How To Fix Windows XP Startup Problems

Name: Amy Janis

Hi.  My question is how to fix Windows XP startup problems.  My husband installed another operating system on our laptop and now the laptop doesn’t startup right into Windows. How can we make Windows come up again?

Sounds like you need to fix your bootsector. Installing other OS’es will inevitably mess with the bootsector on your primary (Windows) drive. If they didn’t, then in most cases you’d never be able to boot to the new install.

Anyway, to fix your problem:

1. Insert the Windows XP cd and boot from it

2. After the setup is loaded to the point where is asks you what you want to do, press R to load the recovery console

3. After it loads to the console, select the Windows install you want to change (there’ll likely only be one)

4. Enter your administrator password

5. Type fixboot

6. It’ll ask you if you want to restore the boot sector on drive C:. Tell it Y

7. Type exit and remove the Windows XP CD from your drive. You should now boot right into Windows.