1. Perform a clean boot of your PC. A clean boot will prevent outdated drivers, start-up programs and settings from loading, which may be causing you to receive an error message. Run 'msconfig' and choose the 'Selective Startup' option. Uncheck all of the program boxes and then restart your computer. You can then try to reinstall Windows XP.
2. Get rid of any anti-virus programs or boot manager programs currently installed on your computer. These applications can interfere with the installation of Windows XP and cause you to receive an error message.

3. Repair your damaged file system. A damaged file system can cause installation errors to occur for Windows XP. To fix this problem, press the 'R' key during start-up. You will be redirected to the 'Recovery Console' and can begin repairing the damage by typing in 'chkdsk /r.' Once you are finished, you can type 'exit' and then resume installing Windows XP.
4. Use a new Windows XP installation CD or download directly from your computer. Many installation errors come from a CD that has been damaged or scratched. Purchase a new CD or download Windows XP directly from Microsoft.
5. Type the following into DOS mode: [CD-ROM Drive]:\i386\winnt.exe. Trying to install Windows XP in DOS can produce an error message. Fix this install issue by using this command to launch Windows XP setup.
6. Remove any hardware that is not compatible with Windows XP. You can find of list of incompatible hardware devices on the Microsoft website.