Windows XP Home stalls during boot

[Guest]

I am using hp pavilion with windows xp home edition. When booting, I reach
the blue Windows logo screen, never reaching the log in screen. I've tried
starting from safe mode, last known good configuration, and from the windows
xp cd. Get the same result every time. No error messages - nothing.
Suggestions?????? Please?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

Please try a repair install as follows:

NOTE, while a repair install should leave your data files intact, if
something goes wrong during the repair install, you may be forced to start
over and do a clean install of XP. If you don't have your data backed up,
you would lose your data should that eventuality occur.

Assuming your system is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive and you have an
actual XP CD as opposed to a recovery CD, boot with the XP
CD in the drive and perform a repair install as outlined below. If the
system isn't set to boot from the CD or you are not sure, you need to enter
the system's BIOS. When you boot the system, the first screen usually has
instructions that if you wish to enter set press a specific key, when you
see that, do so. Then you will have to navigate to the boot sequence, if
the CD-ROM drive is not first line, set it first in the boot sequence. Save
your settings and exit with the XP CD in the drive. The system will reboot.

When the system boots, a few screens into the process you may see a message
instructing you
to hit any key in order to boot from the CD along with a countdown. When
you see this be sure to
hit a key on the keyboard, if you miss this instruction and the system fails
to boot from the CD, it's too
late, you'll need to reboot and try again.

Once you have pressed a key, setup should begin. You will see a reference
asking if you need to load special drivers and another notice that if you
wish to begin the ASR (Automatic Recovery Console) depress F2. Just let
setup run past all of that. It will continue to load files and drivers.

Then it will bring you to a screen. Eventually, you will come to a screen
with the option to (1) setup Windows or (2) Repair Windows Installation
using the Recovery console. ***The selection you want at this screen is
"Setup Windows,"
NOT "Repair Windows Installation.

The first option, to setup Windows is the one you want and requires you to
press enter. When asked, press F8 to accept the end user agreement. Setup
will then search for previous versions of Windows. Upon finding your
version, it will ask if you wish to Repair your current installation or
install fresh. Press R, that will run a repair installation. From there
on, follow the screens.

Note, in some cases, you won't receive the repair option, only an option to
reinstall. We have discovered that sometimes this is caused by damaged
boot.ini file that can be repaired as follows and also note, in the
instructions, "K" refers to the CD drive in which you have placed the XP CD,
replace that drive letter with the appropriate letter on your system, "K" is
simply an example.

Reboot, this time taking the immediate R option (this is the section I told
you to skip above. In this case, you will need to get to the Recovery
Console to perform the function below), and if the CD letter is say K: give
these commands

COPY K:\i386\ntldr C:
COPY K:\i386\ntdetect.com C:
(two other files needed - just in case)
ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
DEL C:\boot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild

Once you've completed this function, reboot and see if you can access XP as
sometimes, the problem is the damaged boot.ini. If you still cannot access
XP, then reboot and re-run the repair install instructions at the beginning
of this message.

If you only have a recovery CD, your options are quite limited. You can
either purchase a retail version of XP which will allow you to perform the
above
among other tools and options it has or you can run your system recovery
routine with the Recovery CD which will likely wipe your drive, deleting all
files but will restore your setup to factory fresh condition.

 

[randy parkhurst]

I am using hp pavilion with windows xp home edition. When booting, I reach
the blue Windows logo screen, never reaching the log in screen. I've tried
starting from safe mode, last known good configuration, and from the windows
xp cd. Get the same result every time. No error messages - nothing.
Suggestions?????? Please?

Sounds like you have a hardware problem, check to see if your machine
meets the requirements for XP to be loaded on your machine.

 

[Guest]

Thank you. I've read these instruction on several different posts similar to
mine. However, although my system is set to boot from the CD, it begins the
boot sequence and then stalls at the same screen. I am never given an option
to do anything.

 

[Guest]

It came preinstalled with XP and has been working wonderfully for 2 years.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

If the CD is a retail CD or comparable, it should never get to that screen.
There's a point in the boot process, prior to reaching that screen which
contains a message to hit any key if you wish to boot from the CD. I make
note of that in my instructions. Doing so should start XP setup.

If you are getting to that screen, something is wrong, either you don't have
a CD that is essentially the same as a retail version or you've missed the
screen that tells you to press any key in order to boot from the CD.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the assistance. I have followed the steps as outlined and
everything was coming along nicely. I reached the window (second boot) where
the product key is required. I have all of the original CDs and
documentation provided from HP with the laptop and do not find the product
key anywhere. Do you know if I can recover the product key from HP or
Microsoft or will I need to purchase a new CD?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

The key should be on a sticker on your computer case. Look at the front,
sides, top and back, there should be a sticker with that information.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, I've got that and have worked through the process you've described.
Now, as I am running the repair and windows is loading devices, I received
the message that Windows cannot open rundll32.exe and regsvr32.exe. I know
they are both in the system 32 files. It wants me to select which program
created it. I feel I'm over my head here. What next?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

Those are Windows files. My guess is, you have SP1 or SP2 installed and
your version of XP on the CD doesn't have either. Usually, it should just
tell you the version of XP installed on your computer is newer than the
version you are trying to install and stop setup. If you do have SP1 or SP2
installed on your system and your CD is XP without either of those, given
that you cannot boot the system to the desktop or Safe Mode, the only choice
left to you would seem to start over with a clean install which
unfortunately will wipe the drive of all data. I hope you're backed up.

The procedure for that is as follows:

Assuming your system is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive, boot with the XP
CD in the drive. If it isn't or you are not sure, you need to enter the
system's BIOS. When you boot the system, the first screen usually has
instructions that if you wish to enter setup press a specific key, when you
see that, do so. Then you will have to navigate to the boot sequence, if
the CD-ROM drive is not first line, set it first in the boot sequence. Save
your settings and exit with the XP CD in the drive. The system will reboot.

A few screens into the boot process, if you see the message on the boot
screen to "Press any key in order to boot from the CD," do so.

After loading drivers and files, you should be taken to a screen with
the following:

To Setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To Repair a Windows XP Installation using Recovery Console press R.
To Quit setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

In your case, press ENTER.

Agree to the License agreement by pressing F8.

You will then be taken to a screen with two options.

To repair the selected Windows XP installation press R.
To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing,
press ESC.

This will bring you to a partition map where you
can delete, create and format partitions.
Select the drive you wish to format, delete the partition, then create a new
partition, format as desired and continue with XP installation.

 

[Guest]

Clean install it is and successful. Thank you. I noticed that many posts
similar to mine suggest that problems seem to appear afer installing sp2. Is
there a probelm with sp2 or is it safe to accept in auto-downloads?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

You should realize, that is what you are going to see here are problems.

If you go back to when XP was released, you would have found numerous
problems as well. An awful lot of problems would be eliminated if people
would realize they are changing the operating environment and as such may
need to update various applications, drivers and possibly even need to
replace some hardware though that would be rare. Most such issues can be
traced to the need for driver updates from the device manufacturer as well
as the need to update various applications.