Turning on and off Computer!

[OsRevolution]

Hey guys,
Ive got a Pentium 4 and i put another HD in because it had alot of viruses and its always turning on and off so i thought i might try to put another HD on but it still does the same problem it doesnt even go to login it just turns off then turns back on it never goes to login.

 

[MindoverMaster]

That may be a RAM problem. Try memtest.

 

[koinonas]

Did you reinstall on the OS on the new hard drive or did you just transfer everything across from the old one.

If you have just transferred everything, (or if its a virus put your data back on), you may have just put the problem back on.

 

[OsRevolution]

i put a HD in with windows XP and just connected it just a plain switch

 

[kmote]

What do you mean by "plain switch"? If you've replaced the hard drive and it is still rebooting before it even gets to the login screen, then it could also be a PSU problem.

 

[OsRevolution]

i was so happy when i got to 85% then the stupid computer got a blue screen the pos

 

[koinonas]

Not sure what you mean by connected a hard drive with a switch. But if you've connected a hard drive with an existing XP installation on it, does it have the correct drivers for your particular configuration? If not then that could explain this strange behaviour.

I think to help isolate down to hardware, I would probably do two things

1. Boot machine into BIOS and just let it sit there for 30mins or so. If it is a dodgy power supply which is causing the issue, then it would have probably restarted or shutdown in this period. If it's still running then I would lean away from Power issue
2. Boot to a Retail Windows disk and run a disk check and memory check (can't remember if you can do this from windows install disc or not). Basically a retail windows disc will have default drivers that will work with anything. If the thing shutsdown or reports an error then you know its hardware

 

[OsRevolution]

Ok Well, before u posted that i did actually went into the BIOS and it freezes most of the time when im in there

and im trying to say the hard drive that was in the computer i took out and went to my other computer and took at that HARD DRIVE and put it in the one ive got problems with. and Yes both of them hard drives have WINDOWS XP on them just one had alot of viruses for more then 4 years. But the one i put in is old like 2000-20002

Plus i put in 2 RAM's one was a 256MB and one was a 512MB but when i took out the 256MB one and i clicked the power button it started making this beeping noise but when i put in the 256MB ram back in it never did the beeping noise.


*edit*

That may be a RAM problem. Try memtest.

I can't try memtest because ive deleted everything off the hardrive and the computer hasn't got windows xp fully installed anymore it got a blue screen @ 85%

 

[GigaBritt]

Okay, I'm a bit of a newb here, but...couldn't you run the memtest from a bootable disc?

 

[MindoverMaster]

Yes....

Memtest86 - Download Page

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