Perpetual Reboot After Windows Screen.

Thermaltake Shark
DFI Lan party NF4 SLI-DR
AMD 64 X2 4800
OCZ 2g ram
(X2) 74G Raptor SATA RAID 0
EVGA GeForce 7800 GTX 256mb
Windows XP Pro (automatic updates / SPs)


I just bought the overpriced X52 Pro, since I had to replace the older X52 which was a great stick. I put the installation CD in, plug in the sticks when instructed, and finish the installation instructions and procedures without a hitch. Everything showed on the control panel, but the rudder was acting funny (jerky and ill responsive on the left side). I figure maybe I can just isolate it with an adjustment to its deadzone margin, or it may fix itself with a reboot or something. I go to reboot and my computer is now caught in a perpetual rebooting cycle. The last stick had a maddening mouse pointer drift problem, and tech support was HORRIBLE. Looks like this time is going to be the same, as they have yet to get back with me. All while I wait without a computer.

I have tried booting in safe mode, last known good configuration, etc. and can not get my machine to boot. For a split second before it starts the cycle all over, it displays a blue screen with the following error message:

Stop error: This application failed to start because msvcrt.dll was not found. Re-installing this application may fix this problem. After displaying this error message for about a half a second, it tries to re-boot.

I have tried the XP disk for the Repair Console, but no real luck. I'm very limited in my computer skills, but I have tried the following:

A dir command returns "an error occurred during directory enumeration".

A chkdsk command returns "The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems.

Trying to copy the msvcrt.dll file from a floppy to C returns "cannot copy file"

If I choose the SETUP option from the CD, it says:
The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on this computer:

70905 MB Disk 0 at ID 0 on bus 0 on atapi [ MBR ]
C:Partition 1 [Unknown] 141816 MB (141815 MB Free)

70905 MB Disk 0 at ID 0 on bus 0 on atapi [ MBR ]
Unpartitioned space 70904 MB




The system has been running in top shape with McAffee for virus protection, regular defrags and scandisks etc., and did this out of the blue the restart after the joystick was installed.

Thanks in advance for any effort to help.

You might try a System Restore to a point prior to your problem:

start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore

I agree with jephree - power down and plug in your old stick, then try a system restore to a point before installing the new stick.

You might also try disabling Automatic restart. This will cause the system to halt at the infamous blue screen of death (BSOD) instead of continually rebooting, and hopefully display a useful error code and message. And it will allow you to look for errors in the Event Log. To change the recovery settings to disable Automatic restart:

1. Right-click My Computer and go to Properties > Advanced

2. Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings to open the Startup and Recovery settings menu

3. Under System Failure, uncheck the Automatically restart check box, then click OK as needed to exit out

4. Restart the computer and see what happens

At this point, when/if a fatal error occurs, it should not automatically reboot, but give you the BSOD. This does not fix the problem causing the fatal errors, but it does stop the endless reboot cycle and hopefully allow further troubleshooting.

__________________
Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom is NOT Free!

Heat is the bane of all electronics!
─────────────────────

Please help us help you.

Hmm...

Thanks very much to both of you...

But with my very limited understanding, everything I see suggested involves post boot operations, i.e.- right clicking on my computer, start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore, etc.

As of now, I can't get to my desktop, start button, or anything to be able to do any of those things. It won't boot. The closest option I see when pressing F8 during initialization is "boot from last known configuration" which as in my first post, results in the same error message.

From the F8 options can you boot Safe Mode proper?

If so the next option is System Restore.

Did you try from the Recovery Console the commands:

FIXBOOT or FIXMBR

I can't boot in any mode.

The only things I can work in are the BIOS and the Recovery Console when I boot from the Windows CD.


No I have not tried Fixboot or Fixmbr... are they much different from the chkdsk command that I have been unable to run?

Thanks!

Try them. They will fix the boot sector if possible. If not you probably need to run a Repair Install.