Windows XP not booting

Hello.

I have my uncle's Dell XPS 400 with Windows XP Media Center Edition. When it turns on, I immediately get a "floppy diskette failure" leaving me options to press F1 or F2 (F1 to continue, F2 for utility setup..I think). If I continue, the Windows Logo shows with the streaming bar under it as if loading. However, the bar continues to load, but nothing else happens. i tried to boot in safe mode, but it gets to the screen that has safe mode at the top (as if it has loaded) but stalls after that. I tried last good config, but it stalls as well. The only thing I can do with it is go to system setup, do a hard drive diagnostic, utility setup, and that is it. Of course, his (my uncle's) kids have destroyed or buried the Windows XP disc in the backyard or something. I was following a guide to boot via a USB, however, the guide said I need boot files from the PC, which, to my knowledge, I cannot access. Can anyone help me (I really don't want to go to Geek Squad...).

 

These are the boot files I believe you are referring to...
boot.ini
ntdetect.com
ntldr

Download here:
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
XP Quick Boot Diskette

 

Thanks for the replies. There isn't a floppy on this computer. I downloaded the files and put them on a flash drive. I guess it will help to show you the links I am using to boot from a flash drive. http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm
http://www.scribd.com/doc/13257/Boot-Windows-XP-From-a-USB-Flash-Drive

After trying the guide on those links, I set boot sequence to boot from USB and I now get the following message:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<windows_root>\System32\hal.dll
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

I did format the USB, and put the boot files on there, along with WinXP_EN_HOM_BF, a file I downloaded from Microsoft.

I read some suggestions posted on the net, but I don't have access (at least I don't know how to access if it is possible) to any of the files on the pc, as I cannot get pass the previous options listed in the first message (utility, system setup, hard diagnostic, etc.).

Also, the boot ini looks like this:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP" /fastdetect

Is that right? I seen some with some variations, which may have been personal preference by the owners.

 

The floppy has been disabled....and it never came with a floppy drive. By any chance do you know remaining files I need? Also, the error message came when I tried to boot from my USB. Does that mean that the hal.dll isn't in the HDD still? I also went back to try a boot from the HDD, but I still get a still Windows logo window. I am running out of ideas myself......

 

I don't know when it all started...just trying to fix my uncle's pc...he got little kids that download all type of stuff...no telling what caused it. The utility is not BIOS, but takes me to the blue screen where you can see system setup, which includes changing boot sequence, performance things, and other stuff. I tried to boot again from the USB, but got a different response. It said something about keyboard failure, but still got the same hal.dll error message. So I tried the hard drive boot, and windows actually loaded to the point of me putting in a password; however, the keyboard was not working (even though, prior to windows loading, I was able to push F2 to "Start Windows Normally"). The keyboard I am using is not the original. I can get it, but will have to wait until tomorrow. Will keep you all posted, and Happy New Year.

 

Yeah, it is USB. I tried the plug in/plug out, but still no go. I am gonna see if the original keyboard will help. I guess a question to ask is, once I am actually in, should I follow the malware guide?

 

Well, I acutally unpluged the PC to take to my uncle's house (which I probably shouldn't have) and try to boot Windows again (in the previous post, I stated that Windows booted for me...twice, and I left it on the log on screen). It would not boot again. So, I am at the point of giving up. My uncle probably gonna take it somewhere and have his kids mess it up again anyway. The other PC at his house, which I cleaned a couple of months again, got tons of stuff on the desktop, and sound like a lawnmower when it boots. Thanks again.