i decided to try this recovery method.
http://www.community.windowsreinstal...p?showtopic=35
the computer is an HP with xp home.
now i past that blue menu and reached a point where it is the windows xp loading splash screen. there is no loading bar but instead it says "please wait..."
it was on that screen for a very long time and now a window popped up and says "the file c_20127.nls on windows xp home edition cd rom is needed, type the file path where it is located and click ok."
what do i do now? i hope this thing i'm doing is correct because i don't want to lose any of the files the comp already had.