Windows XP will not boot

Windows 2000 and XP users Tip: If you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows, you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration.
To get into the Windows 2000 and XP Safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.
Note: With some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.
Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.

Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice. Once you're done in Safe mode if you want to get back into Normal Windows restart the computer like you normally would and let it boot normally. Click here to get additional information about getting out of Safe mode.
loading the last known good configuration.To get into the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Safe Mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.
Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.
Trouble Getting into Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.

Choose Advanced Options for: Microsoft Windows Vista
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable low-resolution video (640x480)
Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)
Directory Services Restore Mode
Debugging Mode
Disable automatic restart on system failure
Disable Driver Signature Enforcement
Start Windows Normally
Description: Start Windows with only the core drivers and services. Use
when you cannot boot after installing a new device or driver. Once you're done in Safe mode if you want to get back into Normal Windows restart the computer like you normally would and let it boot normally.

Im not sure which file you are referring to but you could just a repair of the installation
this is fot the master boot record

if there are any other files , settings or programs during the repair process options for these should be available

Insert your Windows XP installation CD or recovery disc, and restart the computer.

Instead of attempting to boot Windows as it normally would, the computer will give you an option to boot from the CD.

Press a key when prompted, then wait for the setup program to load.

Press the "R" key on the "Welcome to Setup" screen.

This will cause the CD to launch the Recovery Console instead of attempting to install Windows XP on your computer.

If you have an administrator password on your copy of XP, then you will need to enter it in order to log in to the Recovery Console.

Choose the installation of Windows XP that you want to repair (generally the only option). Wait for the command prompt to appear, then enter "fixmbr." Press "y" when prompted to let the FixMBR utility overwrite the corrupted bootloader with a new copy.

Remove your XP disc or recovery disc, then type "exit" into the command prompt.

The exit command should cause the computer to reboot, allowing the computer to load the new bootloader file and then continue Windows XP startup as normal.

Hope this helps

start your laptop before booting windows press f8 button continuously

ndows 2000 / XP users

If you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows, you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration.

To get into the Windows 2000 / XP Safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.

Note: With some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.

Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode

Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.

Once you're done in Safe mode if you want to get back into Normal Windows restart the computer like you normally would and let it boot normally. Click here to get additional information about getting out of Safe mode.

Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 users

If you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows, you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration.

To get into the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Safe Mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.

Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Trouble Getting into Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.

when this happened to me on my Vista machine last year, I freaked out until I accidentally fixed it using by booting with my original Vista boot disc, and choosing 'Repair OS'. Try finding a/your original Windows XP install disc and seeing if it will repair and replace your own Windows boot sector. It would be best to find the one that came with your system, or another like it, but if all else fails, just try a hologrammed Windows XP install CD, but instead of 'install', choose 'repair'.

Something has physically changed in the laptop. Did you add any new equipment prior to this? If you haven't changed anything you will need a PC tech to look at your laptop. If you have, remove it and put it back the way it was. Then try again using the last know good configuration option.

Answer:To load the last known good configuration in Windows 2000 / XP reboot the computer and as it's booting booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Last Known Good Configuration" and press your Enter key.
Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Advanced Options menu - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.
Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message as the computer is booting. If this occurs instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key" tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.
As can be seen from the above example, you should be able to highlight and press enter to load the last known good configuration. Once completed the computer should restart and attempt to load into Windows.
Will running the Last Known Good Configuration delete anything?
No, running the last known good configuration will restore your last good system settings and will not delete anything. The only thing you may have to reinstall programs you have recently installed because the configuration for those programs may have been lost.

Hi.

If she did not format the hard disk, then the Windows XP startup option will be present in boot option. When computer startup you will get a choice like this:

1 Microsoft Windows Vista Home Edition.
2 Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2

In that case you can restore XP, starting on XP and editing the file winboot.ini, that is an hidden system file located on C:/ drive.

See:How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP.

If instead Windows XP does not start, or if you do not get the boot option, that means that Windows XP system file had been deleted.

In that case the only way to get back Windows XP is reinstalling the system from scrap, using a Windows XP install disk, and the number listed on the licence sticker.

Regards.

