A Windows window prompts you to save your ongoing project, then restarts the application.
A Windows window prompts you to save your ongoing project, then restarts the application.
Hello. Today upon powering on my PC (Windows 7), I encountered this unexpected pop-up that I’ll include in the first picture. Initially, I wasn’t sure what it was at first because I’d never seen anything like it before. After a minute, the system would restart and the same pop-up would appear again. During these restarts, the computer would lock with just the password “pass,” allowing me to reach the desktop before it rebooted once more. Occasionally, the lock screen appeared, other times it didn’t. Sometimes typing the correct password took a while, and by the time I logged in, the system had restarted again after an hour.
After some research online, I found articles about similar issues, but most suggested installing antivirus software. Since I couldn’t use the command prompt, control panel, or Task Manager during this time, I looked into other fixes. One article mentioned using antimalware tools that could be installed from a CD or USB drive and requiring booting into them. I tried Kaspersky Rescue Tool, but it didn’t detect anything on the C drive at first. Now it’s scanning my entire PC.
What surprised me was how sometimes the pop-up would say the system would restart after a minute, yet I’d just logged off without being able to log back in. At other times, it would reboot completely. When I ran the tool from my USB, it warned that the system didn’t shut down properly or was hibernating, possibly preventing it from working correctly. There was an option to skip the scan and close it, but that risked losing data. I chose to let it run and added more pictures to the thread. I’m hoping I can resolve this without having to reinstall Windows.
I overlooked that I encounter the same problem across every Safe mode version. Identical alert, repeated restart. Updated April 26, 2022 by LennyD Bolding important mentions
I successfully restarted the system so the Rescue Tool could perform a proper scan. I realize from the previous warning that the computer might be in hibernation or not powered down correctly, but it managed to scan without issues and didn’t detect any problems. The issue continues.
Windows 7 no longer receives security updates, which may lead to unexpected problems. Ideally, move your files and get ready for installing a new operating system.
Consider closing this thread if possible. For similar issues, I recommend using anti-malware tools from reputable companies such as ESET, Norton, or Avira. It seems your situation might be beyond their capabilities, but they could still offer useful guidance. Just download their software, use Rufus to create a bootable USB drive, and start from there. Good luck!