XP-H/SP2 Won't finish boot, normal or safe mode

I have tried all the options in the boot menu, but the comp will not finish booting no matter what I do. Please help!

 

Thanks for your fast answer.

I followed those directions and they partly worked - when I boot now the XP logo screen comes up for about 30 secs and then the comp reboots itself, and this happens over and over, however if I hit F8 I can now boot into safe mode although it takes about 6-7 min to get there. Where do I go from here?

 

Hello neveragain29,

If you have your user data backed up or can re create it, the best bet now would be to do a clean re install of the OS:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Another way to backup would be to take the hard drive, hook it up to another computer as a slave and do it that way, then re insert back into the sick system for the OS re install.

Regards - Charles

 

Not really an option at this time. Isn't there any other way?

 

Hi neveragain29,

Lets see if you can access System Restore:

Since you write that you can get into safe mode, bring up System Restore
Start > All programs > Accessories > System Tools.

If it does, pick a date preferably just prior to the start of the problem.

If you can't get at SR from Safe Mode, then try from a Command prompt:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449&sd=tech

If none of this works, the next thing to try is booting with the Recovery Console - post back.

Needles to say, if you succeed in accessing your system, if you have a CD or DVD burner, back up and make it a regular part of your routine. Another way is to get a USB connected external drive for this purpose. There are pricey and less expensive backup drive options.

Regards - Charles

 

Is there any way to get rid of the win logo screen and see the files that are being loaded so maybe I can find out which file is causing the reboot?

 

msconfig and see the /bootlog option

 

I have tried the bootlog from the F8 startup menu, but I can't find the file it creates. Is it called bootlog.txt as in W98 or something else, and where should it be - c:\ or c:\windows or where? Is it possible that the boot sequence isn't getting far enough for a file to be written?

Is there any way to the boot 1 line at a time as was possible in W98?

 

Look for Ntbtlog.txt in the %SystemRoot% folder (Possibly C:\WINDOWS)

 

it'll create bootlog.txt in the windows folder by default

 

Well, I found the boot log file "Ntbtlog.txt" but it is from the last boot into safe mode, not the boot attempt that rebooted itself, so it's not getting far enough to write the log file. The problem has to be in a file that is skipped when booting into safe mode since that will work (although verrrrrry slooooowly). There has to be a way to find out which file is causing the reboot.

 

I tried a "repair install" but no help. During the install when it reboots itself, it gets to the same spot and then reboots again over and over.

 

more problems!

And now, since the repair install I can't get into safe mode anymore. I now get a message that "windows can't be activated in safe mode" and when I click ok on that message box, the comp reboots again.