Member Avatar for MartinJones

Need help with windows xp please.

Windows will not start up. Get the following message

Checking file system on c:

The type of file system is FAT32

One of your diss needs to be checked for consistency
You may cancel the disk check, but it is strongly recommended that you continue

Volume Serial Number is 334B-15DE

Once the check has completed, the windows logo appears, then the computer reboots, and the whole process starts over

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As reported by , the machine runs a filesystem check on a FAT32 C: volume, the Windows logo appears, and then the PC reboots in a loop. That pattern most often points to repeated filesystem repairs touching a system file, a failing drive or corrupted partition/boot structures, or an early kernel/driver crash that triggers an automatic restart. The suggestions from (offline checks) and (crosslinked FAT entry) are on the right track; the guidance below expands those ideas with a data-first diagnostic workflow and targeted repairs.

First priority is data preservation. Create a sector image of the drive before attempting destructive fixes (boot from a Linux live USB and use Clonezilla or GNU ddrescue). Example ddrescue usage from a live environment:

ddrescue -n /dev/sda /mnt/external/image.img /mnt/external/image.log

The -n pass skips slow retries; a later -r pass can try to recover bad sectors. If imaging is not possible, remove the drive and copy important files on another machine or use a file-recovery tool.

Next, verify hardware and the boot area. Run the drive maker's bootable diagnostics and SMART checks (SeaTools, WD Data Lifeguard, or smartctl). If the disk appears healthy but boot corruption is suspected, the Windows XP Recovery Console can repair low-level boot structures. Typical Recovery Console commands include:

fixmbr
fixboot
bootcfg /rebuild

Caution: these commands modify the MBR/boot sector and can affect multi-boot systems — image the disk first.

If the same filesystem repairs reappear on every boot (CHKDSK repeatedly fixes the same entries), that strongly suggests physical media failure or a corrupted FAT/partition table. Tools like TestDisk can restore FAT/partition structures and PhotoRec can carve files. If the system is restarting too quickly to read a STOP code, disable automatic restart in Advanced Boot Options to capture the BSOD code, which helps identify a faulty driver or service. As noted, a reinstall is a last resort after data has been secured.

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Member Avatar for Gaara

Reboot using the windows xp cd, and reinstal windows. This should fix any errors that might be the cause of the problem.

O and make sure you read the instructions, dont blame me for formatting your computer:!:

If all else fail and only if all else fail format the computer - all data will be lost, but if you install your windows xp your problem will be fixed.

Hope this help.

Member Avatar for gerbil

Ooooo... reinstalling windows is a big gun.. a huge step. i tremble at the thought of doing it without an image to load. try this:
===Restart you computer in Safe Mode:- press F8 several times while POST is running and before IDE detection completes.
- On the Windows Advanced Options Menu, select Safe Mode with Command Prompt and press Enter.
- When the Boot Menu appears again, select Microsoft Windows XP and press Enter.
- Log in by using the Administrator account and password. NOTE: The password is blank by default unless you set a password.
See if you can run chkdsk command successfully in Safe Mode. [ chkdsk c: /f ]
If that passes, then run sfc /scannow
[have your XP install CD handy to insert when it asks for it, or you may load it before you start the scan].

Member Avatar for MidiMagic

I had that problem, and had a bad link in the allocation table that crosslinked two files on the hard disk. I ran the disk checker from Windows Explorer:

[+] My Computer / (rightmouse) Local Disk C / Properties / Tools / Error Checking.

It separated the two files, copying its common tail to both files.

One of the files was a system file, but it was undamaged.

The other was a .gif file I had been editing when the power failed about a month earlier. If I had tried to edit that file again before I did the check, it would have destroyed the system file.

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