REPAIR DON'T FORMAT YOUR WINDOWS

If some day your XP refuses to run or strat up properly or the OS choice doesn't appear you don't always need to format & re-install XP. I suggest you do a dry run of Windows Recovery Console. To do this all you need is your bootable Windows 2000 / XP CD. When you insert the cd & select CD-ROM & set your first boot device to CD-ROM & boot using your Windows boot CD.

Next, choose the repair or recovery option bu pressing [R]. If you have more than one installation of Windows, they will appear in choices menu, so be aware of where the copy of windows you wish to repair is installed. You need to enter Administrator password in order to "log on" to the windows installation.

You will then see a command prompt window that says "X:\WINDOWS", where X is the partion of operating system.

Now one by one type

fixboot

bootcnf /rebuild

chkdsk x (where X is the partion letter)

now try to to start the computer if it still refuses then again open recovery console & type follwing commands

attrib -h -s \system32\config\system (press [Enter])

attrib -s -h \system32\config\software (press [Enter])

when you are prompted to proceed with an overwrite, press [Y].

Note:- In last two commands all your drivers & softwares won't work you need to re-install them but its quicker & easier than format & re-install Windows & programs & drivers.