wanted: intentional reboot cycle

January 27, 2007 8:49 PM

XP machine in a reboot/restart loop. I want this to happen. Is there a script I can run that will cause it?

I've been having a problem with my computer intermittently becoming unable to boot (flashing cursor). I think I'm close to a fix but I want to be certain -- in the past I thought it was fixed and then a week later it started again. I want to really stress-test it this time. Is there a batch file I can run that will shut it down, start it up again and boot it into the XP login window, shut it down 30 seconds later, repeat repeat etc. I would like to be able to terminate the evil batch file so that I can kill it after a hundred restarts or so. (Also, will this hurt my computer?)

posted by stupidsexyFlanders to computers & internet (11 comments total)

Not going to test this, but if you create a batch file set to run on startup containing the line below it should achieve what you want:

shutdown -t 30 -r
posted by sanko at 8:53 PM on January 27, 2007

It's not really a reboot problem.

Usually what this means is that your hard drive is dying. Where does it stop when you boot into safe mode? Mup.sys? If so, your hard drive is almost certainly on its last legs. Running chkdsk off of the rescue mode CD should get it back up so you can recover your data, but ... that is NOT a long term solution.
posted by SpecialK at 9:13 PM on January 27, 2007

I just went through this hell and discovered it was a conflict between on of those "weather alert" apps and my ATI Radion drivers (specifically their Catalyst stuff). Evidently, I wasn't the only one having similar Radeon problems.
posted by RavinDave at 9:31 PM on January 27, 2007

It's not really a reboot problem.

I'm not having a reboot problem. I've got a problem with a flashing cursor on startup. I won't go through all the things I tried (again) but I think I have it fixed. The nature of the issue is that it would seem fixed and then come back 20 restarts later. I want to run a bunch of restarts (unattended) right now, to make sure it's gone for good.

sanko, how do I stop the looping with that script? I need to be sure I can control the awesome power of the infinite loop.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 9:47 PM on January 27, 2007

RavinDave, which weather alert app was causing the problem?
posted by Katravax at 10:10 PM on January 27, 2007

Katravax ... I don't blame the app. It never gave me a lick of trouble and works wonderfully on several machines at work. I blame ATI for providing sloppy drivers that don't play nice with TSR progs. Anyway, I was using something put out by "BIA Info Network"; they evidently have a generic weather app that other sites (radio stations, government offices, etc.) repackage as their own by slapping their logo on the top.
posted by RavinDave at 10:35 PM on January 27, 2007

how do I stop the looping with that script?

Run this command (within 30 seconds, obviously):

shutdown -a
posted by philomathoholic at 12:21 AM on January 28, 2007

Are you running Service Pack 2? I assume so. If you can get a Netgear MA111 wireless adapter, and install it with some old, pre-SP2 drivers, the machine will get stuck in an reboot/restart loop whenever the adaptor is plugged in. I had a lot of "fun" figuring that one out.
posted by Orange Goblin at 2:56 AM on January 28, 2007

- Do the shutdown -t 30 -r that sanko posted...

As the machine boots, right after POST hit the F8 key, boot to safe mode, remove the batch file from startup, restart the machine and the loop will not run.
posted by disclaimer at 6:27 AM on January 28, 2007

Reboot is -highly- stressful on a computer. Lots of disk action, processor, etc.

If the computer locks up before windows loads then you have a disk, motherboard, or memory issue.

Do a chckdisk on the drive. If you see one bad sector, throw it away and get a new one. Install HD Health to see if your disk is giving you SMART errors.

Run Windows Memory Diagnostic to check the ram.

Check your event log for errors. right click on my computer and click on manage. See if any devices keep appearing in the system log.
posted by damn dirty ape at 11:40 AM on January 28, 2007 [1 favorite]

The nature of the issue is that it would seem fixed and then come back 20 restarts later. I want to run a bunch of restarts (unattended) right now, to make sure it's gone for good.

It's a worthwhile test, but it isn't foolproof.. Actually, it is hard to conceive of a truly foolproof test :)

AutoIt is a great tool. You could use it to automatically launch and then close several applications during your reboot cycles. Applications which need direct hardware access are more worthwhile than notepad, of course.. I guess you could just use the command line to launch some apps too, the shutdown instruction should force them to close.
posted by Chuckles at 12:35 PM on January 28, 2007