Comp wont load up.

[enigma322]

So yesterday, my computer would keep freezing while i was playing Counterstrike source. Late last night, however, after it froze and i turned it on again. During the phase while Windows XP loads, it would just continue to load for an extremely long time, so long it wouldnt start up.
So i figured i would try reformating my HD. So i inserted the disc, pressed ENTER when it asked me if i wanted to install windows, then after that, it was stuck on "Examining 17,398MB of ID 0 ...etc" that lasted for several hours, then it was stuck on "starting up enviroment" for approx 10 hours. Ive reformatted computers many times, and this was just odd. Well so out of hope, i gave something one more try.
I went to CMOS, and i set my HD to first boot priority(not sure if it was there or not before, it was at third boot priority) and i started up my computer, and windows loaded just fine. Is that just a coincidence? or do you think there is a hardware component faulty?

 

[murdatapes]

"Examining 17,398MB of ID 0 ...etc"

You said it took several hours. Then stuck on "starting up enviroment" for 10 hours. That sounds like problems. Do you have an extra HD laying around somewhere, you go through installing XP on? I would try another HD.

 

[dokk2]

Welll,,,,, sounds like you might have software "bad blocks" when i have had that prob i would make a new ghost and reformat the partition in question,,,,or run scandisk from my ME boot disk,,i always like to do the simplest first before i get bogged down in anything complex,,like a re-install etc,etc,etc ad nauseum...