Windows Restarts Continuously

ID: Q148919

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

When you start your computer, Windows may restart continuously

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if Win.com is called from the Autoexec.bat file using the /W or /WX switch.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

Restart your computer.

Windows 95:

Restart your computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.

Windows 98:

Restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu. For more information about Windows 98 startup, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q178548
TITLE : No "Starting Windows 98" Message at Startup

Type the following line and then press ENTER:

edit autoexec.bat

Locate the line that reads:

win.com /W

-or-

win.com /WX

Remove the "win.com" line.

Save and then close the Autoexec.bat file.

Restart the computer.

MORE INFORMATION

The /W and /WX switches are typically used to restore the original Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files and restart the computer after you restart your computer in MS-DOS mode. The /W switch on the Win.com line causes Win.com to rename the current Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files to Config.app and Autoexec.app, restore the original Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files from the Config.wos and Autoexec.wos files, delete the Config.wos and Autoexec.wos files, and then display the following message:

Press any key to continue...

When a key is pressed, the computer is rebooted to Windows. If the /WX switch is used instead of the /W switch, Win.com performs the same steps, but does not display the above message.

When the /W or /WX switches are used in the Autoexec.bat file after you restart your computer in MS-DOS mode, the original Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files are successfully restored from the Config.wos and Autoexec.wos files, and Windows starts normally after the computer is rebooted. However, if you use the /W or /WX switch in the Autoexec.bat file at any other time, the Config.wos and Autoexec.wos files do not exist and the current Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files remain in the root folder of the boot drive. Because the /W or /WX switch remains in the Autoexec.bat file, Windows restarts continuously.

For additional information about the process that occurs when you restart your computer in MS-DOS mode, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q138996
TITLE : Description of Restarting Computer in MS-DOS Mode

Additional query words: loop reboots reboot

Keywords : kbenv win95 win98
Version : 95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb