XP boot problems

[WyattTwerp]

Hello everyone,

All of a sudden my computer will not boot. I am running a P4 2.6 GHz processor with 1 GB of RAM and Windows XP Pro. It goes through the normal POST just fine and then tells me that Windows did not load properly the last time I tried to boot. I select Boot Normally and it briefly gets to the Windows XP Logo screen with the scrolling blue bar and then reboots. If I try to boot to Safe Mode, it goes through the list of files loaded and then restarts.

I have searched the MS KB and found an article that told me to replace the kernel32.dll file in the System32 folder from the original XP CD. I did this with no discernable results. Per instructions from an article at ZDNet, I also entered the recovery console and replaced boot.ini, ntdetect.com and ntldr from the original XP CD with no luck.

I should add that I can boot the computer into XP (this post is proof of that) if I place a boot CD in the drive and then not press any key to boot from the CD when prompted.

Any help with this problem would be really appreciated as it is a pain in the butt to have to boot with the CD in the drive.

[Dave@Bytes]

Have you tried the actual repair option after putting in the CD.

Also, to get a BSOD which might also help figure out what is happening here, you can turn off the automatic reboot feature by Right-clicking My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Uncheck "Automatically restart."

[WyattTwerp]

davpurc,

Yes I have tried the repair option still to no avail. Also tried your suggestion by unchecking "Automatically Restart" but not BSOD, just resets again.

Another funny thing I just found is that my Radeon 9800 Pro is listed twice in the Device Manager. The second entry says Radeon 9800 Pro - Secondary. I tried deleting it and then rebooting but the system insists that the 2nd card is there and reinstalls it.

Since the computer stops booting at the agp440.sys driver when I try to enter Safe Mode, could this possibly be the problem?

[Dave@Bytes]

I think that's normal for that card because it supports dual monitors--I think. I'll haver to look it up.

Is your virus and spyware checkers up to date?

Maybe you can also try ending some "unnecessary processes" in the task manager before shutting down--just in case something is not properly closing out.

Black Viper lists all of the process in later versions of Windows and explains what they are, so you can use this to shut them down one at a time--just a hunch. http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
Also, make sure your Microsoft Updates are current.