Win XP Pro in Continuous Reboot Status

[Da Mail Man]

greetings all,

....running xp pro sp3, sufficient ram and hard drive capacities...working on a friends computer that cannot start...is stuck in a continuous reboot loop....

....reset/cleared c-mos, removed battery, tapped F8 when booting, etc.....selected all available displays for restarting computer (I.E. safe mode, normally, last known working configuration, etc) and still in continuous loop....

...booted into os disc and selected "repair"..selected the partition/os that needs repairing and the screen asks me for an admin password...

...there was never nor has there ever been any type of admin password set on this computer and, the hard drive was wiped 10 passes before os was installed...

....not knowing why it asks for a password when it never had one is beyond me UNLESS there is some default password i do not know about....

...HOW do i get the repair console to "activate"?......THANKS

 

[tremmor]

should be a admin account . at least two. default is 'admin'.

try 'F8' while booting. just tap key until options come up. (menu).
either start in safe mode or at the menu with f8 exit to dos dosmode.
If ya can, type 'chkdsk c:/f' or it was chkdsk c: /f .

forgot the exact format.
one of those should work.

 

[Da Mail Man]

should be a admin account . at least two. default is 'admin'.

try 'F8' while booting. just tap key until options come up. (menu).
either start in safe mode or at the menu with f8 exit to dos dosmode.
If ya can, type 'chkdsk c:/f' or it was chkdsk c: /f .

forgot the exact format.
one of those should work.

************************************
...thanks for the reply...

should be a admin account . at least two. default is 'admin'.
**i don't think so. i was there when he was "doing" his computer. he just did a standard setup and if it defaulted as an admin as he is the only user, then i don't know what to say..however, there are NO PASSWORDS ever installed or used to log on, etc..

try 'F8' while booting.
**i already stated in my initial post that that was already done...please re-read.

just tap key until options come up. (menu).
**please see above statement..i know how to do that/this (grin).


either start in safe mode
**again, see above..if i tap f8 as previously done, it will go through the motions however, it goes back to a screen that says "start in safe mode, safe mode with networking, last know configuration, etc"...and the rebooting process just brings me back to the same screen (as previously stated)...

or at the menu with f8 exit to dos dosmode.
**if i do the booting into the cd-rom os and select restore function, again, it asks me for a password WHICH, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, DOES NOT EXIST....

If ya can, type 'chkdsk c:/f' or it was chkdsk c: /f .
**cannot get to a "c" prompt unless i do the above....

forgot the exact format.
one of those should work.
**based on what i have said or tried already, it appears that none will.....

 

[tremmor]

Ok..........ya might be wasting to much time. it can be a waste to try and figure everything out. maybe and likely multiple problems. i play for a while and quit.
i can wipe and reinstall and call it a day.

Never the less maybe someone else will reply and likely.
we will see.

 

[Da Mail Man]

Ok..........ya might be wasting to much time. it can be a waste to try and figure everything out. maybe and likely multiple problems. i play for a while and quit.
i can wipe and reinstall and call it a day.

Never the less maybe someone else will reply and likely.
we will see.

*********************************

Ok..........ya might be wasting to much time. it can be a waste to try and figure everything out. maybe and likely multiple problems. i play for a while and quit.
i can wipe and reinstall and call it a day.

Never the less maybe someone else will reply and likely.
we will see.

..well, i have been doing some more reading on a few more sites..will try their suggestions.....