Windows XP Setup Loop

Question

I have a computer where Windows XP was re-installed (not by me, so my information is limited), the install never finished and now setup hangs with '1 minute remaining', while it is 'removing temporary files'.

Any ways to get it out of the loop? Either get the re-installation to finish, or just revert whatever changes were made to the boot sector so it once again tries to boot form the existing windows installation.

I've taken a look at the filesystem, and the original installation of windows seems intact, with duplicate directories containing some weird characters to differentiate them from the originals.

Answer 1

I have encountered a similar issue in the past. The only way I was able to get out of the loop, (because the Windows installer would pickup the previously failed install as successful) was to use fdisk or another similar bootable tool to format the drive and start the Windows install over again.

There probably is a different way to do it - but pending there is nothing sensitive on the drive to begin with, this to me is a fast and easy solution.