Sometimes the easiest way to fix it is to boot your computer using the XP CD. I don't know if your HP disk will allow you to do this, as it gives you a way to stop the problem.
You may find it useful to alter your boot order in your BIOS so the CD is bootable first.
You may have to check your HP documentation on how to change the boot order in the HP system BIOS to enable the CD boot before the hard drive boot
When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below
This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft Windows XP to run on your computer, but it has been too long since I booted to an HP CD.:
Alternately, you may be able to correct the problem using using Recovery Console, press R, as you reboot..
What you are trying to do is get to the choice for : "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", (you Do Not want to LOAD your Recovery Console) DO NOT select "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R".
You can at this point accept the License Agreement. Windows will then begin searching for existing Windows installations.
You should be able to select the XP installation you need to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. IF REPAIR IS NOT ONE OF THE OPTIONS YOU ARE OFFERED, END setup. AFTER YOUR reboot read WARNING NUMBER TWO.
Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive. Then Windows will reboot.
DO NOT SELECT "BOOT FROM CD" WHEN THAT MESSAGE PRESENTS.
Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install. However, your applications and settings should remain intact.
Again, I do not know if your HP disk will allow this, but it works with other Windows disks.
Alternately, you may have an infestation that is causing this just to irritate you and give joy to the evil doers.
So you may want to run in SAFE MODE Avira Antivir or Avast , SuperAntispyware, and MalWareBytes, but first you have to get it to stop rebooting... thus the above recommendation.
