Take the 2-minute tour ×

I'm having a problem that is causing my Windows XP computer to be stuck on the Windows loading screen. If I try and boot into safe mode, it hangs on drivers.sys and doesn't go any further. Any recommendations on how to fix this? I've heard of things like Ultimate Boot Disk and different Linux distros for fixing files but I'm not very familiar with them.

share|improve this question
Sounds like malware as I don't know of any drivers that are named drivers.sys, but could also be a hardware problem, such as bad memory or bad hard drive. –  Sean Jun 20 '11 at 14:07
A bad HDD was on my list of possibilities, didn't consider malware though. –  bmbaeb Jun 20 '11 at 14:08

2 Answers 2

Have you tried a Repair Install using the XP disk? Or the Last Known Good Configuration (from the F8 menu where you'd also select Safe Mode)?

share|improve this answer
Tried running a check disk(let it run for days with no result), but not a repair install, might try that if I can find my disk. Also didn't try Last Known Good Configuration, I'll try that as well. –  bmbaeb Jun 20 '11 at 14:22
@bmbaeb If you try a boot disk and run chkdisk, and it runs for days, that is probably a bad HD. –  KCotreau Jun 20 '11 at 14:33
What KCotreau said is probably true, though it depends on what you mean by "let it run for days with no result": Did chkdsk simply never complete, or did you run it several times consecutively without it reporting any errors? Chkdsk checks for errors in the filesystem, not necessarily missing files. If the HDD is OK and there are missing OS files, Chkdsk is unlikely to report any problems. However, if chkdsk never completed running once, or gets to a certain percentage complete and then stops, it's probably a HDD problem. –  music2myear Jun 20 '11 at 18:23
Killing a chkdsk process is risky, also many times chkdsk causes more problems than it fixes. Always backup your data before running chkdsk. Download a linux distro called Parted Magic, it has a tool called GSmartControl that will allow you to do a S.M.A.R.T check of your hard drive, it will also allow you to backup your data to a USB flash drive or external USB hard drive. partedmagic.com –  Sean Jun 20 '11 at 18:50
@KCotreau, I doubt bmbaeb was really using "chkdisk". He (she? baeb=babe?) wrote "check disk". I'm guessing he was using some other program that does bad block checks until told to stop. –  CarlF Jun 27 '11 at 15:09

Two possibilities are there as per my knowledge.

1) Try to repair you XP or i will suggest you to take Backup and do a clean installation.

though the XP stucks than Bad Sectors might be there on your HDD.

2) Temporary attach second HDD and install XP in that one. If it's working properly than Confirmed problem of Your HDD. If it's in warranty period than rush for the replacement of HDD.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer


