Computer crashed

[Quercus]

My desktop machine will no longer boot up. It starts loading Windows XP, and then a few seconds later, reboots itself and starts the process again. It will repeat this ad infinitum.

The hard drive is likely not the culprit, so once I get a new machine, I'd like to just be able to use the old hard drive. Can I just replace the drive that comes with a new machine with the old one and have it work?

Failing that, is there some application that will let me migrate my email from the old hard drive to the new one?

Also, are the Pokertracker serial numbers tied to a machine, or will my old serial number still work on the new machine?

[tinhat]

The drive may not be the culprit but it sure sounds like something on it is (virus possibly? corrupted windows? some driver conflict?).

Before you buy a new machine (if this is the only reason) you really should try putting in another drive (if you have one) and see if your machine starts. If it does, make the old drive the slave, run an a/v prog on it and copy data from it if possible. (Once your data is safely off it you could even reformat/reinstall, make it master and see if your computer will start; or leave it as a second drive for extra storage.)

Most HDs these days have a sticker showing you how to set master/slave. Most cables have two connectors - you want the slave to use the socket furthest from the motherboard connection and the master the one nearest IIRC.

If you get a new machine anyway you don't need to replace the new drive - just use the same method to add your old drive to it (but as a slave since making it the master you very well may see the same problem with your old machine).

pt requires a new code anytime you reinstall it, let alone install on a new machine.

Mike

[BBill]

Can you boot into Safe mode?
Press or tap the F8 key while it is doing the POST.
If you can get to safe mode you should be able to resolve the problem.

[Quercus]

Safe mode didn't help - it still auto-reboots before I can get anywhere.

I removed the drive and put it into another machine. Same problem. So, I installed it as a slave drive and booted with the other. Its going through scandisk/repair right now - hopefully that will fix it.

[Freakin]

should be able to use a windows cd to repair the installation.

Freakin