BleepingComputer.com: Freezing Comp. Only runs in Safe Mode

Attempted to run the SECOND repair option and now the PC is in an infinite loop. It tries to load windows, fails, and reboots. I tried booting into safe mode and it told me that the setup could not be complete in that mode and needed to reboot. So i then disabled the auto reboot on failure. It told me the error was due to nv4_mini.sys
What exactly does this mean and how can i fix it, given that the PC doesn't seem to want to load at all now?

That's part of your nvidia driver. How far did you get with the repair installation?

100% but now when it tries to reboot to finish windows will not load. It keeps rebooting over and over again.

Very rare - but it sounds like the system is having a problem with the video card and / or driver. When the system boots start tapping the F8 key and let's see if we can get to safe mode. If you can, go to ADD/REMOVE and uninstall the Nvidia driver then reboot. Let's see what happens.

BTW, be sure to remove the XP cd for now.

There are multiple reports circulating of problems with the latest vers. of Nvidia drivers. Several right here on BC.

One suggested fix is to revert to version 10.5, I believe, obtained from the Nvidia site. Unfortunately I have not seen anyone report back as to whether this solved he problem.

This post has been edited by ThunderZ: 12 February 2011 - 10:47 AM

Yeah, sorry. When I said "very rare" I was referring to the "infinite loop" after a repair install. It happens, but very rarely.

The pc will not allow safe mode to start. It loads it, but there is a prompt that tells me it cannot finish the repair in safe mode. When i try to close it, the system reboots.

Well, I'd suggest you try the repair install one more time. If it still doesn't work you'll have to do a clean install. If there is still data on the hd that you need (and hopefully you've backed up everything by now) you can slave the drive to retrieve it.

If I didn't have bad luck, I would have no luck at all.
I go to buy a new HD to use as a master to retrieve my data from the now useless HD
To save a few bucks I buy a refurbished P-ATA drive from the local computer store. I take it home, install it, and attempt to format it. BSOD!! I get a damn STOP error. Nothing I can do as this is to be my only working drive and I have no 3.5 drive to install drivers off of. So I go exchange it for another brand of refurbished drive. BSOD again! By this point I have lost my mind. I have to ask my wife to go back and get a new SATA drive so I don't kill anyone. I put the new drive in and the BSOD returns. After stabbing the retail box the drive came in with a screwdriver, I restart the PC the windows disc boots up and installs just fine. (Insert dramatic sigh of relief here)

I go into the old HD and gather all the files i want to move to the new drive before i reformat it. Two minutes into the transfer the computer freezes. WTF!!1one!1!
I am hoping this was a fluke, that I attempted to transfer too much at once. I am trying a smaller transfer right now. But I have begun pricing a new system. I don't think I will ever build my own again

It is confirmed. The PC still freezes and restarts at random. I have most of my files recovered at this point. I am wondering if the old HD could be the issue still. By having it connected and accessing the files on it, could it still be the cause of the crashes?

Not likely, no.

Hmmm. I will run the Hot CPU again and see if the results are any different. If nothing is found, it seems like I should just get a whole new rig right? Would this confirm that this is a hardware issue?

This post has been edited by mariannerules: 15 February 2011 - 01:57 PM

Here is the latest news. I ran hot cpu and it came back clean. I installed nVidia drivers and it all went to hell. The thing would freeze within seconds of loading the desktop. I reboot in safemode and uninstall nVidia. Re ran hot cpu with no crashes. Could it be my graphics card this whole time?