Two things to try, first hit F12 at starup and "Boot to Last Known Good Conifguration" or Boot to the CD and do a "Repair Install".  Neither causes a loss of data.

No backups???

---

@itmandotca wrote:

there is a known issue with a security update from McAfee on the weekend that has caused this to happen to many people. This issue has a fix that Dell has come up with, you can find it here: http://search.dell.com/searchcom_redirect.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&k=HO1068335&cat=all&tdc=0&tcn=1&curcatni=1&curcatna=all&tdcp=0&lbcp=1&ubcp=0&ty=content&cd=1&sfp=res&redp=http%3a%2f%2fsupport.dell.com%2fsupport%2ftopics%2fglobal.aspx%2fsupport%2fkb%2fen%2fdocument%3fdn%3d1068335%26l%3den%26langid%3d1%26c%3dus%26cs%3d19%26s%3ddhs&redpe=21ed79d7-533c-4c8b-2e00-8da3a921f72a

 

Two issues with this intended fix:

 

1) The page has a link in it that tells people how to boot to Recovery Console.  That link doesn't work.

 

2) To do this, one needs an XP CD.  Since most users now don't get one...

I have tried doing the things suggested however when the windows XP disc is in the computer it does exactly the same as before. It doesn't give me the option of booting to the CD or 'Repair Install'. I am told by the instructions that a selection of commands will come up on the screen once I turn my computer on with the windows CD inside but this doesn't happen. It always goes to a screen where the windows logo remains in the middle and nothing else. If I press F8 or F12, no matter what I choose it always goes to the pain blue screen with the windows logo in the middle. Please help!