# windows vista keeps restarting itself



## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

I have windows vista, after an update that occurred today my laptop has been in a continuous loop of restarting itself, even when I put it in safe mode it still happens. 
Any help would bring much appreciated.
Thank you


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Hi and Welcome to TSF!

Do you have your Windows Vista CD?

Does it boot to the WIndows logo?


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## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

I don't have the vista CD

It boots up to my user login and I can login to the desktop but within a minute it shuts down and restarts


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Enter the BIOS on your computer and let me know what the temps are.


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## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

How do I do that?


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, worth a check of the temps though if you have just booted and it shuts down unlikely it has had time to heat up. If you told us more about your computer we could tell you what to press at boot to access BIOS, usually it's F10 or DEL, look at your screen at boot say's something about enter setup press...

I think you have a pending update that is stuck in this state, and it is preventing you from booting. In safe mode if you get time hit the win + r keys and type:-

shutdown -a in the run box (press OK) this should abort shutdown. If you can, run a system restore to before this happened, OR Open a cmd prompt.

EDIT: Please note the changed cmds:- Please type this, press enter after each one:-

cd %systemroot%\winsxs
ren pending.xml pending.old


Try the update again. If this fails you will need to access the RE (repair your computer) for this you need a Vista DVD or you could try to download one from here:- (NOTE:- I have not used this site or tested the download so if you do, at your own risk)

Download a repair/ recovery cd for windows 7 and windows Vista

If you manage to get a means of accessing the RE post back for detailed instructions.

Let us know how you get on.


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## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

I have a sony viao vgn-ns20e

Thanks for help, I'll give them a try Sunday as I'm busy all day sat


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Let us know once you do it.


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## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

The options that you suggested I was not able to perform as before the windows logo the laptop restarted itself in safe mode

Looks like I'll have to get a vista DVD somehow, I would naked a bootleg version however my house computer has no disk drive


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## AustrAlien (Jun 10, 2009)

Please do the following:
_(the screenshots are from Windows XP, but things will be essentially the same in Vista)_

Get a look at the error message presented by the *BSOD* (blue screen of death) ....
Start tapping the *F8* key after you press the *ON* button, and continue tapping until you are presented with the "*Advanced Boot Options*" menu screen.










Use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to select "*Disable automatic restart on system failure*" and press the <ENTER> key.
Your system will attempt to restart normally, but when it crashes, it will not re-start: Instead, you will see a BSOD with error message.










Record the error message details (contained in the areas outlined in red, in the above example image), and post in your reply.


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## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

I have disabled the automatic restart however it just reboots like normal before restarting itself


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## AustrAlien (Jun 10, 2009)

Note: The change (disable automatic restart) is only effective the one time: It is not a persistent change. After selecting "Disable automatic restart ..." and you press the <ENTER> key, it should attempt to start but then crash and display the BSOD error message. If it is not doing that, it is unusual, and I don't know what might be going on.


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## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

I think my power was cut during an update, my laptop boots up and I can enter my desktop but within a minute it shuts down and restarts, I have chosen to shut down before I get to the desktop and when I do it says 'configuring update 3 of 3: 0% do not switch of power'


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## AustrAlien (Jun 10, 2009)

Thanks. It looks like the update is having a problem.

In that minute you have available, can you try to follow the directions given previously to run the command:

*shutdown -a*

to see if you can abort the shutdown to give you some time to run the other commands given by *jenae*?


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## bhaven modasia (Nov 16, 2012)

When I type "shutdown -a" into the run box it still reboots itself


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