Recovery Console hangs on examining disk 0

Go to bios and change to CD/DVD drive boot first, order.
(del, esc, F2, F10, depending on your make and model)
Then at least you can run recovery, install another XP in parallel and backup your information (no format).

The CD/DVD drive is first in the boot order. I need to clarify what is happening.
I go to the XP Pro CD and Setup initiates. The drivers are loaded and then the Setup screen comes up giving me three choices: Enter to continue with XP setup; R to initiate a repair with the Recovery Console; and F3 to quit setup. If I select either Enter or R the computer hangs with the message at bottom of the screen saying Examining Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi....

I can't find a way past this point.

Then you need SATA/SCSI drivers for your MB chipset installed first [F6].
Download and unpack drivers, burn them on CD.

I'll try this when I get the tower back. I'm not optimistic however. When I ran checks on the HD it 'passed'.
Decided to buy a new tower yesterday. Data will be transferred to the new HD.
I'll get the old hardware back to play with.
Thanks.

XP sees SATA as SCSI and drives are invisible without chipset drivers, it's the case in most older MBs too.

I'm in the same situation. But when I try to add the drivers, it says they have to be on a floppy in Drive A. The driver files are to big to fit on a floppy. Now what?

Type in the CD path if you have to, but it should allow you a custom browse.