XP will not load

Newbie, so forgive me if I err,
When i startup i "sometimes" get as far as the WindowsXP logo on black
screen with the blue dots moving more slowly than normal from left to right,
but the hard disk makes a click every 5 seconds or so, as if it is
continually starting up. The current boot attempt has had this on screen now
for 40 minutes.

Other times I get a message that tells me that the following file is missing
or corrupt:
Windows\System32\config\system
Other times i don't even get this far and i get an error saying Hard disk
read error press Ctrl+Alt+Del.

I have tried using my XP discs but never get to a point where i get "R" for
recovery option. therefore all advice in KB does not currently apply. :-). i
just get to the screen which asks if I want to install the Windows software.

One time got a message that no operating system could be found.
When i try to load last known good version or safe I get two lines of data
regarding hda01/mbr(0) or something similar and then hangs.

I have backed up most of my data to an external USB HDD , but would like to
try and rescue the latest , one month's worth of ,stuff.

If I buy another SATA drive , can I set the new one as primary and load XP
onto that one and then hope to access the current drive ( which will then
become secondary) to transfer data before formatting it ? ( i need more disk
space anyway, so not a complete waste of funds)

All suggestions gratefully received

--
Niall
Surrey UK

Shuttle FN85 512MB
XP MediaCentre Atlon 64 3000+
Phoenix BIOS 6
Maxtor 6 Y160M0 S-ATA 160GB
NVIDIA GeForce FX5500
Sony DVD-RW
BlackGold DigitalTV CArd

Sounds like hd failure,
Visit HD manu site for a checking utility

A sata drive is master by default, if connecting a new one, disconnect old
one first then install Win on new one, you may have to install raid/sata
drivers from floppy during the process.
Once working pwr down, reconnect old HD and attempt recovery. If old disk
has failed it may prevent win from starting.

"niallc" <niallc@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E4C5DBF0-3D01-4F12-8422-BAAEF05809CA@microsoft.com...
> Newbie, so forgive me if I err,
> When i startup i "sometimes" get as far as the WindowsXP logo on black
> screen with the blue dots moving more slowly than normal from left to
right,
> but the hard disk makes a click every 5 seconds or so, as if it is
> continually starting up. The current boot attempt has had this on screen
now
> for 40 minutes.
>
> Other times I get a message that tells me that the following file is
missing
> or corrupt:
> Windows\System32\config\system
> Other times i don't even get this far and i get an error saying Hard disk
> read error press Ctrl+Alt+Del.
>
> I have tried using my XP discs but never get to a point where i get "R"
for
> recovery option. therefore all advice in KB does not currently apply. :-).
i
> just get to the screen which asks if I want to install the Windows
software.
>
> One time got a message that no operating system could be found.
> When i try to load last known good version or safe I get two lines of data
> regarding hda01/mbr(0) or something similar and then hangs.
>
> I have backed up most of my data to an external USB HDD , but would like
to
> try and rescue the latest , one month's worth of ,stuff.
>
> If I buy another SATA drive , can I set the new one as primary and load XP
> onto that one and then hope to access the current drive ( which will then
> become secondary) to transfer data before formatting it ? ( i need more
disk
> space anyway, so not a complete waste of funds)
>
> All suggestions gratefully received
>
> --
> Niall
> Surrey UK
>
> Shuttle FN85 512MB
> XP MediaCentre Atlon 64 3000+
> Phoenix BIOS 6
> Maxtor 6 Y160M0 S-ATA 160GB
> NVIDIA GeForce FX5500
> Sony DVD-RW
> BlackGold DigitalTV CArd
>

Dont know what the form is on thanking in these forums,
but
Thanks for the advice.
I have the SATA drivers on my XP Media Centre disks so will try this and if
i get it working, go to the maxtor site.
Thanks again
--
Niall

Shuttle FN85
XP MediaCentre
Maxtor 6 Y160M0 SATA 160GB
NVIDIA GeForce FX5500



"DL" wrote:

> Sounds like hd failure,
> Visit HD manu site for a checking utility
>
> A sata drive is master by default, if connecting a new one, disconnect old
> one first then install Win on new one, you may have to install raid/sata
> drivers from floppy during the process.
> Once working pwr down, reconnect old HD and attempt recovery. If old disk
> has failed it may prevent win from starting.
>
> "niallc" <niallc@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E4C5DBF0-3D01-4F12-8422-BAAEF05809CA@microsoft.com...
> > Newbie, so forgive me if I err,
> > When i startup i "sometimes" get as far as the WindowsXP logo on black
> > screen with the blue dots moving more slowly than normal from left to
> right,
> > but the hard disk makes a click every 5 seconds or so, as if it is
> > continually starting up. The current boot attempt has had this on screen
> now
> > for 40 minutes.
> >
> > Other times I get a message that tells me that the following file is
> missing
> > or corrupt:
> > Windows\System32\config\system
> > Other times i don't even get this far and i get an error saying Hard disk
> > read error press Ctrl+Alt+Del.
> >
> > I have tried using my XP discs but never get to a point where i get "R"
> for
> > recovery option. therefore all advice in KB does not currently apply. :-).
> i
> > just get to the screen which asks if I want to install the Windows
> software.
> >
> > One time got a message that no operating system could be found.
> > When i try to load last known good version or safe I get two lines of data
> > regarding hda01/mbr(0) or something similar and then hangs.
> >
> > I have backed up most of my data to an external USB HDD , but would like
> to
> > try and rescue the latest , one month's worth of ,stuff.
> >
> > If I buy another SATA drive , can I set the new one as primary and load XP
> > onto that one and then hope to access the current drive ( which will then
> > become secondary) to transfer data before formatting it ? ( i need more
> disk
> > space anyway, so not a complete waste of funds)
> >
> > All suggestions gratefully received
> >
> > --
> > Niall
> > Surrey UK
> >
> > Shuttle FN85 512MB
> > XP MediaCentre Atlon 64 3000+
> > Phoenix BIOS 6
> > Maxtor 6 Y160M0 S-ATA 160GB
> > NVIDIA GeForce FX5500
> > Sony DVD-RW
> > BlackGold DigitalTV CArd
> >
>
>
>