XP Home Edition Boot Loop

[Mike D]

OK, Gang - Really need your help on this one . . .

I downloaded and installed Windows XP SP-2.

Upon reboot, I got the known error message: "missing or
corrupted windows/system32/config/system file". I applied
the fix outlined in MS Knowledge Base Article - 307545
for recovery from a corrupted registry. After replacing
the windows/system32/config/software . . .
system . . .sam. . .security. . .and default files from
the XP installation CD, I attempted to reboot so that I
could access a restore point in the System Volume
directory. What happened during the reboot is that I got
the Windows XP splash screen (good so far!); got a blank
screen for about 15 seconds (also par for the course);
then it gets wierd. The next screen is normally the
Windows XP Welcome screen that allows one to choose which
user will log on. Instead, after 15 seconds of black
screen, I get the briefest flash of blue screen, hear an
audible "click" from the computer itself, and the system
reboots. This cycle repeats endlessly. I've run chkdsk,
fixboot, and fixmbr from the Repair Console to no avail.
The last thing I want to do is nuke the hard drive and
start over.

Any coaching on how to recover?

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Bummer! See if this helps:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;875355&Product=windowsxpsp2

 

[Ron Martell]

OK, Gang - Really need your help on this one . . .

I downloaded and installed Windows XP SP-2.

Upon reboot, I got the known error message: "missing or
corrupted windows/system32/config/system file". I applied
the fix outlined in MS Knowledge Base Article - 307545
for recovery from a corrupted registry. After replacing
the windows/system32/config/software . . .
system . . .sam. . .security. . .and default files from
the XP installation CD, I attempted to reboot so that I
could access a restore point in the System Volume
directory. What happened during the reboot is that I got
the Windows XP splash screen (good so far!); got a blank
screen for about 15 seconds (also par for the course);
then it gets wierd. The next screen is normally the
Windows XP Welcome screen that allows one to choose which
user will log on. Instead, after 15 seconds of black
screen, I get the briefest flash of blue screen, hear an
audible "click" from the computer itself, and the system
reboots. This cycle repeats endlessly. I've run chkdsk,
fixboot, and fixmbr from the Repair Console to no avail.
The last thing I want to do is nuke the hard drive and
start over.

Any coaching on how to recover?

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode? Turn on the computer and start
tapping the F8 key rapidly just as soon as the first information of
any kind shows on the screen. Keep tapping until the Windows XP
Startup Menu appears and then choose Safe Mode from the menu.

In Safe Mode you can run System Restore and go back to prior to the
SP2 install.

If the problem also happens in Safe Mode then your next best option is
to do a Repair Install as per the instructions at
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

That will preserve your user data files, installed applications, and
program configuration settings. All Windows updates will have to be
reinstalled.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."