Ok. So I used the emachines system restore cd, thus erasing (in theory,) the entire harddrive, right?
Now, it’s supposed to reboot and be all fresh and clean.
But what happens is it goes into a neverending cycle of rebooting itself, saying, “sorry, I didn’t start right…how about I try again in 27 seconds?,”
it tries again…goes on and on…until I push the big button and make it turn off.
Do I really have to call the $100/hour dudes? Thankfully, the Mac’s available, but it gets tough with several teens doing homework at once.
A couple of thoughts:
First, check the CD and make sure it’s for the same model of computer you have.
Second, have you added or changed anything related to the hardware of the computer? For the CD to work, the computer needs to be in the exact configuration it was in when you bought it.
If anything else occurs to me, I’ll post it.
–James
Does F10 get you to the boot menu?
I fear that it is doing this to you solely because you called it “stupid” on the board. I’m sure that just slipped out–it could happen to anyone–but they always find out these things, you know. Then they turn on you, like bad Dobermans. I hear the emachines, in particular, are sullen that way. You’ll have to placate it, somehow, by giving it a new chipset or something.
The same thing happens when you mention you’re tired of your car; within a day, you can betcha your timing chain will be history.
The other tack…
Gently place a large framing hammer on top of the box, and smile sweetly at it while whispering “think about it”. 
You need a boot disc so you can do a manual reformat then install the OS manually.
Nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
This how people who understand pcs talk.
I rather like the hammer-threat approach.
translation:
boot from CD
find the option to Format the C drive (this will, effectively, delete everything)
then
reinstall
the problem with just reinstalling is you may not replace the offender(s)
Yeah, as I understand it, most brands of pcs have a boot disk from which you reinstall. eMachines are among those silly manufacturers who provide you with an exclusive eMachines install disc, and I’ve followed their whole stinkin’ protocol and am now up crappy creek, paddleless. Geek time, I fear.