Stuck In Restart Loop Safe Mode Doesnt Want To Work Either?

HP is throwing a monkey wrench into the works. In that I don't know if a HP WinXP's CD-Key will work with a standard Windows XP disk. Anyway, what I'd first try is find your current CD-key for Windows. If you can't find it then, either it's time to build/buy a new PC, or to buy a retail version of Windows. If you did find it (might be a sticker on the Case.) Search for a Windows XP Home disk online (it'll likely an ISO, ready to burn to a disk.) Burn it to a disk, then when you install windows Xp, enter your HP Windows CD-key. If you're lucky it'll take.

(but even if it does take, you'll still have another major problem. The drivers. You'll have to find the drivers for your components, with the most important driver being your Lan Card. Without that lan card you can't get internet access. And WinXP isn't really known to automatically load such drivers. Win7 on the other hand, may find a compatible driver, or might not....)

If the HP windows xp CD key doesn't work then.....

Might be easier if you just buy Win7 Home Premium - Retail.

I just bought a copy myself from this site:

http://www.discountmountainsoftware.com/miwi7hoprr...

Took 3 days for shipping, and at $148 it's the cheapest I've found. Regular price is $189. Comes with both the 32bit version and the 64bit version. And you can transfer the OS to any computer you wish,so long it's just on one PC at a time. Same goes for the 64bit or 32bit, you can only install one or the other, never both (they share the same CD-key)

There is an OEM version that usually runs for 100 bucks, but once you activate it, it's locked to the motherboard and can't be transferred to another PC. Also, you don't get both the 32bit and 64bit, it's either one or the other; so you have to decide which one to buy. And being that you don't list your specs, 32bit may be all that PC can handle.

At least with the Retail version you can transfer it to a new PC. (of course, you'll have to build that next PC, yourself; because a pre-build would come with it's own OS pre-installed.) But then again, Win 8 is due sometime at the end of the year. But, it's probably going to cost 300 bucks or something...

That site also sells WinXP, Home but @ 100 bucks might as well just buy Win7....

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Overall though... best to learn how to put one of these things together yourself. Or just get used to the idea that these pre-builds are nothing more than disposable computers, and treat them as such.

Not sure this will help but it certainly can't hurt.

Shut down the pc completely. Hold the power button in for about 10 seconds and this should fully shut down the pc.

Unplug the power cord from the computer. Now hold the power button in once again for a good 10 seconds to discharge all components on the various circuit boards in the pc (MoBo; video; audio; etc.) This will also release any temp data stored in the pc's volitile memory.

Once you complete the above, return the power cord to the pc and try to reboot it and see what happens.

The goal would be to get you into an operable SAFE MODE so that you can either run all of your antivirus programs (full scans and not quick scans) or you'll be able to use System Restore to return your PC's config to a date before the problem occurred.

Hope this helps.

If all alternate attempts fail, & you've got a lot of valuable files that must be recovered, have a look @ 'SpinRite' from GRC.

Recovers data & fixes HDD errors; disk maintenance; checks cable interfaces; many deep disk checks; etc.

Self contained DOS, so functioning OS not required.

Run it once per month or so to keep the HDD at peak mechanical performance.

About $90 US;

Money back if not satisfied: no questions asked.

How many software items have you seen with that?

THE industry standard.

Google for reviews.

Well worth the money.

http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

or

http://www.grc.com/sr/testimonials.htm

If you decide to give this a try, read the help files on what modes do what, cause it can be a tad confusing. Whatever 'mode' you select, don't be impatient: this works slowly, but methodically, and just may pull your drive back from the brink of doom.

I know you don't want to hear this but you will need some other medium to boot to to repair this, like a CD. You can buy a recovery CD from your manufacturer. I don't assume you have a recovery partition becasue if you did, Windows would have automatically put you in Startup Repair.