Help me, please i’m in a pickle!
I’ve got a problem with my pc and I don’t know enough about them to cure it.
I installed a 90 day free Mcafee trial. Once the 90 days were up I tried to uninstall it but it wouldn’t let me. I looked on the Mcafee website and it had instructions on how to manually remove it. I restarted the pc in safe mode and followed the instructions on which files to delete and then restarted it which seemed straight forward.
I then tried to go back online, but it wouldn’t connect. I thought that it may be because I had just installed a Sygate firewall program and it wasn’t allowing me to connect to the internet. I tried to uninstall the program using add/remove program but it said that it couldn’t uninstall because windows installer components where missing of that it was in safe mode (which it wasn’t). I assumed, maybe, that I had accidentally deleted something from the windows installer when deleting the Mcafee files.
I then tried to re-install windows xp in the hope that it would replace the missing files. It finished preparing to install and then restarted the computer. However, when re-booting an ERROR saying unable to install windows when in safe mode appeared, with only an ‘ok’ box to click. If you click ‘ok’ then it restarts and continues to install windows xp, but the same dialog box appears when it reaches the same point. I can’t seem stop windows xp installing and break the cycle. I’ve tried booting up from the resource cd but it continues to install windows. I COULD restart in DOS mode but I wouldn’t know what to do if I did. If I could, I would like to stop installing Windows and break the cycle. Can anybody please help by telling me how to do this.
You can't restart in DOS mode as there is no DOS in XP.  Have you taken the CD out of the drive after installing?  When you re-installed XP did you format first?No, I didn't. I only hoped that it would replace the lost files. I have taken out the cd but it doesn't make any difference.

I want to stop the re-installation of Window XP. Do you know how I could do this? I think the main problem is that the Pc thought that it was still in safe mode, not that files where missing. So, as to not lose anything off my c: drive i'd rather stop the re-installation and TRY a recovery (or something?) to an earlier date. Please help.It seems to me that this happened to me once on a Dell here in the office.  I had to call SUPPORT and they had some Hex value I could enter and clear the install.  Is yours by any chance a Dell?Yes, it is a Dell. Can you help me further or should i call Dell support? THANKYOU for helping me out.http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm#How%20to%20Repair%20Windows%20XP%20by%20Installing%20Over%20top%20of%20Existing%20Setup:Hi everyone,
I’d like to thank you all for the help you’ve given me. I’ve managed to sort the software out and everything is fine now. I decided to cut my losses and format the hard drive as I didn’t have too much personal data to loose.

I used the Dell PC Restore will restores your computer software back to how it was when you first received it. It saves you having to re-install the operating system, hardware drivers, and Dell software that were all pre-installed. It only took 10 minutes to reset the operating system and might be worth knowing. It only works on Dell computers bought after 15th July 2004.

If you’re interested:

1. Power the computer on.

2. When the Dell screen appears press and hold the Ctrl key on the keyboard, press the F11 key, then release them both at the same time.

The Dell PC Restore by Symantec window appears.

NOTE: Only press the keys one time, if you press them more than once you will receive a keyboard error and will have to start the process over.  

3. Click the Restore button.
A caution message appears advising that all data will be lost.

4. Click the Confirm button.
The progress window appears.
When the restore is complete the message The system recovery process was successful. appears.

5. Click the Finish button.
The computer will restart.
Your software is now back to the way it was when you first received your computer.

Merlin_2, the link you gave may have work, but I did it before I saw your message. I’ll remember that for the next time I mess my system up!

It makes you appreciate sites like this when Dell software support wants to charge £21 just to say hello.

Thanks again.