PC keeps restarting itself

[ellingham]

My pc was installing one update after i shut it down yesterday and it was taking absolutely ages so i figured it had crashed and turned it off by the switch on the back. I started my pc up today and it takes me to a screen where my options are:
start windows in safe mode
start windows in safe mode with networking
start windows in safe mode with command promt
start windows using last known working settings
start windows normally

All of these options just restart my computer and brings me back to that screen. Am I ******?

 

[ellingham]

hmm...

Usually the old safe mode would allow you to modify the start-up but since you can't get into that it would appear something wrong with the boot sector?

What O.S are you using?

Windows XP

 

[ellingham]

Can you get into the recovery console? and try to repair.

i am not very pc literate, this is just a bog standard computer i bought a few years ago and was on its last legs. I am not to bothered about fixing it but there is stuff like pictures i want to get off of there. Is this possible?

 

[ellingham]

Do you have the XP install/recovery CD? You should be able to do a repair install without losing any data.

it came with windows pre installed so i dont have a disk

 

[ellingham]

When the computer starts is there an option to press F8 for advanced or something similar?

You may not need a disc of the operating system is pre-installed on the hard drive.

no there is no option to do that, i'll get a picture of the screen that comes up, give me a minute

 

[ellingham]

 

[ellingham]

image wants re-sizing.

Before it gets to that screen it makes no mention of recovery console no?

have a read of this it may help, but your going to need to find a windows xp disc.

nope

 

[ellingham]

Could i download a windows xp disk, burn it to a cd then use it to repair mine?