Cannot Start Windows XP
A number of users have been reporting symptoms that point to corrupt registries. If you cannot start Windows XP at all, proceed to the next paragraph. If you can start XP and get to the logon screen, perform a simple test by creating a new user account to determine if the problem lies within the existing troublesome account(s) or is deeper within the system registry. If the problem is deeper then you should experience the same or similar issues in the new account.
If you decide that your possible registry issue is so severe that it requires drastic action, read the Microsoft Knowledge Base article titled How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from Starting.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The procedure above does not guarantee full recovery of the system to a previous state but you should be able to recover data by using it. Corrupted registry files can cause a variety of different error messages and symptoms, but the article lists specific error messages that may not apply to your situation. In all cases, you must decide if you will or will not execute the procedure. It is not for the faint-hearted.
Before taking the drastic action outlined at the link above, make sure that you cannot get XP to start in safe mode. If XP does start in safe mode, you may find the article titled Infinite Reboots helpful in tracking down the cause of the issue.
Additionally if you have an OEM version of XP that consists of only a recovery CD, these procedures should not be used. Consult the Dealing with Data Corruption page for other ways to recover your data before using the restore CD.
There are other options available to you, and you must decide which is best for your situation. If the data you need access to is not encrypted with Encrypting File System (EFS), you can treat the issue as you would a forgotten password, in which case you can install XP to another partition and recover your documents from there. If you do not have another partition, you can perform a Parallel Installation and still recover your documents. If you take either of these options, you may also need to refer to Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP.
If you have implemented EFS, to recover EFS encrypted folders you must have backed up your EFS Certificates and the Recovery Agent. Read the section titled "Log On if you Forget your Password or it Expires" on the Password Problems page. If you cannot enter XP in safe mode, are using EFS, and do not have a backup of your encryption keys, nothing will help you recover your data.
Another option is to perform an in-place upgrade of Windows XP. Read the KB article titled How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation).
Consider using the Recovery Console and System File Checker. If you cannot start your computer in safe mode or by using the Last Known Good Configuration startup option, you can use Recovery Console. With the appropriate permissions, you can use this command-line interface to start recovery tools, start and stop services, access files on hard disks, and perform advanced tasks, such as manually replacing corrupted system files. You can run Recovery Console from the Windows XP Professional operating system CD, or you can install it as a startup option. A complete list of Recovery Commands is available here. Other related articles include Install the Recovery Console as a startup option, Start the computer and use the Recovery Console , Recovery Console overview, and Startup options. System File Checker gives an administrator the ability to scan all protected files to verify their versions. If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file. System File Checker is the main component of the Windows File Protection Feature .
Finally, you can try to boot from the set of six Windows XP boot floppies if you just want to gain access to your data, make sure that you have the right set for your version of Windows XP. See the Windows XP Start-up Disks page on this site to check for and download the correct version if necessary.
Revision Date: 1 Dec 2003