Windows XP Boot problem

[Kutabare]

I'm having a problem with booting up Windows XP. Whenever I start my computer, it enters the Windows XP screen and it begins to boot. However, it takes too long to boot. And if it does try to boot, it enters a blank screen and it flashes within a few seconds. After the flash, the computer resets itself and tries to boot up again. The same thing happens again into a never ending cycle. During the reset, my harddrive sounds like it went off but turns back on (like when you adjust the power settings where you adjust the harddrives sleeping time). I've tried fixing it by using the Windows XP cd by FIXBOOT, but it didn't work, not even safe mode or last known / good configuration that work boot works either. What could be the problem?

 

[WorldIndustries]

Have you tried reformatting yet? And is this your first time using XP with this computer, or did it work normally with XP before this happened?

 

[Kutabare]

No this isn't the first time installing windows xp on this computer. I am going to reformat it I guess. But I'm just wondering if anyone knows a method to fix it besides reformatting or the technical reasons behind it.

 

[WorldIndustries]

Yeah, sounds like a problem with system files... Do a repair installation, if you haven't already?

 

[Kutabare]

Yeah, but it was strange...the computer was fine this morning then it couldn't boot after that.

 

[WorldIndustries]

Stuff like that happens. I've had a computer freeze while I was playing Return To Castle Wolfenstein, and I never got XP to boot again. Had to reformat the whole thing.

 

[o29]

You could run off a LiveCD like Knoppix to see if it's necessarily the hard drive.