My computer, Windows XP, keeps starting over. It will not log into windows. i end up having to reinstall the operating system. It runs good for awile, then it starts doing the same thing over. Any one else have this happen? I ordered another hard drive, just in case that is the problem. Now my next question is, I have Windows XP professional, original dvd, Windows XP home - from Gateway, several dvd's with their software. Which one would be better to install on a new hard drive? One set of DVD was for a laptop, I have since spilled water on and no longer works. Theresa1 person needs an answerI do too

You forgot to say what kind of computer you have. If it is the Gateway, you should use the Gateway installation media. You cannot use the installation media that came with the laptop on another computer and should just discard it. The problem is unlikely to be your hard drive. Based on your description either another hardware component is failing (hardware) or you have installed something that is causing the issue such as bad drivers or malware (software). There is no way to tell from what you've written. Disable the automatic restart so you can get the Stop Error (blue screen). Then you can research the Stop Error and/or post back here with the details for more help. Control Panel>System>Advanced>Startup and Recovery>Settings and under System Failure uncheck "Automatically Restart". http://www.aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm - Stop ErrorsMS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

Thank you so much for your reply. I unchecked automatically restart. I have a Gateway Pentium 4 2.26 GHZ with 1 Gig ram. I have reformatted the hard drive and partitioned it, then reinstalled the Gateway Installation disks about 3 times in the past month. As for the DVD that came with my laptop, it's the original Microsoft DVD. That's why I'm wondering if it was a better way to install an operating system.

No, you are doing the right thing with the Gateway by using the Gateway installation discs. The CD that came with your laptop is an OEM version and tied to the laptop. If it is a retail copy you bought yourself then it can be used on other computers, but you should use the Gateway discs on the Gateway. Disable the automatic restart to get the Stop Error and also do hardware troubleshooting. If you are using the Gateway installation discs, drivers are not the issue. http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). If possible, have all your data backed up before you take the machine into a shop.MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

I now think that the problem is somewhere else. I've had the CPU fan surging occasionally. Would that make the operating system keep trying to start over? Once it starts cycling I can't even get it in safe mode.

Since you can't even get into Safe Mode, that does indicate a hardware problem to me.MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!