replaced your motherboard? Unless it's the same model/series, you will have to reinstall Windows... the OS isn't designed to recognise a motherboard change and won't see that it needs a different set of drivers for the new board.

I suggest you try booting into safe mode and back up all your important data. If safe mode won't work, then get a Live CD like Knoppix Live and save your data from there.

Then boot up from your Windows installation CD and perform a reapir installation. This should reinstall Windows without destroying any data and fix your problem.

Note my emphasis on should-- things can and do go wrong, you should always back up your data when messing around with the OS.

As Dngrsone says you need to reinstall the OS as it sounds like a driver compatibility issue to me. If you can't boot in safe mode another thing to try would be taking out any unnecessary hardware and see if you can get into safe mode then. Just a thought so you don't loose your data!!!

RF

Hmmm, I've changed mb's more than once on different versions of windows, and in every case windows discovered all the hardware changes and installed all the proper drivers without the need of any re-installation of windows.

If the computer immediately reboots, I'd look for something wrong with your new hardware setup. Also try booting from the windows CD.

The advice to preserve your important data is advice to follow before doing much experimenting though

I had one machine that i put a new mb in and it booted but wasn't stable so i reformatted and then all was good

If you have installed a different type of MoBo you will have to run WindowsXP Setup ( Boot from CDRom ) and run setup , until you get to the option to Install or Repair Windows OS. Chosse Repair , you will have to go through the whole setup process but will not lose any programs , probably will have to re-install some if not most drivers for your updated hardware as well as your old Hardware. If you change more than , I believe 7 hardware items , you have to re-install or repair WindowsXP . Since you replaced the MoBo , with all different chipsets , this qualifies running WindowsXP Setup. Sometimes you can get by without doing this if certain chipsets on MoBo are the same as old MoBo.

Do you have an extra blank hard drive? replace the old drive, install the blank one, install xp and then put your old one in as a slave ...that way you can not worry about losing your data. Its an expensive fix but you could potentially end up with a larger and faster hard drive for your system. www.edealinfo.com is a good place to start for deals.

with regading changing mobo's take a look at [url=http://www.nilpo.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=88] this thread, might be of interest and help. Had a similar question over at DS a few weeks back.

Guys you may follow the following solution

Reboot the machine in Recovery Console Mode .
Go the the folder C:\WINDOWS\repair and replaced the "system " file with the c:\windows\system file .
Better you rename the original "system " file to avoid any crash .

You have to reinstall the all drivers after that .
Its work fine and did it so many time

Again Sougata. Please don't keep reviving old threads. There is no need. if the OP is still having problems they can revive it or ask again.

There are plenty of other new posts in the forums if you wish to help.

RF

I find sougatas way very helpfull, but I dont really know how to apply it, I have the same problem.......what do you mean by "repair and replaced the system" is there gonna be a folder named like that?? i just need more clarification ASAP.
Thx. (I tried to PM you, but the site wont let me!.)