I recently tried to install service pack 1 for windows xp using the windows update option through IE. I walked away while it was running to come back to find it frozen on the screen saver. I tried ctrl+alt+del with no luck, and then turned it off using the power button. When I powered back up, it would get to the black screen with the windows xp logo and the blue "loading indicator bar" (for lack of a better word), then it flashed a blue error screen with about three paragraphs on it, and then it would restart. The blue screen flashes too quickly to read any of the error message(s), so if anybody knows a way to pause it there, I can try to get them. I tried to reboot in safe mode, and it would start listing off drivers, then same quick flash of a blue screen, and then it restarts. I also tried selecting the "last known good configuration" boot option. This gives the same result as a normal boot with it freezing on the WinXp logo startup screen, then a blue screen flash, then a restart. I guess my questions are: (1) Even if I can roll the computer back to a previous working system restore point, will this take me to a point with sp1 uninstalled and hopefully solve the problem? (2) How do I do a system restore in DOS or the system recovery console? (3) Is there a way for me to try to reinstall sp1 from a cd using DOS or system recovery? (4) Any other/better solutions are much appreciated Thanks in advance, Scott

If it was me, I would reinstall XP. Your files should be ok, having said that, I've never had to do it with XP only Win98 and ME. I wish you Good luck!

Thanks! Not long after posting this, I was searching some more and realized that you can just do the in- place install of XP instead of using the recovery console to do it. I feel like an idiot, but it seems to have worked fine.