Pc restarts after startup

Hey guys. I am facing big problems from last 15 days. I really need help. My pc was doing well. There was no prob at all. One day i got my friends Pen drive as he wanted some files from me. As soon as i open the pen drive, I saw a virus folder named "New Folder.exe". I got tensed as that folder had already screwed my friends pc. So i directly powered off my pc w/o even using the shut down option. After that i removed the pen drive & restarted the pc. The pc started. My desktop screen came with all the Icons & within seconds it restarted. I tried 4-5 times. Finally it started. I worked on it all night. Then i shut down the pc & went off to sleep. Next day when i started the pc, same problem started. After loading the desktop, it restarts. i tried several times but this time it didnt work. Then finally i used the safe mode option which worked & helped me backup my files. After backing up i thought of doing some experiments as now i had no tension as i had a backup of my c: drive. i removed the auto restart option. After that instead of restart, it use to take me to a Blue Screen where it said some new hardware is causing prob. & pc gets hang over there. I again restarted & now the login screen changed. Now went to the other screen where it ask for the pwd option. Over there i tried login as an Administrator & guess what, the pc is running fine again. But when i try to login back in my account i.e., Edgar, it restarts. But it works well in admin account which is present in XP by default. Then i thought there might be some virus prob. I formatted my C: drive & reinstalled win xp sp2. Pc started fine. I installed display driver & rebooted. It started fine. I installed sound & restarted. It started fine but after a few hours it started giving same probs. I again formatted c: drive & reinstalled win xp sp2. It started fine. Without installing any drivers, i used it for 1 day. It worked well. Next day i installed display & again used it for 1 day. It worked fine. Next day i installed sound & after working fine for few hours, it again started giving problems. And the strange thing is that it only gives probs in "Edgar" account which has all admin rights. If i start the pc in Administrator account, then it will work fine & even the sound works well. But in Administrator account if i try to open d: or e: (HDD PARTITIONS) from my computer, the pc restarts. If i try the Run option, then it would run fine. After that i agian reinstalled windows and this time i directly logged in into Administrator account & installed all the drivers from that account. I thought in this way my Edgar account will be safe. But this time it corrupted both the accounts. It restarts in both the accounts. Now again i reinstalled windows & m using it without isntalling any drivers. Guys m really frustated as i m not able to understand where the prob is. Is it with the sound card or is there any virus present in D: or E: drive(HDD PARTITIONS) which is not letting me. I am using Compaq Presario SR1930IL. I also downloaded all the latest & updated drivers for hp website & m using those drivers. Then too its creating probs. Guys plz plz help as m really frustated with this prob.

Thanks

What are you using to reinstall? The Compaq CD or Recovery Partition?

Are you doing a Clean Factory reinstall?

No. M i didnt get any software cd from compaq when i got this pc. Its a desktop pc & i got it around 3 years back. M using the normall windows xp sp2 cd. And Yes its a fresh install. I mentioned above that i formatted my C: drive & installed win xp sp2. Also to add i have 1 GB Ram (512 x 2). I have also tried interchanging the slots & also tried using only 1 ram. But even this didnt work.

Have you ever successfully reinstalled XP on this computer via this method?

I ask because most Compaq's require their own install disks. In other words they tend to be proprietary.

Even my 1st install was in the same way. And around a year back, i had reinstalled windows in the same way. And i m using these drivers since 3 years. One of my fried said that might be there might be some problem in drivers. So, i downloaded updated drivers from hp website but even that didnt work.

So just to clarify: If you operate without the HP drivers you are OK but cannot open D: or E: except via Run...

Is that correct?

If so the first thing I would try is run check disk on both D: and E:

You will do this one at a time. From Run... type cmd

Then type chkdsk D: /r

Then after that runs do the same on chkdsk E: /r.

You might also create a new user account just for testing. Hence if only that account becomes corrupted you can delete it rather than having to always reinstall.

No thats not correct. If i open my d: or e: drive w/o installing the drivers, then it works fine. Although it opens in a new window as it use to do earlier aswell. But after i install drivers, my Edgar account gets corrupted & the administrator account works fine but if i open d: or e: drive from my computer then the pc restarts. And right now i tried the same thing as u said. Just few hours back i reinstalled windows & this time i created multiple accounts. 1 - Edgar, 2 - User. I decided that i will install all the drivers from the user account as i can delete this account later. But before installing drivers, i came across this site & i decided to take help from u guys.

Try check disk.

If this does not help it might be best to wipe at least C: if not the whole drive.

But I'd try check disk first.

Jephree 1stly i would really like to thank you as u are very quick in giving replies. Thanks a lot bec i thought i would get the 1st reply by 2morrow. But u are really very quick. And abt wiping c:, i have already done that. All the time before installing windows, i have done a full format of c: drive & then installed windows. And i'll use check disk rite now & get back to u with the report. Thanks.

And just to add, when should i use check disk. I mean rite now i havent installed any of the drivers. So the pc isnt creating any probs. So should i use it rite now or 1st i should install drivers & then use it.