Windows XP SP3 problem

From Neural Wiki

Automatic updates on my Windows XP machine downloaded SP3, installed it, restarted, and promptly bricked the computer. From what I understand on some chat boards, this is a common problem with HP and Compaq (same company) machines with AMD processors. As a side note, on that very same day my Vista machine also downloaded an update that bricked that operating system. Fantastic. On the Vista machine, restore points from earlier that day made it easy to fix, so no big problem. However, on the XP machine things were bad. It wouldn't start in safe mode, or even start with the last known good configuration. After a chat with the Windows guys, who were very helpful, I got the following solution.....However, none of this would have worked without my XP cd that I got in college. If I just had the computer (which didn't come with a cd) I would have been screwed.

So here is the workaround

1) Stick in XP cd (home or professional) and boot from cd

2) You want to recover, so type in R and press enter

3) If you had the same problem I did, you will be presented with several options, but none of them the C:\ drive.

4) Just pick one of the options

5) Then cd into the c drive cd c:

6) Try to cd into the windows directory....cd windows...if you can you have a different problem than I had. I was unable to

7) Now type in chkdsk \r

8) Let that finish

9) Then type in chkdsk \p

10) Now try and cd into the windows directory. If you can then try restarting your computer. That worked for me. Otherwise contact Microsoft directly.