This loop that i'm stuck in is different than the one that everyone has seen, and I'm sure it has an easy fix. I'd love some help if you've got the time. I was trying to do an over-the-top install on a PC. I was in safe mode when I started the installation, and I had checked /SAFEBOOT in my msconfig to do some other things. I began the OS install, which completed halfway, and is now in the stage where it reboots. Only it reboots to say, "loading install........." then I get a dialog box warning that says "Windows XP cannot install in safemode. Install will now reboot", or something that that effect. My only choice is OK and then the loop runs again. I've tried to Repair it from the XP disk, which does nothing. I've tried a fresh install, which begins the installation again, but brings me to the same dead end. Is there anyway to uncheck the /safeboot in msconfig without waiting for windows to load first? thanks a bunch.

In your situation anything can happen. Slave your HD to another HD/comp ( no need to bolt it in, just cable it & leave it outside the case ) & copy your stuff onto the other HD or other media. You may have a choice of jumper settings on the master HD, such as master with slave or ms. Now put it back in your comp ( change the jumper, back to where it was ) Change the bios to boot from floppy 1st. Use a W95 or 98 or ME boot disk. Startup your comp, with a Boot disc or Startup disk in the floppy drive (without cd rom support) At the A: prompt, type > sys c: and then press ENTER. Take out the boot disk and then "Repair" XP by booting from the XP CD and selecting Install > Repair (NOT recovery console) > Fast Repair.

"Take out the boot disk and then "Repair" XP by booting from the XP CD and selecting Install > Repair (NOT recovery console) > Fast Repair" Make sure you change the bios to boot from CD 1st, when you get to the above stage.

Thanks for the reply - that's all a good stuff. How do I access the my documents of a password-protected user when accessing the drive as a slave? I get 'access denied'. I'm assuming this is because the user had a password on their account, but maybe it's from something else.

okay, Just for the records, what I ended up doing was installing a dual boot version of XP, then when I could access the boot.ini files through msconfig, I removed the /safeboot from the boot.ini for my XP boot that was looping. I did that the long way - looks like I could have just loaded the recovery console and modified the boot.ini to remove /safeboot from there. oh well, it works now.

Thanks for letting us know Undergo.