I would suggest running a virus scan. Yes the download window should close by pressing the cross but if Ctrl+J worked fine then it could be a specific problem.

- Let us know if the virus scanner...

Is this a consistant problem? Ctrl+J should open and close the download box, give it a go. Does you computer run slow? Sometimes my browser will freeze IE or Firefox.

Perhaps you could try a linux live CD. The ones I have automatically boot, if everything works then maybe it is more of a software/OS issue.

Do you have any other USB devices connected? perhaps...

Hello,

is this a USB or PS/2 keyboard?

Hello,

Do you have a friend that has a Windows installation CD? You should be able to use that to repair your install if it is the same edition.

Or, perhaps you have a restore partiton. Are you...

Hello,

One of the first things you should do is find out what motherboard you are using. Post your system specs if you know them.

Once you know what motherboard you are using you need to find...

Can you select which device to boot from? On my computer if I press F8 it will ask me what I want to boot from. When the copmuter is switched on look for the boot device key, press it and select...

Is this at random times or is it when you do something specific?

Is this a laptop?

If you have a copy of both Pro and home can't you insert the CD and click on repair at boot up. If it is the wrong CD it should say shouldn't it?

I would suspect it to be home if it is a home user.

maybe something is wrong with the hard drive.

Goto my computer right click on the hard drive icon, click on tools and click on error checking.

If you have the XP installation CD you should be able to repair it by booting off the CD and select repair. That should solve your boot problem

- let us know how it goes

Okay Try this,

Click on Start -> Run or windows key+R, Then type msconfig and click on the BOOT.INI tab. Then try clicking on the check boot paths and the other install may show up.


Or you...

Did you install XP on another drive?

has this happend after the disk image was taken?

Does the invalid boot.ini show each time you start the computer?

If these are fresh installs it can't hurt to try.

I think windows calls whatever drive it is installed on C but will appear as a different letter by another OS.

go ahead install the 2nd OS. I...

Is this Microsoft Windows system restore or is it a system restore from a system partition (system restore selected at boot up)?

Okay then, If you are just after running XP boot using the linux or windows CD.

Then format the entire drive delete everything ie partitions.

Then try installing windows.

This is assuming...

Have you had linux on this computer?

If you have a linux disc try reinstalling that on a different partition that should detect windows.

I don't think the grub has been removed correctly or at...

Hmm...

Okay then, Have you tried removing the small hard drive and installing XP on the bigger one?

Also try setting both hard drives to auto select or master and anything else on the same...

Quick question did you have both drives set as slave?

Well if you can get both drives working I would install XP on the bigger drive and leave ME on the smaller one.

if you cable to the CD drive has a spare connection put the smaller one on that and...

This may not solve the problem but instead of having two hard drives on one cable try putting one on the same cable of the cd/dvd drive, or have you done this?

Are you sure that the cd/dvd drive is at the top of the boot order in BIOS?

Is there no option to select boot device? (My PC has a F8 option to selct boot device)

Yes I would do the above. Check if the CD drive is recognised in BIOS try pressing DEL or F2 at boot up to enter BIOS. If it turns out the CD drive is knacked then they are not to expensive.

Try...

Okay then, I can say that you can't use it as an ordinary USB port.

Earlier I was assuming;

1. PS/2 device -> USB converter -> USB port

If you after more USB ports try a USB hub.

- Hope...

You make it sound like you have connected a ps/2 device to a USB port via a ps2/USB converter.

Which is it?

1. PS/2 device -> USB converter -> USB port
2. USB device -> PS/2 converter ->...

Just a quick question are you after plugging USB devices into a PS/2 port?

Hello,

Are you asking can you use the USB ports that the mouse and keyboard are plugged in for things like flash drives? If you are then most likely you can; try it.

If you have PS/2 ports for...

Have you tried entering safe mode?

Have you tried holding the power button down?

Perhaps remove Norton 2009 and run CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/).

If the HAL error persists then check out this link Here (http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/restorehaldll.htm).

If you manage to fix it I suggest running that backup pretty soon.

Alright, now we know a bit more.

Can you go back into the recovery console and type chkdsk volume: /r replace 'volume' with the drive letter or just try typing chkdsk /r this should repair some...

fixmbr only fixes the master boot record data will not be affected.

I Like to use Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download). Download the .iso and burn it to CD using ImgBurn...

Yes I think that will work.

But if doesn't work you may have to reinstall the OS, if it comes to this then you can back up your data using a linux live cd.

Or If you have a large hard drive...

Boot order looks all right. RAID can be excluded as you are after booting from hard drive.

Can you get into safe mode or anything by pressing F8 after the POST screen?

I would expect it to be under Advanced. Whilst you are in BIOS can you check that the hard drive is still in the boot order near the top in the boot tab.

If we can't sort out the problem I...

Right...

Try entering setup(F2) and see if there is an option for testing hardware and select hard drive.

The last option will be to reinstall XP but leave that option till later.

Do you...

Okay...

If you have the XP cd have you tried using that to fix XP? If the Hard drive test passed, try fixing it.

If you enter BIOS there may be an option to test the hard disk try pressing DEL / F10 / F11.

The test will take some time.

Something else to try, have you any bootable CD's like Linux, if you...

Hello,

Do you have any usb devices connected?

Can you do a hard drive test from the BIOS?

I have used AVG (http://free.avg.com/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition) and Comodo (http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/download_firewall.html). Comodo has firewall and antivirus (you can choose to...