# Windows XP startup problem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-startup-problem/346256>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 27, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-startup-problem/346256 "2006-02-27T02:19:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-startup-problem/346256/1 "2006-02-27T02:19:01Z")

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I know this is a highly-picky question, but there’s some smart people here and one of you might be able to help.

The computer in question is an AMD Athlon based computer that had been running Windows 98Se fairly happily.

I have been trying to install Windows XP Home Edition on it. The installation to all appearances was successful, but I have not been able to start the machine _except_ in Safe mode. In normal startup, the drivers load, I see the screen with the build version, the screen then goes black and startup, well, doesn’t. I believe this should be after the point where drivers and services are loaded, but perhaps not.

I have already:  
Turned on the bootlog and sos options in the boot.ini file  
Disabled drivers for suspect hardware (sound card, TV/video card, and UPS, specifically)  
Tried using Recovery Console to disable all boot and auto-start services that don’t appear essential one by one

I’m at a loss at this point. Anyone got any more ideas? 😕

Thanks

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**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-startup-problem/346256/2 "2006-02-27T03:47:42Z")

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> [@paperbackwriter](#):
>
> The computer in question is an AMD Athlon based computer that had been running Windows 98Se fairly happily.

First check to see that the machine is compatible with XP. M$ has some criteria for a machine to run XP on. CPU & speed; memory, etc.

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**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-startup-problem/346256/3 "2006-02-27T04:43:00Z")

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Actually, never mind. It was the Ethernet adapter, which never crossed my mind to suspect.

If any mod happens across this, they can close it (or just let it drop into oblivion).