windows xp repair problem - keeps rebooting

[kran-k1]

I have upgraded one of the computers at home by installing a new motherboard, cpu, and memory: ASUS M2A-VM, Athlon 64 X2 3800, 2x512 DDR2. (Old system was Pentium 4 2.66)

Currently, the hard drive will not run with the new hardware (i.e. windows does not load), so I am trying to reinstall (repair) windows, hoping it will work. I've already updated the BIOS.

Now, to specify the exact stage at which I am experiencing a problem:
Right after the XP installation files are copied on the HD, the computer restarts and then the actual installation should begin. However, my PC only gets so far as the windows loading screen (dont know if it should be doing this) and then after a few secs it restarts without initiating the installation, and it does this repeatedly - rebooting without any installation.

I was also stupid enough to do this without backing up hard drive files; so I really need to have this windows repair work, otherwise, Id probably need to format - dont wanna do that.

So far, I also know it's not a RAM problem since I had that checked.

Anything I can do?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[nickc]

a repair is never guaranteed and will be the only way to get your stuff off the drive, a reformat will get windows back on the drive but will lose everything on the drive. god luck to anything short of a reformat

 

[v-2sko]

have you tried to do a parallel install (dual booting). You might be able to save your data by that .

 

[kran-k1]

I am now trying to recover files through another computer, (if that's what you mean). The hard drive is not accessible directly, so Im using a file recovery program.

Thanks

 

[v-2sko]

Its good to know that you are able to recover the data....by dual booting or parallel install i meant that you can install two operating systems on the hd and then backup the data using the newly installed os....however if you are able to recover the data thats great..