Problem Booting Win XP Pro

[Danzer]

Hi All,

 

Been trying to fix my office computer for a couple days now with no luck. I've tried almost everything to get it up and running, but no luck. It's a problem with the initial boot of windows. Here's what I have tried:

 

Repair windows xp through OS disc

Chkdsk /r from booting OS disc

Ren Kernel32.dll kernel32dl_ from booting OS disc

Fixed the initial "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: System32\Drivers\ntfs.sys" message that started it all

 

After repairing windows, the windows loading screen does appear but only for a couple seconds, it's like it's playing with my emotions. I sit there hoping it would load, but it would just reboot and start the process all over again.

 

Before you suggest it's a hardware issue, I can assure you it is not. I replaced the ram with the same one from a working desktop. All the other components are fine. I have backed up as much as I could by copying all files and folders onto a working computer. I can access the hard-drive when connected to another computer.

 

Any thoughts on what else I can try?

[d6bmg]

Look at this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822800

[AkakmanH]

One or two questions

What service pack are you on?

What hardware:

video card

USB devices

Can you come up in safe mode? (after bios hold down F8)

 

An error like this is usually hardware related - some devie is failing and XP does not always report the error

[bigball1]

What is the error before it reboots?

 

You hit F8 before it start to load windows, from there you can chose not to auto restart when system fails or something like that.

 

Also safemode may work but l dont think it will

[wevsspot]

Depending on the hard drive brand, go the the mfgs' website and download their hard disk diagnostic tools. Most of which offer an option to run from bootable media. Run the disk diagnostics and see if there are any bad sectors on the disk. Sounds like the portion of the disk containing the boot files or mbr may be physically damaged or possibly corrupted with a virus.

 

It's important to know whether you're dealing with a failed (or failing) hard drive, versus something else that is possibly corrupting your mbr or boot files.

 

If the drive physically checks out ok, then you might try to re-write the master boot record (although I thought the Windows repair option would have done this already).

 

You can manually execute both the fixmbr and fixboot commands from the repair console. The process is pretty self explanatory but if you need step by step let me know.

 

Caution ------ before running either the fixmbr or fixboot commands please ensure that you have retrieved everything off the drive that is possible to salvage - just in case either of these procedures renders the drive inoperable.

 

Last ditch attempt before replacing the drive is a full format and reinstallation of the OS.