[XP will not load]

I am just frustrated. I volinteer on several boards in areas I am more expert. I can't expect you to know everything, who does. I am truely greatful for all your effort. You have forced me to carefully re-think the probelm which is a step in the right direction.

The advice well intentioned, but not completely logical. I believe something got corupt possibly by a virus. I rule out the mobo since I configured a C: 18 months ago using the same mobo. That works fine. I will look into the error message I get when I tried to fix windows on the disfunctional C:. I will need to try that again and write down that exact error message. That is the clue since the partition is fine. I will post a reply if I am able to fix the problem.

[XP will not load]

If you are so sure it is the motherboard why does the other disk boot up just fine or is it just magic? I do not believe in magic so I can't see how it is the motherboard. I configured the drive that works on the same mother board and it has no problems. In fact when I went to install the new drivers for the C: that works, the install routine claimed all the drivers were installed and OK.

Why would the XP repair routine claim there wasn't a windows partition on that disk when I went to repair it if the problem was only the motherboard. It is not the bootsector because I replaced it and I ran chkdsk on the drive so it isn't the actual partition. I do not get any registy errors so what ever the problem is it is probably encountered before the registry is opened. Is it possible to have a registry error but not have an error message?

I am building a new drive. Unfortunatly I have software on the old drive that I use from time to time and I have lost the install disks. I doubt that all the compaines are even in business. These are far more valuable to me than cost of a new disk.

[flatbed scanner]

Hi Marty

If you have Win 7 Professional or higher you can install and run XP Mode. (it's a MS download)

It Virtualizes XP and allows you to run anything that worked with XP. Just start XP Mode and instal lthe drivers under XP and scan what you need.

Thats how I use my old flatbed scanner

That is the smartest thing MS has done this century. It may induce persons willing to die with XP just to avoid these kinds of head aches, to purchse W-7.

[XP will not load]

When you tried booting to the CD, did you first change bios boot order to include CD and then press the any key when prompted to press any key to boot to CD?

Yes I tried all the above. Yes, I did add new hardware a big diff, the mobo. However, it was as close to the old as it could be. The other C: works fine. However, you did get me thinking. I had a sound card in the old configuration. I took it out because the new mobo should have that working. The other C: may have predated the sound failure on the mobo. I can't remember. The sound was the first thing to go maybe a year and 1/2 ago. Every few months a drive or USB port would die. I had plenty of both. It wasn't till it was clear that the erosion of utility wasn't going to stop that I replaced it. I did not notice any erosion for at least 6 months after I put in a sound card.

I guess I will put the sound card back in and see what happens.

I used to scan with Malwarebites weely just as routine. I would find a virus every now and then. The scan after the problem was clean.

[XP will not load]

The computer will boot but not log in even safe mode.

I tried to use the CD to fix it in install/-repair mode but it did not recognise it as 'right' I can't remember the term. I ran a check disk and I did fix something but that did not help.

I have a spare C:. Booting from that, the old C: is accessable as any other disk.

I booted with a boot log. It got to the resourse loop and then it died.

Any idea what the problem might be?

I REALLY do not want to format the disk! That was the only solution given on another, less expert forum. I will only do that after I buy another disk and transfer everything to the new disk. I am hoping something small is 'snarled'.