XP keeps restarting on its own

simbasgang · September 8, 2009

Hi there,

My Compaq Presario with Win xp SP3, keeps restarting itself. I have tried several things to correct this.......uninstalling some unused programmes, checking firewalls (Kaspersky installed) but finally have to ask for help.

The trouble seemed to start when windows tried to install the update 3.5 for .NET framework. This was attempted several times and each time it downloaded but the installation failed. Finally I uninstalled the whole of .NET framework ( as I saw advised to someone else in a PC magazine) and tried to reinstall.

The same happened...it downloaded but refused to install, and i am wondering if this is why my PC is restarting, if I am trying to use a programme that needs the .NET framework ?????

There are lots of errors showing in the event log on the 'Application' and on 'System'. there are no errors on 'Security' and 'Internet'.

Can anyone offer me any help please? I will be most grateful.

Thank you

Sheilah

Jelly Bean · September 8, 2009

Hello and welcome to the forum.

The first thing to try is a system restore.

JB.

simbasgang · September 8, 2009

Hi Jellybean,

Two months ago I did a complete recovery with help from this forum and everything was going OK until Windows tried to update .net framework....then everything started to go wrong again. I can work with documents and pictures with no problem. It's just when I go on the internet and open some programmes which is why I thought it may be to do with .net framework.

snow · September 8, 2009

Hi Sheilah,

Can you look through those errors in your 'System' event log, and try to find some near to a time when the PC last restarted itself?

If you right-click on the event and select properties, you can veiw a description. Check several to see if there a lots of different errors, or if they are all the same.

Does this only happen when you try to open a certain type of file, or when you download something?

simbasgang · September 9, 2009

Hello snow,

Under 'System' most errors are Souced as 'Service Control Manager, Category: none ,Event:7023. in the properties box it states : "The application Management Service terminated with the following error: The specified module could not be found"

Under 'Application' there are numerous different errors,

:- "Application Hang" Hanging application iexplore.exe version 8.0.6001.18702, hang module hung app, version 0.0.0.0, hang address 0x00000000

"Google update" Event ID 20. The computer may not have the necessary registry or DLL files...may be able to use /AUXSOURCE=flag to retrieve.

"MsiInstaller" .Net framework could not be installed.....Error code 1603

These are just a few of the most recent ones. I cannot get it to copy and paste or print the screen. Do you think a recovery is the best thing to do? If I follow the link to Microsoft through the properties box, they cannot help, and I feel as if I am going round in circles.

I have just received a new one under application:-

The Master browser has received a server announcement from the computer ARIZONA (which is our other Vista computer) that believes it is themaster browser for the domainon Transport NetBT_Tcpip_{9F4DECDA-C189-4E75-A} The master browser is stopping an election being formed.

Although the 2 computers are on the same wired modem, I have never linked them together on a network. The XP one is the main PC on the AOL account....what on earth is going on??????

snow · September 9, 2009

That's fine, don't worry about print screen or pasting the rest.

From those errors it looks like the absence of the .NET framework is causing problems. I know how you feel; the Microsoft links for the errors rarely, if ever, provide any help.

Go here to download the full .NET 3.5 package:

Download details: .NET Framework 3.5

Try to install it. It may fail, but if it does then don't worry as there are things we can try. Just come back and tell us how you get on.

The message you saw about 'Master browser' from your other computer is perfectly normal. This is network traffic between windows computers advising each other of shared folders, printers, etc, and is nothing to worry about; every Windows computer will do this.

simbasgang · September 10, 2009

Thank you so much for the help, Snow. Yep, the .NET Framework download failed! Also now, I am having trouble with IE, in that it also is freezing and without it I cannot get AOL. Sometime ago I downloaded IE* which was waiting to be installed so I thought, Foolishly, that if I installed it, windows might work properly again......was I wrong! The installation failed and as it had already removed the previous version, I have no internet!! I am typing this on our Vista PC, which is also acting strangely.....very, very slow. The internet connection is showing OK, as is the event security log, on both PCs.

I'm sorry to be such a nuisance but I really am frustrated with both of them now!!

Sheilah

snow · September 10, 2009

No problem, hopefully we can get things running again.

I think running the .NET framework cleanup tool should be the next step. This should clean out any remaining parts that might be preventing you from installing it.

