can't boot up

[Jon]

When trying to boot from my original installation of
Windows XP Professional, I get the message that a file
within the windows directory is corrupt or missing & to
reboot from the original installation CD. When I do
that, I get to the recovery console. According to the
Microsoft website I am to type the number of the Windows
installation, in this case 1, and type enter. In the
program, however, it says to hit enter to cancel. I've
tried typing the installation program, 1, then hitting
enter, but when I hit enter, the program ends and gives
me a c:\windows>

Please advise as to how this program step is to be
completed successfully.

Thanks,

Jon Gimble

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Jon,

What you need to do is a repair install. Follow these steps to do a repair
install which should preserve your data, settings, and programs:

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM
drive.
2. Restart your computer. If you have to, change the BIOS settings to start
from
the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer again.
3. At the "Welcome to Setup" page, press ENTER.
4. Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.
5. Use the arrow keys to select the installation of Windows XP that you want
to
repair, and then press R to start the automatic repair process.
6. When Setup is completed, activate Windows XP.

Note that you will need your Product Key for this procedure, so have it
handy before you begin.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone -
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Jon" > wrote in message
...
> When trying to boot from my original installation of
> Windows XP Professional, I get the message that a file
> within the windows directory is corrupt or missing & to
> reboot from the original installation CD. When I do
> that, I get to the recovery console. According to the
> Microsoft website I am to type the number of the Windows
> installation, in this case 1, and type enter. In the
> program, however, it says to hit enter to cancel. I've
> tried typing the installation program, 1, then hitting
> enter, but when I hit enter, the program ends and gives
> me a c:\windows>
>
> Please advise as to how this program step is to be
> completed successfully.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jon Gimble

[Microbes@Work]

This is perhaps one of the most confusing command in XP.

What you see on the screen,ie, 'c:\windows' is in fact the Restore Console.

Try to re-install using your XP CD. Only when XP has found your existing
version of XP (this is the point most of us will make a mistake), choose
'repair'.

Choosing 'restore' one step too early will only give you the Restore Console
which is useful only if you know you are already there.

AC

On Wed, 30 Apr 2003 15:00:33 -0700, "Jon" > wrote:

>When trying to boot from my original installation of
>Windows XP Professional, I get the message that a file
>within the windows directory is corrupt or missing & to
>reboot from the original installation CD. When I do
>that, I get to the recovery console. According to the
>Microsoft website I am to type the number of the Windows
>installation, in this case 1, and type enter. In the
>program, however, it says to hit enter to cancel. I've
>tried typing the installation program, 1, then hitting
>enter, but when I hit enter, the program ends and gives
>me a c:\windows>
>
>Please advise as to how this program step is to be
>completed successfully.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jon Gimble