Win XP: System Suddenly Keeps Restarting Indefinitely ??

Anonymous
2012-10-03T00:48:00+00:00

Original Title: Win XP: System Suddenly Keeps Restarting Indefinitely ??

Hello;

I’ve browsed through relevant posts with similar titles, but couldn’t find a direct answer to the problem.

Most likely I missed the answer somewhere, and I hope you don’t mind.

Here’s a summary including my unsuccessful attempts.

1) Following 2 automatic updates earlier today:

... a. Microsoft Security Essentials Update (sounds different than the regular Definition Update!)

... b. Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

the computer keeps restarting indefinitely!

I can’t even delete those latest updates, assuming I can specifically identify them and assuming they’re the culprit!

2) Pressing the power button, Windows starts, and I log on with my user name.

The system continues with the desktop icons and the status bar is partially displayed.

Then the error message:

“Microsoft Security Client

An error has occurred in the program during initialization .... ”

OK

After few seconds whether I press OK or not, the system automatically restarts, and restarts, and restarts, ....

3) I shut down the computer and pressed the power button.

Then F8:: Windows Advanced Options Menu

and I selected Last Known Good Configuration

Didn’t solve the continuing automatic restart problem.

4) I tried F8 and selected Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure

I got the a blue screen with lot of stuff, including:

“A problem has been detected and Windows has shut down to prevent damage to your computer”

“Restart your computer. If this screen appears again, run a system diagnostic utility. In particular, run a memory check and check for faulty or mismatched memory.”

“Contact technical support group for further assistance.”

"Technical information:

*** STOP: 0X0000007F (0X00000000, 0X00000000, 0X00000000, 0X00000000)

Tried my best. No solution.

5) I tried F8, and selected Safe Mode.

First: I selected YES to proceed to work in Safe Mode.

........ No automatic re-starting, but Windows is running in Safe Mode.

........ I turned off the computer.

6) I repeated 5 above in a Safe Mode, but selected NO to use System Restore to restore to a previous date.

I selected Sep 30, 2012 as the Restore Point.

The system progressed, shut down, restarted, I logged on, etc., then the automatic restarting started!

7) I tried F8, and selected the option Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)

(I was encouraged by the word Restore in the option!)

I got the message:

... Windows XP Home Edition

... The Volume is Clean.

... Windows is running in Safe Mode.

I selected YES, and there was NO automatic restarting, but Windows is running in Safe Mode.

I selected NO, and specified the Restore Point Set 30, 2012. The automatic restarting began within few seconds!

Your advice and help would be greatly appreciated.

Monir

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2012-10-21T16:19:19+00:00

Hi;

Thank you Robear for your help and suggestions.

I’m fully satisfied with MS solution to the problem (my post 10/19/2012 9:20 am):

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-system/win-xp-sp3-safe-mode-windows-updates-server-checks/99b2d552-4c72-40a5-a889-6cdac25cc462?page=2#LastReply

As I reported earlier, I don’t know precisely what MS did or didn’t do upon their remote access to the PC, whether the problem/conflict was apparent to them, how much the MSE latest update package KB2754926 contributed to the problem or it was the problem, whether re-establishing access to Windows Updates corrected the problem, whether there was a malicious and hidden malware only MS in-house special tools could detect and remove while my 3 advanced scanners and MSE couldn’t, or perhaps there was an out-of-sequence or missing KB, ...

I’m hopeful MS will provide some details at some point.

In conclusion, thank you ALL for your generous time and thoughtful replies.

Regards.

Monir

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-10-05T02:49:51+00:00

    okay will check back again, and be sure that the Windows firewall is ON before connecting to fixit.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-10-05T01:10:33+00:00

    Hi Elizabeth;

    Here’s what I did since my last post.

    1) I deleted ALL contents of ALL \Temp folders. including hidden files, and shut down the computer.

    2) Power On, normal Windows boot.

    Logged on with my user name.

    Automatic restarting began.

    Turned off computer.

    3) Power On –> F8 –> Safe Mode

    Answered YES to work in safe mode.

    Out of curiosity, I searched for the folders \Temp, and checked their contents, specially the one that had the 4 files recreated by/for MSE.

    All *Temp* folders remained empty, except:

    C:\Windows\Temp had 3 recently created files.

    I deleted those 3 files, and moved on.

    4) I though it was worth retrying to remove MSE via: Control Panel –> Add or Remove Programs

    Got the same Runtime Error I reported earlier:

    “Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library

    Runtime error!

    Program: ..~1\Temp\ {D4B2E75E-0E04-4FE4-AB0D-57E168E63796} \ Setup.exe

    This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.

    Please contact the application’s support team for more information.”

    5) I went back to the above specific ...~1\Temp\ { ... } folder to check its contents.

    Now it has the 4 files:

    ... Setup.exe................ [Description: Microsoft Security Client Setup]

    ... EppManifest.dll.... [MSE Resource Module]

    ... SetupRes.dll........... [Microsoft Security Client Setup Resources]

    ... sqmapi.dll............... [SQM Client]

    The 4 files were created at the same time I tried to remove MSE via Add/Remove (Item 4 above).

    I deleted them.

    6) So I.m afraid no progress to report at this time, except that I have now a cleaner system having deleted the contents of all \Temp folders!!

    7) My next task would be to access your link and review How to Uninstall MSE version 4.

    It’s quite lengthy, so please allow me some time to carefully review it on another computer.

    I just don’t want to connect the problem computer to the internet at this time. I simply don’t have the desire for any more MS automatic updates. ( I think MS should pay for the headache they've caused!!!!!)

    It seems, however, that I have to connect to the internet after all to try FixIt.

    Thanks again for your continuing help.

    Monir

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-10-04T22:46:33+00:00

    okay will check back about 9 CST

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