Click here to download it:

http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/attachment/8904493.ashx

Save it to the desktop, unzip, and run.

Once you've done that, try installing the 3.5 pack again.

simbasgang · September 11, 2009

Thank you for that, snow. The internet was still not working so I did a system restore to 3 days previous and got the IE connection back. I downloaded the cleaner which worked OK, but there is no way it will let me install .NET Framework...I have tried 3 times and still nothing. Windows also keeps trying to update the system to IE8 but that won't install either.

The PC is still very temperamental and is still switching off at random......tried several times to get on here before it managed it.

snow · September 12, 2009

Ok, can you tell us what error it is giving you when the .NET framwork install fails?

It sounds like there is more going wrong here than just the .NET problem. Can you install any updates from Windows update at all?

I think running the system file checker would be a good idea. You will need the windows CD that came with the computer in order to do this.

1. Click Start, click Run type sfc /scannow, and then press ENTER.

2. Follow the prompts throughout the System File Checker process.

3. Restart the computer when System File Checker process is complete.

Let us know how you get on.

simbasgang · September 12, 2009

The only disc I have is the recovery disc that I had to make when the PC was new...no discs were given with the machine. i installed this disc and got the message..'windows cannot find file sfc/scannow'.

The event viewer is so full that I am getting confused with them..windows keeps trying to install updates, so not sure if this is the right one for .NET Framework, but it is about the right time.......Event 1023, Error code 1603, no other information was given.

There is another one with a yellow warning that I haven't seen before...'Updates to the IIS metabase were aborted because IIS is either not installed or is disabled on this machine. To configure ASP.NET to run in IIS, please install or enable IIS and re-register ASP.NET using aspnet_regiis.exe/i

I haven't a clue what this is and don't to mess with it till I know how. could this be the problem?

It is still switching off and still trying to update by itself but unsuccessfully.

thanks again, Sheilah

simbasgang · September 13, 2009

Another worrying thing this morning is that Kaspersky is trying to install updates and they are all failing, too. and windows is also still trying to install the IE* update.

danzil · September 13, 2009

Hi

is your time and date set correct within windows. this can cause windows updates to not install......

ignore the master beowser error for now,that should not be causing these issues you are getting....

i would try to remove the previous update history by booting into safe mode,,(tap f8 at startup choose safe mode).

browse to c:\windows\

rename the folder called "SoftwareDistribution" to "SoftwareDistribution.OLD".

then reboot your machine,,,now try and redo your windows update via the update site...

post back if that helps or not,, there are a few more things to try...

as for kaspersky i will research this in a sec, its not a AV im overly familiar with.

regards

danzil

simbasgang · September 13, 2009

Hi danzil,

Time and date are set to windows and are correct.

I pressed F8 and clicked on "safe mode". Next screen showed a choice of :

Windows XP or

Windows Recovery

I chose XP and the screen filled with Multidisc....... Nothing said c\windows\ so I couldn't rename.

I repeated it all.

2nd time I went into Event log and found several errors at the time I was trying the above. The source was DCOM and the event no. 10005. In properties it said: DCOM got the error "This service cannot be started in 'safe mode' attempting to start the device EventSystem with arguments in order to run the server".

Could this machine have different key settings as last time I was doing a recovery, some of you thought I should be pressing the F11 key when in actual fact it was F 10 on this machine?

I can still work with pictures and documents without it restarting..it appears to be only when I click to open most pages that it switches off! it takes ages to get it back.

I pressed Enter again and chose control panel. went to event

RandyL · September 14, 2009

Hi Simbasgang;

Could this machine have different key settings as last time I was doing a recovery, some of you thought I should be pressing the F11 key when in actual fact it was F 10 on this machine?

I think I remember that thread. Normally it is F11 for HP/Compaq but after looking up your model it was indeed F10.

simbasgang · September 14, 2009

Hi there,

Does that mean that the F8 key may not be the right one to rename that folder then?

today on booting up I had the message:

Your system has just recovered from a serious crash.

