Need help with Windows XP

my computer is stuck in a reboot loop. i have an intel pentium 4 desktop computer. it is windows xp home edition. the problem happened after i installed the windows service package 2 (i know, im a little behind). it seemed to install the update fine but after i restarted my computer i couldnt seem to get to my desktop. the computer manages to get to the light blue windows xp loading screen but instead of entering my desktop the computer reboots and the whole process starts over again. after reading other forums, i tried the F8 method but couldnt seem to make it work. last known configuration and safe mode dont seem to work but i may have not done them correctly; im no computer whiz. but after pressing the “disable automatic restart on system failure” option, i got this error message on the “blue screen of death” (this happened after the light blue xp loading screen instead of it restarting like it usually does):
STOP: c000021a Unknown Hard Error
Unknown Hard Error
what should i do? i dont want to have to reinstall windows xp and lose my data as i have some important documents and music mp3s on it. ive read about possibly doing a repair install? how does that work, would it work, and would it save my data? is there another option? thanks in advance.
Answer #1
try a repair install (if you have a disk, put it in, go to install as normal and press repair the second time it asks you)
other wise you can reinstall, but be sure to select “dont format this drive” during install, which will not erase the drive
Answer #2
for now i find the solution I go to the recovery console using xp disk
typed chkdsk /p and it repaired itself
but the problem is it happens again and again maybe hard drive problem?
Answer #3
so you repaired the disk, rebooted and it happened straight away, or it worked for a couple of reboots and started again?
Answer #4
it’s working for couple of reboots and starting again
Answer #5
yeah, sounds like a hard drive is dying. download a linux live cd, boot to that and backup everything important (remember: there is a distinct possibility that the next time you boot up, your harddrive will be completely dead, so work quickly but methodically)
Answer #6
thanks for ur advices