To diagnose and correct windows xp startup problems, you need to understand the startup process. The first step in isolating startup problems is for you to figure out whether the problem occurs before, during, or after Windows XP Professional starts up. The root cause of startup failure, including contributing factors, can stem from a variety of problems, such as user error, application faults, hardware failures, or virus activity. If the condition is serious enough, you might need to reinstall Windows XP Professional or restore files from backup media.
In x86-based systems, windows xp startup problems that occur before the operating system loader (Ntldr) starts could indicate missing or deleted files, or it could indicate damage to the hard disk master boot record (MBR), partition table, or boot sector. If a problem occurs during startup, the system might have incompatible software or drivers, incompatible or improperly configured hardware, or corrupted system files.
The startup process for x64-based computers is the same as that of x86-based computers.
The Windows XP startup process closely resembles that of Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003, but it significantly differs from Microsoft MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, and Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me).
All computers running Windows XP Professional share the same startup sequence:
- Power-on self test (POST) phase
- Initial startup phase
- Boot loader phase
- Detect and configure hardware phase
- Kernel loading phase
- Logon phase
The preceding startup sequence applies to systems started or restarted after a normal shutdown, and it does not apply when you bring your computer out of hibernation or standby. There are different windows xp startup problems that might occur when you bring your computer out of standby or hibernation during the windows xp startup under these circumstances.
