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XP Startup Issues - Removing all Third-Party Drivers

In rare cases, you may be unable to determine which third-party driver is causing a startup error. To troubleshoot this issue, move all third-party driver files from the Windows\System32\Drivers folder to a different location. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Use the Recovery Console to start the computer, or start the computer from a different installation of Windows if you have performed a parallel Windows installation.
  2. Move all files from the Windows\System32\Drivers folder that do not have a creation date for Windows XP of 8/13/2001. If the computer relies on a third-party IDE or SCSI controller driver for correct operation, you must identify those driver files, and then leave them in the Windows\System32\Drivers folder.
  3. Restart the computer.
  4. Continue the Windows Setup program.
For more information about how to disable a service that prevents Windows from starting, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310602

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