Can't reinstall windows

[ineedtechhelp]

My windows xp crashed and i cant get it to reformat. When i place my windows xp set up cd and when it gets up to the "setup is loading windows", i get this error:

"a problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage, check to be sure you have adequate disk space. if a driver is identified in the stop message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates try changing video adapters. check with ur hardware vendor for any bios updates. disable bios memory options such as caching or shadowing if u need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, restart computer press f8 to select to advanced start up options and then safe mode. Tech info: stop :0x0000007e (0xc0000005, 0xf749eobf, 0xf78e9208, 0xf78e9f08) pci.sys- address f749e0bf base atf747000 datestamp 3b7d855c "

If this helps, here is the following information:
I run a Dell Dimension 2200. It is a little more than 2 years old. It crashed when my keyboard was stuck on Maplestory. I wanted to restart my computer. I restarted it and my whole computer froze so i pressed the power button to turn it off because it was my only way. When it started to load, i got this message: "Windows cannot load because the following file is missing or corrupt: /windows/system32/config/system." When i try to reformat it, i got the error i mentioned above.

How do i fix this? Its pissing me off. How do i prevent this and bypass it? is it the disk? is it something else? what do i have to do? This is the only thing that is blocking me from reformatting and fixing my problem D; .
Oh and Ubuntu is installed. Someone installed it for me and i don't think it was partitioned. Does that mean anything? i don't have files on ubuntu i need to keep or have anything actually. I Just want windows back D:

any help is appreciated! Thank you very much for your time. I am not a very techy person so you will have to explain. this is the first time my computer crashed so i dont really have much experience.

 

[swwelsh]

Try running a repair install and see what you get. Instructions here:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[ineedtechhelp]

i see step two of it
but i dont get the setup screen.

can anyone help me?

 

[swwelsh]

try booting from the XP cd again and see if you can get into the recovery console. If you get in there, type chkdsk c: /r
that should run a file check on the hard drive, let us know what you get

 

[ineedtechhelp]

how do i get to the recovery console?

 

[swwelsh]

If you are not getting to the 'welcome to setup' screen, you won't be able to get to the recovery console, I was thinking you were getting that far, my bad. To get back to basics a bit, you mentioned something about a crash caused by a keyboard? If so, have you tried a different keyboard? It is possible for a system to not start because of a bad/shorted keyboard or mouse. If you don't have another one, try it without. I have even seen a system where the ps/2 keyboard port was burnt out but it worked fine with a usb keyboard

 

[kimsland]

The Recovery Console has nothing to do with the "Welcome Screen" in Windows

Try this:

Boot from your XP CD
At the point where you are prompted to select the Partition
Then remove the Partition(s)

Once the Partition has been removed, then continue Windows Setup (do not manually create a new Partition, and do not Format - Windows Setup does all this automatically, on a non-partitioned Harddrive)

Warning: Removing the Partition(s) will also remove all system files and data presently installed (which I think you know already)

By the way, if you decide to Repair instead, here's the links (steps) I usually quote:

Microsoft's Windows XP Repair Install step by step
http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdrepair/

 

[swwelsh]

I don't think he is getting that far:

"i see step two of it
but i don't get the setup screen."

 

[kimsland]

Oh, they changed my link page above, I had to search around the site!

Have a look here: http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/sp2sp3installxpcdoldhdd/index.htm
Do you see Part2, where you can remove the Partition?

 

[ineedtechhelp]

o.o so i should try without a keyboard? o.o

and yes i saw the 'remove the parititon space' on my ubuntu disk but not on the windows disk what should i do?

 

[kimsland]

This is the reference to the keyboard issue you have now re stated

It crashed when my keyboard was stuck on Maplestory.

Are you now saying that the keyboard does not work at all?

Anyway, if you're not fussed about any data, use uBuntu or Windows CD or whichever to remove the Partition, yes

 

[ineedtechhelp]

it works but it just stopped typing.
it happens sometimes. restarting computer fixes it.
So i should use the ubuntu disk to remove and then try to install again? will that work?

 

[kimsland]

It's a test I'm willing to suggest
Remove the partition(s) And install Windows clean

 

[ineedtechhelp]

is it possible that it is the CDs fault that i cant get to the setup page?

because once i delete everything, i wont be able to go back to the internet because this is my only computer.

 

[kimsland]

You could go on the Internet any time you like with a Ubuntu Live BootCD

Anyway, I'm only interested in fixing the fault, not concerned greatly about your "only computer" issue.

 

[ineedtechhelp]

Okays
so i have to delete all the partitions
run the cd
and hopefully it works?

what if i get the same problem again? is it possible that it can be the cd's fault?

 

[raybay]

It is possible. Do you see scratches or marred sections on the disk? You can polish those with a fine cloth and compound found at WalMart or Best buy for $5.99
It is also possible that your hard drive is defective. What you report is typical of a failed drive in the first 8 sectors of the magnetic media. The Dell Dimension 2200 is a LOT more than two years old... closer to five or six. They used a variety of drives for the 2200... including Maxtor, Hitachi, Samsung, and Western Digital. All of them had a history of problems... Western Digital had to come out with a Black hard drive because there were so many errors in the silver one.
Any drive that is three years old or greater is suspect... and new drives are so incredibly low cost... with 80 GB drives not commonly sold for $35 to $40, and 120 or 160 or 250 GB ATA drives selling for under $60.