windows xp home is not booting?

[supersonic]

Hi, ive just registered today and have a freinds computer which im trying to fix.

problem: when i switch the computer on the post & bios does its routine and detects all hardware and confirms this. then when the boot for windows happens it doesnt load the windows xp but just restarts and the computer does its post & bios tests agian. The problem is that windows xp home is not booting. I have tryed to load safe mode and the same happens, it just keeps rebooting.

I have looked in CMOS and the hard disk has been detected and has the right parameters. The computer dont even load the recovery console. I havent got a xp home cd-rom.

there is alot of info on the hard disk so a low level format is out of the question and i have tryed the 6 floppy disk souloution which can be downloaded but this comes up with an error when i put the second disk in on the setup screen.

all what i want is to load windows then run an antivirus program in windows as the freind said it might be a virus.

please any help would be helpfull. thanks for your time.  :-?

[GX1_Man]

It sounds like there is more at work here than a virus, but with no XP CD recovery will be difficult, if even possible.

You can download and boot with a Knoppix LiveCD and transfer the data across a network, to a computer with a CDRW, or a Pen Drive, or whatever so you should be able to get the info out, unless the info has been encrypted, etc. It would also allow you to see if the hardware is intact. It may not be. In that case the hard drive could be slaved to a working machine and data saved that way.

www.knoppix.com for a free CD download. You have to burn the ISO to a CD with Nero, etc. Don't just copy the file. That doesn't work.

You can test the hard drive with free diagnostics from the manufacturer's site.

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1122425778

I would also test the RAM. Free download at www.memtest86.com

Let us know what you find out.

[supersonic]

I know what the problem is. windows xp has a major fault that when a file in the regerstry becomes corrupted in any way it stops the boot sequence of win xp.
So i bought a cd from ebay that boots to its own operating system to fix problems without using the main operating system but all hardware/software is avalible.

If any one wants to learn about the dreaded win xp non boot then just search google with "WIN XP BOOT LOOPING"

And here is the link to the magic cd! :>

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PC-CD-XP-PRO-PASSWORD-DATA-BIOS-RECOVERY-FILE-BACKUP-HQ_W0QQitemZ9711863942QQcategoryZ3806QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem




thanks for your help! hopfully wont have a problem agian!  

[GX1_Man]

Let us know how your "magic CD" purchase works out.

[Settra]

I hate to break it to you, but that is a free program..

[supersonic]

yeah but i cant get to the operating syatem to download it!! i have a laptop but have no cd burner. i would rather it all on cd any way as if my computer goes bust agian i just have to pop in the cd!

tryed the cd and it fixed the problem. my friend said its running better than before!

you get a lot of virus tools and back up tools on the cd so for 4.99 i dont care.

thanks for your help and willing to help others!!!!!

[Fed]

4.99 sounds like a bargain to me, if they were available here I'd get one just to try it.

[GX1_Man]

And you got it and solved all of the problems in less than 24 hours?

It looks like that is just a Linux Live CD. Those are free.