Hi, my friend's laptop has a weird problem that started up just yesterday. Whenever she tries to turn on her laptop it starts up for about 3 seconds and then restarts. Then it continues to keep restarting over and over again.

I've already searched around but the two of us haven't found any solutions online thus far. So I decided to register here and see if anyone around here could help us out with this problem.

Her laptop is a hp pavilion dv9308nr notebook PC and it's running Windows Vista if that helps at all.

Sounds like a hardware issue, but how far into the boot process does it get? It may be as simple as something jiggering loose. Start with reseating memory modules and checking the hard drive connection; or send it in for service.

Also, working on the hardware theme, when was the last time you blew out the vents as they can easily become clogged with dust.
Could well be an overheating issue.

I had an HP that did this sue to the heat sink becoming detached.

Is this My Computer is restarting continuously and not booting (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/other-computers/computer-restarting-continuously-not-booting-248818.html) post the same laptop? If so, given that the problem has been getting worse (you don't have to cold boot from a true sleep), Curly's heat angle is more likely with perhaps component damage.

Is this My Computer is restarting continuously and not booting (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/other-computers/computer-restarting-continuously-not-booting-248818.html) post the same laptop? If so, given that the problem has been getting worse (you don't have to cold boot from a true sleep), Curly's heat angle is more likely with perhaps component damage.

Ah, yes. This is the same laptop. I didn't notice that she already posted here. So yeah, pretty much what she has said in her post is what has been going on. I'll try and report to her and see if any of the suggestions thus far help at all.

Also check your bios settings. There is an option in there for rebooting upon failure. Make sure that's set to " no ". Otherwise if your having a HD issue your stuck in a loop or if your having problems with " post ".

I doubt it has some virus, one solution is to restore the OS or restore it back to previous date.