Xp Reload failure

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: Jane (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 03/02/04 

Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2004 19:11:07 -0800

My son was the computer person in the family. He installed XP on my computer as well as other members of the family's computers. He was killed in an auto accident last year, so I have no support for my computer problems. My niece began having a problem with her Xp. It would go to the page where you can start windows in safe mode, safe mode with command prompts, or latest successful configuration. I believe there was one other thing you could select, but I just can't remember it right now. Anyway, she tried to start windows with each of those selections, but they just kept looping back to the same page and no further. I found the XP disc and she used it to try to load XP back onto the computer, She went so far, then a screen stated that she would have to reformat her hard drive before it could be installed. It said the computer was either full, and several other reasons that could cause it not to load. Is there anything else we can try before completely reformatting her drive. She has so much stuff....... and
 of course , not backed up. I don't even know how to do that, either. Could you help, please?