You may receive error code 0x80004005 or other error codes when you try to start a Windows XP-based computer

Method 1

Note You should follow this method if this error code occurs after you upgrade from Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition.

Start from the Windows XP CD-ROM, and then perform an in-place upgrade repair. Make sure that you use a valid product key.
For more information about performing an in-place upgrade, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

978788 How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
  You can also resolve this problem by uninstalling Windows XP. Then, reinstall the operating system that you were running before you upgraded to Windows XP. For more information about how to uninstall Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

312569 How to manually start the uninstall process to remove Windows XP
 

Method 2

To resolve the problem, repair the installation of Windows XP by using the Windows XP CD, and then replace the files. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP CD in the CD drive or in the DVD drive.

2. Restart your computer.

3. When you receive the following message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD:

   Press any key to start from CD Note Your computer must be configured to start from the CD drive or from the DVD drive. For more information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD drive or from the DVD drive, see the documentation that came with your personal computer. Alternatively, contact the manufacturer.

4. When you receive the following message, press R to start the Recovery Console. This part of the Setup program prepares Windows XP to run on your computer. To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER. To repair a Windows XP installation by using Recovery Console, press R. To exit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

5. You see a numbered option, such as the following:

   1. C:\WINDOWS Note this path to Windows (In this example, the path is C:\WINDOWS) for later user in step 7 and step 11. Then, press 1 to access your primary drive installation by using the Recovery Console.

6. When you are prompted, type the administrator password. If you do not have an administrator password, press ENTER.

7. Type cd C:\WINDOWS\System32, and then press ENTER.

   Note In this command, use the path that you noted in step 5 if it differs from C:\WINDOWS.

8. Rename the following files by using the REN command. To do this, type REN File_Name.extensionFile_Name.oldat the command prompt.

   • Wpa.dbl

   • Pidgen.dll

   • Actshell.htm
     
     Note This file is located in the following subfolder:

     oobe

   • Licdll.dll

   • Regwizc.dll

   • Licwmi.dll

   • Wpabaln.exe

   Note In the previous command, you must replace File_Name.extension with the file name from the list of files in this step. Additionally, File_Name.old represents the new name for the file name. For example, use the following command for the Wpa.dbl file:

   REN Wpa.dbl Wpa.OLD

9. Type the drive letter of the CD drive together with a colon, and then press ENTER. For example, you type D:, and then press ENTER.

10. Type cd i386, and then press ENTER.

11. Type the following commands individually. Press ENTER after each command:

    • Expand licwmi.dl_ C:\WINDOWS\System32

    • Expand regwizc.dl_ C:\WINDOWS\System32

    • Expand licdll.dl_ C:\WINDOWS\System32

    • Expand wpabaln.ex_ C:\WINDOWS\System32

    • Expand wpa.db_ C:\WINDOWS\System32

    • Expand actshell.ht_ C:\WINDOWS\System32

    • Copy pidgen.dll C:\WINDOWS\System32

    Note In these commands, use the path that you noted in step 5 if it differs from C:\WINDOWS.

12. Type Exit, and then press ENTER to restart the computer.

Use Ghost

If you deploy a Windows XP-based computer by using Ghost from Symantec, rebuild the Ghost image by specifying the –FDSZ switch during the rebuild process.

Use Drive Image Pro

If you deploy the Windows XP-based computer by using Drive Image Pro, upgrade the Drive Image Pro to Deploy Center version 5.0 from Power Quest.

Reset the default security provider in Windows XP

To reset the default security provider in Windows XP, delete the relevant registry keys from the registry. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start the computer. Press the F8 key during startup to start the computer in safe mode.

2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

3. Delete the following registry subkeys from the registry:

   • HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers

   • HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers

4. Exit Registry Editor.

5. Restart the computer.

Reset the drive letter of the system drive

Use Registry Editor to change the drive letter of the system drive back to its original value. Edit the following registry key to change the value of the system drive:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices For more information about how to restore the system drive letter, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

223188 How to restore the system/boot drive letter in Windows
 

Method 1: Rename the Wpa.dbl file and the Wpa.bak file

If you want to force activation in Windows XP again, rename the Wpa.dbl file and the Wpa.bak file.

Method 2: Rename the Wpa.bak file

Consider the following scenario. You receive an error code that states that you must start Windows XP. However, you cannot start Windows XP. In this scenario you must rename the Wpa.dbl file to invalidate the Wpa.dbl file name. For example, change the name of the Wpa.dbl file to Wpa.dblinvalid. Then, change the name of the Wpa.bak file to Wpa.dbl.

Method 3: Restore the system

Restore the Windows XP-based computer from a restore point by using the system recovery options. For more information about how to restore the system, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

How to Restore Windows XP to a Previous State

Method 4: Perform an in-place upgrade

Perform an in-place upgrade on the system. For more information about performing an in-place upgrade, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

978788 How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP