PC will not bootup after power failure

[cstitt]

Computer is HP Pavillion, 733 mhz celeron processor with Windows XP Pro operating system.  PC will not boot up after a power failure, it displays the "windows did not start successfully screen" with 30 seconds to choose start up in safe mode or start up in normal mode.  After choosing a mode it will boot up to a certain point then shut down and attempts to boot up again.  I have tried both safe mode and normal mode without success.  I don't have any of the install or backup disks.

Do I have any options other than reformatting hard drive and losing my files and programs?
Can I put hard drive in another pc as a slave and try to correct problem?

[Allan]

1) Boot to the XP CD and choose the first repair option, which will drop you at the recovery console. Once there, run chkdsk /r. When checkdisk completes, exit and see if you can boot. If not,

2) Boot to the XP CD and choose the SECOND repair option and do a repair install.

[cstitt]

1) Boot to the XP CD and choose the first repair option, which will drop you at the recovery console. Once there, run chkdsk /r. When checkdisk completes, exit and see if you can boot. If not,

2) Boot to the XP CD and choose the SECOND repair option and do a repair install.

I got the PC without any disks, can I use any XP CD?

[Allan]

As long as it is the same version (Home/Pro) and service pack as is installed, yes.

[cstitt]

As long as it is the same version (Home/Pro) and service pack as is installed, yes.

My XP CD is Home edition and the PC has XP Pro installed.

Is there any other solutions?

[patio]

Find an XP Pro CD...