Cannot load XP

[CU]

A few days ago I turned my computer on and got an error message about the hd. I don't remember what it was something like read error, I think. Anyway I rebooted and everything worked. Well yesterday I got the please insert boot media error. After a few trys it made it to windows and I ran speedfan to read the SMART. It showed nothing wrong. Today I cannot get back into windows. I get the same error message aboutinsert boot media, registry file failure blue screen, or just a reboot while windows is loading. I would just think it was a windows problem, but the insert boot media message makes me think it is the HD. Is the HD dead? Any way to test it.

PS. I have dropped my cpu speed back down to default also.

 

[CU]

I had a GParted Live CD that had memtest on it. So, I pulled all but one stick of ram and tested it. It tested fine. I am running off of that one stick for now. I have booted into the windows recover console off of the XP CD and running chkdsk c: /R now. Maybe it will tell me something. Also I haven't got the insert bootable media error in a long time. It just want load XP. I have also tried the other IDE port on the MB with a different cable with no luck.

 

[CU]

Well chkdsk finished it said it fixed some errors, but it still will not boot windows. Will reinstalling windows on top of windows / repair install kill all my settings in windows? Strange think the first time I tried to boot off the cd into the recovery console it restarted on me while booting from the cd. Maybe this is more than HD.

 

[CU]

I just booted into UBCD and ran seagates HD tool. It says SMART is fine and it has passed the short test. I am doing the long test now. Could a damaged windows install cause insert boot media error? Maybe my MB is dieing. I plan to run some cpu stress test off the UBCD after this HD test is done to test the cpu and MB.

 

[CU]

Well it passed the long test. I am going to let it run the cpu burn in test from the UBCD overnight. If that runs fine, I would have to say the hardware is good and windows just got currupt somehow.

I may try this to recover the registry. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/ Anyone have a better suggestion to save this install? I would do a fresh install, but I just hate reinstalling everthing.

 

[CU]

Cpu burn in test ran all night without crashing. Tonight I try to resurrect the registry hive.

 

[CU]

Well that restored my registry. My last restore point was a few days before I got a really nasty virus. So I have that registry running right now. However, I did not restore the actually restore point like that MS article said since I don't want to restore a virus. Everything seems fine except the virus scanners I installed after I got the virus are not running. Besides those and one game that is all I have installed since the date I got the registry from. I assume it is fine to run as is and just reinstall anything that doesn't work right?

PS. I haven't had a comment posted to this thread. Is anyone reading it?