If your computer's power is turned on and Windows XP is not booting properly, you need to take some troubleshooting steps. The following is a list of possible problems and ways to solve them.
1. Using the Windows Boot Disk
If the boot problem is caused by the boot record of the active partition or the file used by the operating system being booted, the boot disk can solve the problem. The specific method is as follows:
Create a Windows boot disk, find a Windows XP machine with similar configuration and working normally, open my computer, right click and select the disk icon, then select format in the subsequent menu. When the formatting dialog appears, keep all the default settings and click the Start button. When the formatting operation is complete, close the formatting dialog and return to My Computer. Double-click the C: drive icon to access the root directory and copy the three files Boot.ini, NTLDR, and Ntdetect.com to disk. After creating the Windows boot disk, insert it into the drive of the failed system and press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] to restart the computer.
2. Use the last correct configuration
You can also try to start the operating system with the last correct configuration. This feature allows you to cancel any problem-causing changes made on the CurrentControlSet key of the registry, which defines the hardware and drive settings. The Known Good Configuration function replaces the current key value with the CurrentControlSet key value that was last started by the system. Here's how:
First press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] to restart your computer. When you see “Please select the operating system to start" on the screen, or hear a beep from the computer, press [F8] and the Windows Advanced Options menu will appear on the screen. Select the “Last Known Good Configuration” option from the menu and press [Enter]. Keep in mind that you only have one chance to use the Last Known Good Configuration feature.
3. System Recovery
Another tool that can help solve Windows XP startup problems is system recovery. System recovery runs as a service in the background and continuously monitors changes to critical system components. When it finds that a change is imminent, system recovery immediately makes a backup copy of the recovery point for these important components before the change occurs, and the default setting for system recovery is to create a recovery point every 24 hours. Here's how:
First press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] to restart your computer. When you see “Please select the operating system to start" on the screen, or hear a beep from the computer, press [F8] and the Windows Advanced Options menu will appear on the screen. Now select Safe Mode from the menu and press [Enter]. When Windows XP enters safe mode, click the Start button, select the All Programs Accessories System Tools menu, and select System Recovery. Click Next to select a recovery point and start the recovery process.
4. Using Recovery Console
If Windows XP startup problem is serious. You can boot the system using the Windows XP CD and then use a tool called Recovery Console. Here's how:
Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM drive of the failed computer, then press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] to restart the computer. Once the system is booted from the CD, it is easy to load the basic files needed for booting as prompted. When you see the Welcome To Setup screen, press the R key to enter the Recovery Console. Then you will see the Recovery Console menu. It shows the folder containing the operating system files and prompts you to select the operating system you plan to log in to. You need to enter the serial number on the menu on the keyboard, and then you will be prompted to enter the administrator password, you will enter the main Recovery Console prompt page.