Can't Boot XP SP1 Bu HD or CD

[PCM]

Have a Gateway with XP home SP1. If you try a regular boot from HD, it keeps
looping, coming up with the same screen. We're sorry for the inconvenience
and repeats itself over and over. I've tried Safe Mode, does the same thong.

I put the Windows Home CD in to try to over install windows. It gets as far
as Press any key to Boot from CD.

I'm scratching my had. Any help, please

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Have a Gateway with XP home SP1. If you try a regular boot from HD, it keeps
looping, coming up with the same screen. We're sorry for the inconvenience
and repeats itself over and over. I've tried Safe Mode, does the same thong.

I put the Windows Home CD in to try to over install windows. It gets as far
as Press any key to Boot from CD.

I'm scratching my had. Any help, please

Instead of "scratching your had", press the Space Bar when
prompted, then try a repair installation.

 

[Jonny]

Instead of "scratching your had", press the Space Bar when
prompted, then try a repair installation.

You may be right. In my case, I don't have to press the space bar to boot
from the MS XP w/SP1 installation CD, does it automatically. Other boot
type CDs, I am prompted to press any key to boot from CD. Any idea why this
occurs? (not a troll, I really have no idea) Occurs on one AOpen board and
one Asus board, both Award bios. Both less than 2 years old.

Same behavior with an autostreamed SP2 into the mentioned CD, creating XP HE
w/SP2 install CD, boots without a prompt.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You may be right. In my case, I don't have to press the space bar to boot
from the MS XP w/SP1 installation CD, does it automatically. Other boot
type CDs, I am prompted to press any key to boot from CD. Any idea why this
occurs? (not a troll, I really have no idea) Occurs on one AOpen board and
one Asus board, both Award bios. Both less than 2 years old.

Same behavior with an autostreamed SP2 into the mentioned CD, creating XP HE
w/SP2 install CD, boots without a prompt.

If the boot program on the WinXP CD detects an existing
Windows OS on the hard disk then it prompts you to press
a key to use the CD as a boot device. If it does not detect
an existing Windows OS then it won't prompt you. What
the exact criteria are I do not know.