Windows XP Home SP3 Cant boot into safe mode from a crash Sony laptop VGN-A790

When I press the esc key I see a very small blue window, much smaller than the size of the screen. It says please select a boot device:?

Removable Dev.

Pm-WDC WD5000BEVT-22AORTO

3M-SONY DVD RW DW-D56A

Network

Then shows arrows to move selection

Enter to select boot device

pause break gives a solid black screen.

I have no devices except wireless keyboard & mouse.  My cd rom is bootable

F8 is not working

The instructions and link in #4 for making the disk are no good I'm using a borrowed computer that I can't run xp home on it is windows 7  same for your #5 it requires the download to be run, if I understand correctly, there is no way to extract the iso unless it is first run, I read the site from the link and I think it might be more advanced than me, and I'm unsure as to whether I should use it, even if able because I don't know what my error on the bsod is, due to not being able to to access f8?

Can't disable the auto restart

I have copied the contents of my OEM disk to the desktop of the windows 7 laptop. I can see from the list of files that sp1 is on the disk.  I think my best bet is to slipstream it with sp2 & sp3for safe measure, since the xp home laptop has sp3 installed on it? Are these good directions to follow? because they say sp2 and hotfixes that came after sp2, but I think before sp3. They also say this

"When you try slipstreaming using OEM disks from some big companies, you might run into the following error: "This Service Pack cannot be integrated into a destination that also has integrated Software Updates."

Not to worry, there are ways and means. A program called nLite will do the trick (although it needs the .NET framework)."  

****If so what about where they state to get the full network installation version, is that the 1 I want to use? 

What I'm unsure of is,

**** 1. The directions for slipstreaming service pack 3, say this "If you are using an OEM Windows XP CD you will receive the following error.(they show an image here of the command line) This error means that you cannot use this type of CD to create a slipstreamed installation and will not be able to continue with this tutorial. " ****

1A . Then I should just use the same guide for sp2 and try combining with sp3 all at once and not follow the directions in #1?

2. Should I be leaving everything from the original OEM disk in the folder before I start the slipstream, which I don't even know can be done, because of number 1 above, unless the nLite works?

If I'm able to make the disk, after I put it in the cd rom,what steps do I take in order to insure I don't end up going back to factory instal and to just find my bsod error, will I be able to get to the bsod to read the error, and if so, what will I need to do after that, to fix it, and be able to keep all my data? Will I be able to use last known good config? Or will I be able to to use a previous system restore point?

What you want to try is to boot from the recovery DVD

When asked to select a device > Select the DVD RW option

Save Changes

Put the recovery disc in the drive and reboot

This should boot you into a recovery screen where you can repair your computer

http://www.ehow.com/how_6179113_restore-original-xp-boot-screen.html

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install - The Repair Install process is very similar to the Refresh Your PC process in Windows 8 in that it overwrites all of the important files in Windows XP in an attempt to fix whatever might ail your computer.  The Repair Install process in Windows XP is not designed to remove any files yet, you may have to reinstall some applications.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxprepair1.htm

Slipstreaming - You only need to slipstream SP3 since you say you already have SP1 on the disc.  SP3 requires SP1 OR SP2

My instructions for slipstreaming service pack 3, say this here under 1st steps  "Unfortunately, for this step you can not use an OEM CD provided by your computer manufacturer (Dell, HP, etc)."

So I have decided to use the site with the instructions for slipstreaming sp2 and then add sp3, at least that's the idea for now. But in going to that site, I see this  first you have to use the command line to integrate xp with sp2.

Can this cause issues for the windows 7 laptop, I'm borrowing?

Or do you think it is ok to try the instructions using the command line on this windows 7 laptop, before trying to find a way to use nLite?

1. "A word of warning before you begin: strongly recommends that you start with a fresh XP installation source with no previous update packs integrated into it."  and I already have sp1 on my disk, will this cause issues?

2. "This Service Pack cannot be integrated into a destination that also has integrated Software Updates."

such as OEM softaware. Not to worry, there are ways and means. A program called nLite will do the trick (although it needs the .NET framework). But there are no instructions for using nLite So, this means I will now have to find a site that shows how to actually use nLite with OEM software, since I have no clue what that process is.

*** I have now tried using nLite to slipstream the cd and when I do either choosing the OEM disk from the cd rom or from a file on the desktop I get this pop up

then instead of choosing the whole xp folder I created and put the files from the disk in, I navigate farther into the folder to the i386 subfolder and choose it, and I get the same pop up message.

From a different site than the one above...

I have read 1-3 below in regards to doing a repair, by the way when I instal my OEM cd after I see a progress bar loading what it says, IS the repair console, when the bar finishes I just get a blue screen with a mouse and no further instructions. Is this where I am supposed to press the Enter key, from instructions below?  #3 super important and why I am trying to add the service packs!!

1. Press <Enter> to start the Windows Setup.

Note - DO NOT press <R> to choose the option To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R 2. Accept the License Agreement. Windows will then search for existing Windows installations. 3. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list (there may only be one) and press <R> to start the repair.

If Repair is not one of the options, you should press <F3> to Quit. This usually means that the version of Windows on the CD does not match the one already installed. If you do proceed to install a fresh copy of Windows rather than repairing an existing one, you will lose access to all the applications you previously had installed (although your own files should be preserved). You will also need to supply the correct Windows licence key for the CD.

I only get a blue screen with a mouse no boot menu, just read this

below, see #3

1. Press <Enter> to start the Windows Setup.

Note - DO NOT press <R> to choose the option To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R 2. Accept the License Agreement. Windows will then search for existing Windows installations. 3. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list (there may only be one) and press <R> to start the repair.

If Repair is not one of the options, you should press <F3> to Quit. This usually means that the version of Windows on the CD does not match the one already installed. If you do proceed to install a fresh copy of Windows rather than repairing an existing one, you will lose access to all the applications you previously had installed (although your own files should be preserved). You will also need to supply the correct Windows licence key for the CD.

You're not installing anything on the Windows 7 laptop.  You're just using it to perform the slipstream operation (creating files to burn).  It will not cause a problem.

Slipstreaming Windows XP with SP3

http://winsupersite.com/windows-xp/slipstreaming-windows-xp-service-pack-3-sp3

How to slipstream hotfixes that replace pre-existing driver files

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814847/en-us

A Windows XP Home or Professional with SP2 Setup CD. It's possible that an original XP Setup CD or an XP with SP1 Setup CD will work, but I've only tested XP with SP2, both retail and volume license versions of the CD. (You may have luck with OEM CDs from PC makers as well, depending how much the company changed the disc layout.) Full or Upgrade CDs work just fine. Previously splipstreamed discs are fine as well. But I've only tested this with versions of XP that include just a single Setup CD: Media Center and Tablet PC users are out of luck.

The rom you have is a Recovery rom for the unit.  It's what you can use to slipstream.

http://winsupersite.com/windows-xp/slipstreaming-windows-xp-service-pack-3-sp3

Are you able to enter Safe Mode Command Prompt on the Windows XP system?  Type the command and press enter.

bootrec.exe/fixMbr

or

bootrec.exe/fixboot

or

bootrec.exe/rebuildBcd