I've got a desktop system which won't boot into XP from the HD. If I choose safemode and see the files loading it hangs at the same file every time.

So natural solution is to boot from CD and repair…

But it won't recognise CD at all, using 2 different drives. And if I open and close the cd drive at any point it just keeps spitting it back out.

Any ideas?

(CD drive is set to boot before HDD in BIOS)

Have you tried pinging it?

No, but surely there wouldn't be a response without it booting?

And even then, what if it did/didn't boot – what would it reveal?

My guess is, that there is a lower layer fundamental problem. Maybe a motherboard issue or an ATA one. Does it see the CD drives in the startup sequence, before the OS starts loading?

Doesn't mention anything about CD drives in the startup sequence, but BIOS says it's present.

What file is it hanging on? Take out individual memory sticks and see if it boots. Unplug everything bar the graphics card and keyb/mouse and see if it boots. Make sure the correct CD drive is selected in the boot order. It sounds like one of them is kaput.