My wife's computer gets to the windows xp splash SCREEN where the loading bar is going then immediately goes back to the bios startup then gets to the splash screen again and does the same thing repeatedly.  The hard drive and all other internal hardware is working fine from a visual and audible standpoint.  Please help with any advice.Have you tried Safe Mode?  Start pressing F8 over and over so that when the Bios screen ends you are clicking F8.  If you get in choose the option for System Restore.This error may occure for various reasons, if SafeMode doesent work:
Have you expirenced any power outtages LATELY, or do you use the FAT32 file system?
What antivirus software do you have installed?Sorry for hijacking your thread, but I'm having a similar problem.  There was a power outage/surge the other day and now my computer will only start up to the black screen with the blue bar running across and then won't go any further.

I can get into safe mode, and when I try and do a system restore, it goes through the process, but when I try and turn it on again, it says it wasn't able to do the system restore.

My computer has been a bit more loud lately and occasionally when I started it, Windows had to check the hard drives but always found nothing wrong with it.

Anyone know what is wrong and what I should do?  Thanks so much.Why don't you just start a NEW thread rather than confusing everyone with the hijacking?Sorry about that.  I didn't want to add to all of the clutter and since they are similar problems I thought it wouldn't be a big deal.  Sorry again.Although the problems seem similar and the solution may be the same that is not always the case and also people are not clear who is being addressed with a response. Clutter is preferable over CONFUSION.  I forget how to do this, but there is a way to disable restart on system error. That will at least allow u to read the error message, and MAYBE figure out whats wrong in particular. I think this is likely what is happening.

During startup, hit f8 (repeatedly) until you get to the screen that gives you startup options. Here, choose the option of booting with Last Known Settings that Worked. That may get you rid of the errors you are probably having

SControl Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager/Startup and RECOVERY ...uncheck "automatically restart system on errors"...