continuous reboot in XP

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

XP is designed to boot from CD. If your system is unable to do that you will
need this download go to:
http://support.microsoft.com/suppo [...] 0/9/94.ASP (for boot
floppys)

--
Mark L. Ferguson
FAQ for Windows Antispy
http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm
"weschrist" <weschrist@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:035004B4-9C26-43FB-A0E3-40028E450917@microsoft.com...
> I am trying to help a friend with his computer and I love to learn stuff
so
> this is still kind of fun... but it is getting old.
>
> When the computer is turned on we get the Window's splash page, then the
> compaq splash page, then a text screen with "Safe Mode, Safe Mode with
> Networking... etc" I have tried all the options, none of them work.
>
> I have used F10 to get into the system utilities to try to boot off the
CD.
> I cannot find an option to make the CD boot first, only the option to
enable
> of disable the different IDE devices. I have played with all those
options
> and nothing works. I have even disconnected all the IDE devices except
the
> CD drive and tried to get it to boot like that. I get the "non-systems
disk,
> please insert systems disk and press any key to continue" jibberish.
>
> I tried to get online chat help but they claim the product ID is not of
the
> valid form... which I know is false because this is the CD we used to
install
> XP and everything worked fine.
>
> Last know working day the computer said it had to check the external (H)
> drive for consistency with FAT32 or something. My friend clicked okay, it
> took a couple minutes, and worked fine all day. But the next day it
wouldn;t
> go past the point I just mentioned.
>
> Any suggestions?