Windows Does Not Start - New Mobo

[inspiration]

1200Mhz CPU, 20GB Hdd (Windows XP Home)

I've just installed another mobo,(it's a second-hand one, and I'm not sure if it's faulty or not) - Microstar MS-6368 ver:5, booted up and got this message:

We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows
Normally.

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked) Start Windows Normally

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.

Seconds until Windows starts: 30

The first time I came across this message, the seconds counted down, I tried Start Windows Normally, and it looked as if windows was booting up for a second or two (the black and white progress indicator bar came up), then a blue screen flashed up really quickly (I think it may have been the scandisk message). Then the computer rebooted to the above message again. This time, the seconds did not count down, it remained on 30. I am able to arrow up and down.

I tried Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, Safe Mode with Command Prompt and Last Known Configuration but windows reboots each time. (After listing scrolls of windows system paths?)

When I connected the reset switch to the mobo, I noticed there was only one pin. It's connected across ways.

Do these results suggest the mobo is fine? What should I try next?

I have tried to boot from my XP Home CD, by changing the boot sequence - but I don't think my CD is a bootable one.

 

[Vehementi]

All Windows XP (to my knowledge) CDs are bootable. Get it to boot, then run a Repair installation - after Windows Setup displays "Searching for previous installations of Windows" it will give you this option. This XP installation I am using now has been repaired some 3 times i think, it went from a PC with a P4 in it to an Athlon XP 1700+ machine, to a Duron 800 machine, to a 2100+ machine, and now back to this P4 machine, and I'm still using it. Rescue installation is like reinstalling Windows, except it keeps all your user settings, installed programs, etc., just replaces the system files.

Windows rarely survives a motherboard transplant. Anything else gets replaced and it does fine, just install the drivers if you need to.

 

[therealdeal329]

have you checked to make sure everything is plugged in correctly? i had an issue like that with a laptop, the thing kept restarting itself, i finally took out the hard drive and put that badboy back in and the computer loaded up fine...

 

[inspiration]

Well, I managed to boot from the XP CD, only problem was the keyboard stopped working. I tried to repair windows but nothing happened!

I pulled the power plug out from the wall, swapped the keyboard with one I know works - but now I cannot get into bios (delete) or boot from the CD (The first time it automatically booted without
having to press any key).

It seems that when the XP CD was checking the settings, it's changed something somewhere.

So Windows boots to the message where it says: We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this...
And because I cannot select anything here, the seconds count down and it tries to start normally then says Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt <Windows
root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

When I rebooted I saw 'Unknown Flash Type'

So now I'm at a loss - what can I do without a keyboard? What's happened?!

 

[iss]

I notice you didnt mention reformating so what is it exactly that you did? just installed the new mobo and tried to boot it up with the hard drive from the old mobo without reformatting and reinstalling windows?

 

[inspiration]

After having the computer switched off for a little while, I was able to boot from the CD again and now Ive successfully reformatted and Setup got so far as copying files etc., went to reboot and then this error came up: Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt <Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

Now the keyboard isn't responding after rebooting again. Cannot select boot from CD, or enter Bios.

Also, there has been a strange buzzing noise coming from inside the case somewhere. It has been on and off all the time the computer has been on.

* Thanks for everyone's help on this one... I'm waiting on another mobo, so hopefully I've enough advice from all your posts if I happen to encounter any problems again.