windows start up problem

Im running windows xp home edition and i recently, for the first time in a while, actually turned my computer off rather then putting it on standby. The next time i go to turn it on it gets stuck on startup and says preparing network connections... and doesnt go further(i left it overnight and no change). It wont start in safemode, nor boot from the xp install disk.
I have ErdCommander and pretty familiar with regestry editting but im basically out of ideas. Also i changed my sysid a while back but it restarted fine with that before so i dont see that as a problem. If you need an additional information just ask. One last thing i'd rather not do a system restore or reformat because i have to so many things that i havent managed to back up or salvage, and its a lot since i have over 4000 songs , if i have to thats a last resort.

You need to configure the BIOS so your system boots from the install disc and then run a repair install......this would be the most logical solution as you will not lose any data in the process!


Regards

finally got it to boot the from the xp disk but its wont let me use my password for my admin when i tried. I changed the password via ErdCommander but it needs to reboot to take effect which its not getting far enough on startup to do it so im stuck at the windows repair screen without a working pass. Any idea what i can do to change the admin pass or skip that screen.

also I get it to the point where i can do a repair install but the mouse and keyboard stop working for some odd reason when a message asking if i want to install a driver pops up. I tried unplugging and plugging them back in but nothing works. I alos tried changing the bios settings and nothing, also its a usb keyboard and usb mouse and dont have any other ones i can try using.

I was wondering if there was another option. I have the same problem as the OP, but since my computer is school issued, I don't have a XP disk. Is there anything else I could do?

Thanks

Hello simsim, please post your questions in a new topic.