XP in re-boot loop after running checkdisk

Hello williamconrad =)

Insert the WinXP CD and boot into Recovery Console !!

For more info. on how to boot into Recovery Console, go here and click on
How To Access Recovery Console:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

after entering there, when u will get the C:\Windows, type the following two commands and hit Enter after each line !!

chkdsk /r   (dont cancel if it takes too long, just wait until it finishes)
chkdsk /p   ( or if it gives an error then use /f switch)

After that type exit and hit enter, system will restart, take out the XP CD and check if same problem ??

If still face the same issue, then try disconnecting all the ecternal devices and extra cards from the system and check if it can make any progress ??
If it Does then great, otherwise do a quick repair install to sort out the issue :)

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315341

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

SheharyaarSaahil,

Thanks for the quick answer.

I am in the process of running chkdsk /r and it is taking a long time (30 minutes so far).
A line saying "The volume serial number is 48c-7-fc6b" appeared after typing the command. Since then nothing and no cursor.

This seems a bit long even for this P4 1.7gHz  40 GB drive. I neither see nor hear any hard drive activity. Am I "hung" or just inpatient?

If  hung, do I just power off the computer or is there a better way?

hmmmmmmmm is it stucked still ??

Yes... 1hr 20 min now.

how old is your hard drive..... looks like it has some problem :-?

About 3 years.

Ran the "Quick" test on Western Digital drive. Gave an error 7 "Read Element Failure".

Instructions are to backup data and  run "Extended" test or "Media Scan" to resolve the issue.

as i was afraid of.... =\
so what's your planning now to backup the data.... slaving the drive in another system ??

First I will find out if the user has any data on the drive that he cannot afford to lose. If not, I'll get a new drive and install windows and his programs on it. If he does, slaving it will be my first choice. Do you have another idea ?

Hopefully there is enough drive left  to get to the data.

Thanks for your assistance.

>> Do you have another idea ?
I do have..... like we can try to use a bootable cd like Knoppix or Bart's PE to enter in the OS for backing up data.... but i dont want to try these methods as the problem here is with a failing hard drive.... and im afraid that if we continue to work on this hard drive..... we will make it unusable even from the other system to retreive any data! =\

Will find out from user tomorrow if there is data wortth the time and effort to recover.

You get the points and my thanks.

well its my pleasure..... Cheers ^_^