xp hanging

hi guys hope you can help?
my dads pc is having a few prob
when he starts the pc it runs the the bios load up page ok finds all harddrives.
but when it comes to the the xp load window the bottom scroll thingy just keeps rolling .
the pc is from a pc shop a not a supperstore one but it never came with a xp cd.
i have been able to download a xp cd and try to repair this way but i seam to load another os i have since found you the orignal os was a xp pro and the other os that i loaded was xp home .
i have since heard that i can repair my boot ini in console somthing about i386 and reboot or something if any body can shead light on this would be great
thanks for look at my problem hope you guys can help

 

hi guys still needing some input on this .
i have been able to login with xp home but still no joy with the xp pro as it is still hanging at the xp start up rolling bar thingy hope can guys
cheers
ian

 

Hi story 001. I have to confess that I find your description and questions a little hard to follow. You might like to check after writing something, and maybe add a few more commas and full stops and such. Thanks.

How are you running two operating systems? Do you have two hard drives that you're swapping?

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode? If you can, then try a System Restore.
Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore. Just follow
the Instructions and go back before the problem started if possible.

 

cheers for the replier.
the PC has 3 hard drives but i have the OS both on the same hard drive.
the problem i am having is the main OS i.e xp pro just seams to hang on start up and never start.
yes i have tried to start the OS in safe mode but that as well never starts.
when i tried to fix this by using a CD OS to repair the fault i ended butting a other OS on the hard drive xp home .
the xp home starts OK but i would like to get the xp pro back up and working if pos.
just to let you know the CD i used was a disk i downloaded from the web because i have no OS from the PC shop .
can i repair the OS from the xp home when i log in and use my computer to see c: drive and may be repair a file that may be corrupt .
i have just remembered i was butting avg on the system when this happened the system is a 64 bit and i think the avg was a 32 bit will this have caused the hanging .
cheer Ian

 

Two operating systems on same partition=trouble.
Have you got the other hard drives in a raid array, or, just slaves

 

Whatever the hard drives are set as, you will need an XP Pro disc to recover that operating syatem, but now you have two operating systems, on the same ? partition?, or, another partition, on the same hard drive?
If both now on C:, it would be easiest to reinstall, one of them , but formatting first, -this option is available as XP setup is setting up.
If, however XP Home is on another partition -say D:, AND XP Pro is on C:, THEN YOU COULD STILL WORK ON THE XP pr on C:
Its a long, long time since I did that , when a total novice.
If on the same partition _ C;---I assume your other hard drives have data on them, even if not in a raid setup.If you have a spare free hard drive, I would suggest that you put XP Home on it, set it as master, and slave the original hard drive to it, to save any data that you need, then format the original hard drive, and install XP (Professional must have an XP Professional disc)
If you thought of trying to replace the i386 folder, you still need an XP Pro disc.- hopefully you have the XP Pro liscence number stuck to the pc case, as it should be, to reinstall XP Pro?- Again, a long time ago I tried the i386 copy,t o a damaged XP partition, but it is not guaranteed to work- this can only be done if you have the XP Pro disc, or, can get acopy of the i386 folder form a disc, as any set up on another machine will bw bound to that machine, (chipset etc: when installed)

 

If you have XP Pro 64bit, then you need XP Pro 64bit cd to recover/re-install it.
Sometimes updates cause this sort of startup problem and getting into safemode, or, last known system that worked, can get the system back up and working.
When I used 64bit, I found that programs not designed for 64bit would abort the install.

 

If it was the antivirus program that has caused this, then, last known good, would be the way to 'uninstall it, if safe mode does not work, and if last known good does not work- I would suggest re-installtion to be the best way forward- can't you borrow a cd of XP Pro?
See Mcadams post here, if you want to try removing the boot up choice, and 'losing , XP Home to try any fixes.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=142511

 

If it's still not working, how far do you get when trying to boot into XP Pro?

 

hi guys
still not able to boot xp pro .
the start up bar just keeps going back to fourth (the loading bar thingy moving left to right)but never start windows.
i have accidentally loaded a xp home OS on the same c: drive now which loads fine can i modify the windows corrupt file in my computer .
cheers.
p.s the computer in question is not mine its my Fathers PC

 

Not sure if you're happy with that outcome, or if you're still trying to get XP Pro going.
If you are still trying, you'll need to have a look at baklogic posts - especially whether you have put XP home in the same partition or in a different one.

 

You can access usually your data, from XP Home, and copy and save it to that system, or, to a dvd/cd/usb stick.