If you can boot to the Windows desktop when using a Windows 2000/XP boot disk,you can assume that the boot files in the root directory of drive C are missing or corrupted.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the system can boot to the desktop using a boot disk, it indicates that the key system files required to start the operating system are missing, damaged or corrupted. In this case, it is likely that the boot files stored in the root directory of drive C are affected.

If You Can Boot to the Windows Desktop When Using