BleepingComputer.com: Windows XP Home Edition continual reboots

Here is my problem. I have a Dell Dimension E510 with Windows XP Home Edition. Recently the machine would not boot, and would start to just reboot. It will show the Windows splash screen and then reboot.... I have run chkdsk /r from recovery console, and nothing. I have a copy of ERD Commander (MS DaRT tools) and I can not get it to see the installed OS. It is a SATA HD and I have loaded the drivers for it, and can see the HD in ERD, but still can't attatch to that OS. I though then to do a repair install of XP, but that will not see the OS to repair. When I log into the recovery console it asks what windows installation I would like to log into, and I see it there, but not when doing the repair install or with ERD. Any suggestion would be great. I know I can always backup and restore, but would not like to have to go through all the trouble of reinstalling everything and all. Also one more note, I have run hardware test with PC Doctor and checked all hardware including HD and all is ok on that from. Again any thoughts would be great. Thank-you

Hello and welcome to Bleepingcomputer.

I see where you're concentrating mostly on a hard drive issue, but your problem may be related to other issues as well.

I see where you said it gets as far as the windows logo and then reboots, its about this time in the boot cycle that installed hardware is being detected and drivers are being loaded.

This is also when issues with a processor core starts over heating occurs, so I need to ask, when is the last time this computer was cleaned out, from dust and lint?

You need to pay close attention to the heat sink of the processor and the video card heat sink.

Please let me know what you find when you inspect your computer's internal condition.

Bruce.

The machine was completely cleaned out during this process. The side is off, all fans running, and all appears good. I have run tests on RAM, HD, CPU, MB, etc. and all come out OK. I have run chkdsk /r and it did fix a few errors, but still will not boot.