Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 315341 contains the following INTRODUCTION:
This article describes how to perform an in-place upgrade, or reinstallation, of Microsoft Windows XP. This is also named a repair installation.
It reinstalls Windows XP to the same folder. You may want to perform an in-place upgrade if your installation of Windows XP must be repaired.
Such a repair installation may be required if one of the following conditions is true:
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You cannot start Windows XP in Safe Mode.
For additional information about how to start your Windows XP-based computer in Safe Mode,
click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
315222
A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP
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The problem is caused by a
recently installed Microsoft software update,
and you cannot solve the problem in any other way.
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There is a
registry problem that cannot be solved by using other tools such as System Restore.
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You must apply default (file and
registry) permissions to your Windows XP installation.
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You must
register Component Object Model (COM) components and Windows File Protection (WFP) files.
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You must use the Windows Setup program to enumerate Plug and Play devices again,
including the hardware abstraction
layer (HAL).
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To
reinstall Windows XP,
use the
appropriate method in the "More information" section.