Stuck in loop while upgrading XP

[transgenesis]

So heres the problem. My toshiba laptop starting shutting off randomly. It has been running terrible for quite some time, so I decided to upgrade windows xp. I went into msconfig, selected safeboot, rebooted, and proceeded to upgrade xp. I was unaware that xp cannot be setup in safemode. i shouldve known/realized this, but I did not and now I am here.

So during the setup process, it gives me an error stating windows xp setup cannot occur in safemode, and the computer restarts. Well I think because I checked that safe mode boot option in msconfig it just loops; it restarts in safemode everytime. Ive tried booting from disc and cancelling the upgrade, but it seems its too far gone, and the computer is still actually in the upgrade process. I tried doing a new installation, and the same thing happens. Can I go to recovery console and do something? I chose upgrade in the first place because I have not backed up my system. Is there anything I can do? Can I take the harddrive out and connect it as an external to another system and do something?

 

[systek]

if you boot to the OS cd, you should be able to just run a fresh installation...give it another try instead of trying to run the upgrade.

 

[transgenesis]

I have. When I boot from cd, I have 3 options. 1 - continue upgrade 2- start a new installation 3 - quit current upgrade

All 3 bring me back to the safe mode dilemma. Everytime my computer restarts, it restarts in safemode, and therefore cannot complete the setup process.

 

[StrangleHold]

Sounds like to me your just booting to the harddrive over and over instead of the cd. If you boot to the XP cd it does not matter if you were in the middle of a upgrade, just delete the partition and do a clean install!

 

[transgenesis]

Found the answer.

1. Configure the computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For information about how to do this, see your computer documentation, or contact your computer manufacturer.
2. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.
3. When you receive the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.
4. When you receive the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.
5. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you have to use from the Recovery Console.
6. When you are prompted, type the administrator password, and then press ENTER (if none was set, leave it blank and press ENTER).
7. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /list, and then press ENTER. The entries in your current Boot.ini file appear on the screen.
8. At the command prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER. This command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows NT installations, and then displays the results. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to add the Windows installations to the Boot.ini file. For example, follow these steps to add a Windows XP installation to the Boot.ini file:

a. When you receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
Press Y hit ENTER.

b. When, you receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Enter Load Identifier
This is the name of the operating system. Type the name of your operating system, and then press ENTER. The name is either Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

c. When you receive a message that is similar to the following:
Enter OS Load options
Type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.

Take the CD out of the drive.

Type exit then press ENTER.

Note The instructions that appear on your screen may be different, depending on the configuration of your computer.