Windows XP SP2 installation problem

[Debi]

I have two nearly identical computers that had were
running fine on windows xp home edition that was fully
updated just prior to installing the SP2 update. Both
machines are about 3 years old, have an Intel D850MV
motherboard, Intel P4 1.8 GHz processor, 512 ram. The
only main hardware difference is one has two CD drives,
the other has only one. One is working fine after the
SP2 update but the other has the problem described below.
It ran just fine before installing SP2 update.

After installing SP2 update on the 2nd machine, windows
will not reboot after answering Ok to restart after
installation was complete. The splash screen comes up
for several seconds, then a blue screen blinks up for a
fraction of a second, then the machine restarts and the
process starts over with the same result. This pattern
repeats indefinitely until I shut the power down. I then
restarted with the original windows xp home edition cd as
the boot and tried using the repair console but after
selecting windows to logon, it asks for an administrator
password. I never set up an administrator password but
when I press enter it just stays in dos in the C:\windows
directory. I can't figure how to start up in a safe
mode. What should I try next? Is there any options
other than completely re-installing windows.

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----
I have two nearly identical computers that had were
running fine on windows xp home edition that was fully
updated just prior to installing the SP2 update. Both
machines are about 3 years old, have an Intel D850MV
motherboard, Intel P4 1.8 GHz processor, 512 ram. The
only main hardware difference is one has two CD drives,
the other has only one. One is working fine after the
SP2 update but the other has the problem described below.
It ran just fine before installing SP2 update.

After installing SP2 update on the 2nd machine, windows
will not reboot after answering Ok to restart after
installation was complete. The splash screen comes up
for several seconds, then a blue screen blinks up for a
fraction of a second, then the machine restarts and the
process starts over with the same result. This pattern
repeats indefinitely until I shut the power down. I then
restarted with the original windows xp home edition cd as
the boot and tried using the repair console but after
selecting windows to logon, it asks for an administrator
password. I never set up an administrator password but
when I press enter it just stays in dos in the C:\windows
directory. I can't figure how to start up in a safe
mode. What should I try next? Is there any options
other than completely re-installing windows.

.

Continue to press F8 while machine boots.
Enter Safe Mode and uninstall SP2 from control panel,
Uninstall applications icon. Restart computer.

 

[Debi]

I can get to the screen to start Windows XP in safe mode
but then it only lists a long lists of something like:
multi(0)disk;rdisk(0)partition(0)
windows/system/drivers/...sys
on and on and on
Doesn't work using safe mode w/networking or w/command
prompt.