In the Event log:

Error code 100000d1 BCP 1 : 00002001 BCP2 : 00000002 BCP3: 00000001 BCP4 : 8208E6B5

OS Ver5_1_2600 SP 3_0 Product 768_1

Error Report contents:

C:\DOCUME~1\COMPAQ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\WERce87.dir00\Mini082709-02dmp

C:\DOCUME~1\COMPAQ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\WERce87.dir00\sysdata.xml

In the control panel IE8 is showing but with nothing on the amount of space. As IE8 keeps trying to install and fails and therefore removes it's traces, does that mean I now have no IE on the machine?

I know AOL 'piggy-backs' on IE and wonder if that could be part of the problem?

I am trying to learn but it is driving me crazy !!

Thank you all for the help so far.. it is much appreciated.

Sheilah

RandyL · September 14, 2009

Please continue with danzils and snows others advice. Don't get ahead of yourself. One thing at a time.

I only meant to say that there is nothing wrong with your keyboard or its setup.

RandyL · September 14, 2009

For the techs and to recap.

Netframework won't install on VISTA.

Google software.

AOL software (might have AOL AV/CA)

Kaspersky AV

SFC may not be an option even if ran from a command prompt.

IE8 and AOL

In post 13 by danzil renaming the file might work. It does seem that sim can get into Windows.

danzil · September 14, 2009

ok i think you missed a step or kind of jumped the gun.

ok tap f8 at startup then when you see your "recoery console" and "xp" option choose "xp"

now let the numerous lines of white writing scroll down your screen.

wait for a few seconds and it should boot into windows XP.

when you are in log in as administrator (or an accoutn with admin rights).

now browse to c:\windows using start>my computer>c:\>windows.

you should now see the softwaredistibution folder..you should now rename it..

hope that clarify's

regards

danzil

:)

snow · September 14, 2009

I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to you Sheilah,

I didn't want to suggest this, but I think the fastest way back to a working computer would be a system recovery.

It sounds like there are a multitude of different issues with your curret install. We could keep trying to fix all of the problems if you want, but so far we've got:

.NET uninstalled and refusing to install

IE refusing to update, hanging, and crashing the computer

Windows network stack becoming corrupt

The computer bluescreening, and re-starting itself

Kaspersky no longer updating

As I say we may be able to fix these, but I think it would be far easier and faster all around for you to do a system recovery. It's all a matter of how much time you want to spend fixing the current install of windows you have.

If you'd like to go ahead and perform a recovery then first make sure you copy all of the important data from your computer to another computer or an external hard drive.

simbasgang · September 15, 2009

First of all, let me thank you all for your time. And I'm sorry for asking so many questions....that's just me trying to learn things!

Yes, snow, I think that's the only way to go now before it goes out the window!

Danzil, I finally managed to get to safe>>>>software distribution which I renamed as you said. Rebooted, connected to AOL, then clicked on the microsoft update site and..... it restarted itself AGAIN!!

Randy, I note all the things that won't install on vista. Our other computer is Vista and the security suite is almost out so i won't install Kaspersky on it. We do have AOL though, and it can be troublesome! Firefox is good though.

Back to my XP, and I have an external hard drive that I keep for back up, so OK there. I think I'll take the advice and do another recovery. Last time I did it by just pressing F10 at startup. Do you think I could have done something wrong then that is causing all the trouble?

I'll wait for a reply to make sure I do it right this time.

Thank you again,

Sheilah

snow · September 15, 2009

Ok, I think a full system recovery that will completely wipe the hard disk and re-install from scratch is the best option here.

You must remember that everything on the computer's hard disk will go; all files, your internet explorer bookmarks, your program settings, and your programs themselves. The PC will be reverted to the way it was when you first got it.

Make sure you have everything backed up. If you want to save your bookmarks in IE, then do the following:

Select File -> Import and Export. This will start the "Import and Export" wizard.
Select Export and the click on "next."
Select Favorites and click on "next."
In the next window you can accept the default Save Directory or choose a new one. I suggest you select "Desktop" so you can easily find the file again. Click on "next."
Finally, click on "finish" and your Favorites will be saved.

The default file name is "bookmark.htm", just copy this into your backup folder on the external hard drive.

If you're not sure you have everything you want to keep, then go through your documents again until you are sure.

