Locked out of xp service pack 3

[Sam]

I had reformatted my harddrive and was in the process of installing software.
I restarted my computer and it would not move past the "starting windows".
Any suggestions?

 

[Leonard Grey]

"...was in the process of installing software" doesn't contain
sufficient detail to provide an accurate answer. A lucky guess, maybe.

Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

 

[David B.]

Where does SP 3 fit into your problem? You don't even mention it in your
post, or is it the "software" that you mentioned?