This issue may occur if one of the following conditions is true: Cause 1 loadTOCNode(3, 'cause'); This issue may occur if you have a CD, a DVD or a floppy disk in your CD, DVD, or floppy drive when you start the computer. Cause 2 loadTOCNode(3, 'cause'); This issue occurs if one or more of the following elements are corrupted and will not load during the boot sequence of the computer:

• Master boot record
• Partition tables
• Boot sector
• NTLDR file

To resolve this issue, follow these steps. Resolution for Cause 1 loadTOCNode(3, 'resolution'); To resolve this issue, remove the media in your CD, DVD, or floppy drive and then restart the computer. Back to the top Advanced troubleshooting loadTOCNode(2, 'resolution'); This section is intended for advanced computer users. If you are not comfortable with advanced troubleshooting, you might want to ask someone for help or contact support. For information about how to do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/ (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/) Resolution for Cause 2 loadTOCNode(3, 'resolution'); To resolve this issue, you must have the Windows XP CD-ROM. If you do not have the Windows XP CD-ROM available, you have to call your computer manufacturer to troubleshoot the issue.

If you have the Windows XP CD-ROM, use one of the following methods. Method 1: Troubleshoot the specific element that causes Windows not to load loadTOCNode(4, 'resolution'); Note This option requires that you perform multiple steps to determine the exact element that causes the issue. This option may allow for you to keep customizations in Windows.

1. Restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, press the F8 key while Windows is starting. Then, create a Windows XP boot disk to start the computer.
   
   For more information about how to create a Windows XP boot disk, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 305595 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305595/ ) How to create a bootable floppy disk for an NTFS or FAT partition in Windows XP 315222 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/ ) A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP If you can start the computer from the boot disk without receiving an error message, the damage is limited to the master boot record, the boot sector, or the NTLDR file. After Windows XP is running, immediately back up all data before you try to fix the boot sector.
   
   Use Disk Management to view the partition information and to verify that the disk partition (or partitions) is correct. To use Disk Management, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
   2. Expand Storage, and then click Disk Management.
   If invalid partitions are present or you cannot start your computer by using a boot disk, consider reinstalling Windows XP on your computer and restoring your data and configuration information from a recent backup.
   
   If you do not have a current backup copy of the data on the computer, contact a computer specialist to determine the best method of data recovery and configuration.
2. Run a current virus scanning program to verify that no virus is present.
3. Repair the master boot record by using the FIXMBR command from the Windows XP Recovery Console.
   
   For more information about how to use the Recovery Console, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 307654 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/ ) How to install and use the Recovery console in Windows XP Note For more information about an error message that you may receive when you use the FIXMBR command, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 266745 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/266745/ ) Error message when you run fixmbr command Warning If your computer is infected with a virus and you use the FIXMBR command, you may be unable to start the computer. Before you use this command, make sure that the computer is not infected with a virus.
4. If the primary boot partition is a FAT partition, use the FIXBOOT command from the Windows XP Recovery Console to write a new boot sector on the system partition, and then use the FIXMBR command to repair the master boot record.

Method 2: Repair your Windows installation loadTOCNode(4, 'resolution'); Note Repairing your Windows installation may change the configuration of Windows. You may also have to follow this step if you complete all the troubleshooting in steps option 1 and the problem is not resolved.

1. Use the Windows XP CD-ROM to start your computer. On the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to set up Windows XP.
2. Press F8 to agree to the license agreement.
3. Use the ARROW keys to select the Windows XP installation that you want to repair, and then press R.
   
   Windows XP Setup repairs the installation files, Windows XP automatically restarts, and then the Setup program finishes the repair of your Windows XP installation.
4. Follow the remaining steps to set up Windows.
   
   Note You must have your 25-character product key to complete these steps.
5. As soon as this issue is resolved, make sure that the firewall is enabled, and then visit the following Microsoft Web site to reinstall the latest updates: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/)
6. Run a virus scan on the computer because problems with corrupted elements can be attributed to viruses.

How to load last known good configuration. Question: How to load last known good configuration.
Additional information: The "Last Known Good Configuration" option was first introduced in Microsoft Windows 2000 and is available in all later versions of Windows including Windows XP. This feature enables a user to load the last working version of Microsoft Windows. This is a great step to try when trying to fix issues with a computer not being able to load into Windows.
Note: Users able to open normal Windows XP mode and who wish to restore their version of Windows to an date before the last known good configuration may also wish to consider doing a system recovery in Windows. Additional information about how to do this can be found on document CH000589.
Answer: To load the last known good configuration in Windows 2000 / XP reboot the computer and as it's booting booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Last Known Good Configuration" and press your Enter key. Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Advanced Options menu - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP safe mode as the computer is booting into Windows turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the safe mode screen.
Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message as the computer is booting. If this occurs instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key" tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option: Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.
As can be seen from the above example, you should be able to highlight and press enter to load the last known good configuration. Once completed the computer should restart and attempt to load into Windows. Will running the Last Known Good Configuration delete anything? No, running the last known good configuration will restore your last good system settings and will not delete anything. The only thing you may have to reinstall programs you have recently installed because the configuration for those programs may have been lost.