Hi everyone, I'm having trouble booting XP. I recently went from RedHat 9 Linux back to Windows XP and since I did, XP takes about 3-4 attempts at booting before it will successfully do so.

I followed RedHat 9 un-install instructions and then booted to a 98 floppy and did an Fdisk /mbr to clean my boot record, as I was told by Redhat to do so. I then re-installed XP using the Recovery CD that came with the computer. I don't think I have a Repair option with the Recovery CD, at least I didn't see that option.

Does anyone know whether doing what I did was the wrong way and, if not, what the trouble could be? Thanks everyone.

Could check to see if Windows XP is the only operating system installed on your system by checking at the 'System Configuration Utility' (Start > Run > type: msconfig) and then look in the "Boot.ini" tab to see if anything else is starting up with Windows.

Everyone, I neglected to mention that I had already tried CheckDisk and Defrag. Also, let me go into more detail as to how Redhat told me to un-install. It said that I needed to use the Redhat installtion disk, type linux rescue at a command prompt, and from there, type list-harddrives, use parted, type print, and them type rm for each Linux partition.

This I was told removes all Linux partitions and can remove othera, which I had no other partitions at that time. After that is when I was told to do an Fdisk /mbr.

Hi Bignath, I just checked the boot.ini and here is what it said:

[bootloader]
timeout=30
default= multi(0) disk(0) rdisk(0) partition(1) WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0) disk(0) rdisk(0) partition(1)WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"/fastdetect

I didn't see anything else about Linux or any other information besides this so I don't know.

This is off the subject, but does anyone else notice that some words in my previous posts are now links? This is purely unintentional and I have no idea how it happened. They are ad links so I wouldn't click them. Again I apoligize.

The links are generated automaticaly by the host triggered by certain words like internet pc computer and other basic words i figured. links to 3rd party i recon

everything is ok with your boot.ini file, it must be a problem with your BIOS settings or your missing system files

Bignath, thanks for your replies. An old thought is coming back to me. You see, when I first bought the computer, it would do what it is doing now, but only every now and again, eventually it got to the point where it was a rare occurance.

I started wondering if something was wrong with the Recovery CD they gave me. I just re-installed XP yesterday, so I don't know how I could be missing any of the critical files. As far as my BIOS, it is the same as it was originally, I've never changed it except when I've had to switch which device boots first, and then I've always changed it back to the way it was.

It seems to be a software issue, but I'm not so sure I can rule out a hardware issue such as a power supply or hard drive problem either. Actually, now that I'm sitting here thinking, during the small amount of time I had Linux, a few days to be exact, it would also not boot up on the first try sometimes.

Would that indicate a hardware issue?

This has become quite an open ended problem. the last things that i can think of at the moment are: the computer environment, a piece of hardware that had its days numbered from day one or even something totaly different. my mums old computer had many problems keeping up with newer technology, problems like: excess dust and fan ballbearings warn, it just didnt start one day.

Hi Bignath, I guess it is quite possible that the hard drive or something else was bad to begin with, I've heard of that happening before. I would prefer not to go out and start buying more hardware piece by piece to see what helps just yet, in my situation that would get expensive in a hurry.

I guess I'll just keep checking back here to see if anyone else says anything and also keep searching around the internet for info. Thanks again.

No problems

Well if u always had startup probs before on same & diff O/S's, then I would suspect the hardware.

Instead of buying replacements piece by piece (which as u say would be expensive), try REMOVING items of hardware. In fact remove every PCI card u can get away with, disable any onboard hardware like modem, sound that u can in the bios and try again.

If it now works ok, u can simply replace those items one at a time to find the culprit.

Also, have a look in Event Viewer (right-click My Computer/Manage) and see if that has any errors that give u a clue.

Hope this helps

Oh, and also look in Device Manager for any yellow exclamation marks !!

Good luck

Hi, my modem always worked fine, and as far as the other hardware, I'll do as you say to see what happens. I went into Event viewer and found a lot of warnings about DCHP and errors and warnings about applications, which seemed to me as if they were recording program crashes. The DHCP warnings don't make much sense because my connectivity has been pretty well.

Keef, I checked Device Manager and no warnings at all.