Member Avatar for mborutski

Hope someone can help me

Windows xp will no longer boot in any mode. The normal mode gets the farthest but the system resets and tries over and over without succes.

Now for the kicking part (myself not the machine) i didn't make a recovery disk and the machine came loaded with windows, so no disks!

The manufacturer says they can no longer provide me with the disks so i am on my own.

Can i repair xp without disks? I might have a hidden partition with the install files but i dont know how to axcess


please help

MB

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by kccomputerdr

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A short, practical plan to protect data and check for a hidden recovery partition before you try anything risky. Several members have already suggested recovery-media and alternate-OS options; the steps below focus on safe diagnostics you can do now and on how to locate/use a hidden recovery area if it exists.

Stop and preserve

  • Power the machine off and do not try repeated boots. If the drive is healthy you want to avoid writes.
  • Remove the hard drive and attach it to a working PC (as a secondary internal disk or via a USB–SATA adapter/enclosure). If it mounts, copy the entire user folders (XP: C:\Documents and Settings\) and any other important data first.
  • If the drive won’t mount or shows errors, make a read‑only sector image before attempting repairs. Imaging first preserves recoverable data and lets you experiment on the image instead of the original.

Finding and using a hidden recovery partition

  • With the drive attached to another Windows PC open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc). Look for a small partition with no drive letter or an OEM label. Do not format or delete it.
  • If you want to inspect files, assign a temporary drive letter (right‑click → Change Drive Letter) and browse the volume for a recovery executable or image files. Do not run an OEM recovery installer from the host system — it may assume it’s on the original hardware.
  • If the partition is clearly the OEM recovery environment and you want the original machine to boot into it, you can mark that partition active from the host using diskpart. Example sequence:
    diskpart
list disk
select disk N
list partition
select partition M
active
exit

    — Warning: setting the wrong partition active can make the system unbootable. Image the disk first and be sure you’ve selected the correct disk/partition.

Quick checks and next steps

  • If the drive makes clicking noises or SMART shows failure, stop and seek data‑recovery help.
  • Note the exact make/model on the case or motherboard (as asked); OEM recovery methods and hotkeys vary by vendor.
  • If you can’t safely extract data or trigger the recovery, professional repair or an official recovery media source is the least risky next step.

This sequence preserves data first, helps you confirm whether a hidden recovery partition exists, and gives a safe way to try the OEM recovery on the original machine without repeating risky operations.

Recommended Answers

All 9 Replies

Member Avatar for nanosani

Does you system logon and then restarts ??? or restarts without logging on .... if latter is the case then try using last known good configuration ....

Member Avatar for kccomputerdr

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Try that cd, it has many useful tools. if that doesn't work, then i'd suggest downloading linux Mandriva for a backup O.S. until you can purchase a new copy of XP. You can get XP for not much over $50 from pricegrabber.com

Member Avatar for mborutski

Thanks for the advice

I May also have an option to get disks from oem supplier linked to microsoft but we'll see how that goes.

you have no idea how many phone calls i have made just to get an honest copy of windows.

no wonder people pirate windows software they can't even help me with a legitament copy that i bought and paid for.

Hey maybe it'll be fun to learn the linux system......

Member Avatar for Thong_Ispector

If Windows is Preinstalled they put a sticker on the case with the serial number. Using that number you can install XP from another source or order a replacement CD at a reasonable fee.

Oh.. On the bright side...
You will LOVE Linux... I use Knoppix and/or Mepis
They are very easy to get up and running...
They come with all the basic tools...
Wordprocessor, spreadsheet, Browser, Email, Chat, CD & DVD Burner, etc.
You may outgrow these distros but they are a great place to start...

I multi-boot with 98, XP and Linux... Easy to setup...

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Need to know make and model of the computer please.

Member Avatar for mborutski

no name

magion built by synergio for avado

Member Avatar for mborutski

i did get a request form to aquire the disks from a third party oem associated with microsoft $30

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Then you need to spend the $30 and acquire those disks ;)

(I don't believe that sales arrangement would be legal here in Australia, by the way. I'm not sure if it would be anywhere else either.)

Member Avatar for kccomputerdr

If Windows is Preinstalled they put a sticker on the case with the serial number. Using that number you can install XP from another source or order a replacement CD at a reasonable fee.

Oh.. On the bright side...
You will LOVE Linux... I use Knoppix and/or Mepis
They are very easy to get up and running...
They come with all the basic tools...
Wordprocessor, spreadsheet, Browser, Email, Chat, CD & DVD Burner, etc.
You may outgrow these distros but they are a great place to start...

I multi-boot with 98, XP and Linux... Easy to setup...

He's very right. borrow somebody's disk, but be sure it's the same version.

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