Once you are certain that no data you need to keep is left on the computer, then do the following (taken from HP's website):

Change the boot order in the BIOS

Turn off the computer:
- If the computer works, click Start , click Turn Off Computer , and then click Turn Off .
- If the computer is not in Windows, press and hold the power button approximately five seconds until the computer turns off.

[*] Disconnect devices that are connected to USB, Firewire, parallel and serial ports, except the keyboard, and the mouse.

[*] Turn on the computer.

[*] When the color screen with the logo appears, press the F1 key on the keyboard until Entering SETUP is displayed. (You only have a few seconds to press the F1 key before the normal startup process continues.) Wait until the BIOS setup program opens.

[*] Press the right arrow key to select Boot .

[*] Press the down arrow key to select Boot Device Priority , and then press Enter on the keyboard.

[*] Change the first boot device to CD-ROM using one of these methods:

Press the down arrow key to select the CD-ROM item. Press the + (plus) key to move the CD-ROM item up until it is the first item in the list.
Press the down arrow key to highlight the First Boot Device selection. Press the + (plus) key until CD-ROM is the selection.

Start the recovery

Press the Eject button on the top CD-ROM drive, and wait for the tray to open. Insert the System Recovery CD #1 and close the tray.
Press the F10 key to save the changes and exit BIOS.
With Yes selected, press Enter .
The recovery window automatically starts; wait for the onscreen instructions to display, and then follow the instructions:
- For full system recovery:
2. Press R , and then press the F key again.
3. Click Yes to perform the full system recovery.
4. Insert the remaining CDs when directed.
[*] When the recovery program finishes, click Restart to restart the computer.
[*] Before the computer restarts, the CD tray ejects. Remove the CD.

You will have to re-install any programs that didn't come with the computer. If your security suite is nearly about to expire and you're looking for a free solution, then I'd recommend Avira Antivir:
Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus - Reviews and free Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus downloads at Download.com

Also, if you can, then I'd definately advise you to change your ISP away from AOL. Their software is nothing but bad news, and so is their service.

The ISP's in the UK I'd reccomend right now are:

Be broadband:
https://www.bethere.co.uk/web/beportal/homepage

BT:
BT Total Broadband – wireless UK broadband Internet for less

Virgin Media (Only if you have cable)
Super-fast cable broadband - Virgin Media

Each of their websites will let you enter your post code, and tell you if you can get their service where you are. Any of them would be better than AOL.

And don't worry about the questions; better to ask than not ;)

simbasgang · September 16, 2009

Hi snow and thanks again,

i'm going to write all this down before I start but just one thing...There were never any CDs with the machine, and I had to make one as instructed when i first purchased it. A couple months ago i had to do a recovery ( there are some posts about it on here somewhere), and used the disc at first. Then i seemed to make a mistake (hence needing to ask for help on here) and tried to go through it all again. but the CD wouldn't work a second time and that's when I used the F10 key.

I am reluctant to try the CD until you can advise me (I don't want to make a complete mess of things ) and what to do if I get to the part where I insert the disc and nothing happens ......And there is only one disc..a Sony DVD-R 120 mins. I hope that was made correctly!!

If I get to the part where I insert the disc and nothing happens, can I cancel the procedure, or have I ,at that point gone too far and lost everything?

I will now go through my docs. etc and check if it is all backed up...maybe just some emails to do. and yes, AOL is certainly becoming a pain but the contract has to run another 5 months...no doubt then about me leaving. And thanks for the tips on ISPs.

Thank you again so much,

Sheilah

RandyL · September 16, 2009

Hi again.

The CD's you made should always work if the machine is set to boot from the CD drive first which yours must have been if it worked once.

If they no longer work I would suggest buying a new set. The quality of a purchased set is much better and the price is very inexpensive.

I forget but I think you have an hp or compaq. Can you give us the make, model and number again please.

With that information perhaps we can link you to the order page.

And by the way snow made an excellent post and I agree with him 100%.

simbasgang · September 16, 2009

Hi again,

Yes, snow has made the instructions very clear..let's hope it works!

My PC is a Compaq Presario SR1429UK, Product PX629AA-ABU.

Just a thought, it seemed to start going wrong at about the time I installed Kaspersky. It was a free 6 month license given with 'PC Advisor' magazine. As my Norton was due for renewal I thought I'd try it.

Thanks again...I really appreciate the help you all give me

Sheilah

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