I'm trying to repair an existing Windows XP installation. Following the instructions from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx this should work:
- 1.When the Press any key to boot from CD message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.
- 2.Press ENTER when you see the message To setup Windows XP now, and then press ENTER displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen.
- 3.Do not choose the option to press R to use the Recovery Console.
- 4.In the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.
- 5.Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.
- 6.Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

On step 5 pressing R does nothing and there is nothing on the screen saying it would. When I just select to install I get a message that a previous installation is there and proceeding will destroy it and installed applications, I can optionally select a directory other than c:/windows, and I can optionally format before continuing. I had tried to go from SP2->SP3. It failed, and then I couldn't get to Safe Mode. I put the SP1 disk back in to do a repair, and I don't see that option. (I don't have an SP2 boot/install disk, I just have the non-boot upgrade package.)