Widows XP Professional will not start

[Highgord]

Hi All,
I have an iMac 3.06 4Mg RAM 2008 model, running the latest Parallels. It came with Windows XP pre-installed. Today when I tried to run windows XP Professional I get the following:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.
When I put the Windows disk in the Apple drive, nothing happens. I cannot get into the disk to re-install the above. Any ideas on what to do? It's not that I love Windows, it's just that I have some Windows only programs that I want to use. I am not particularly computer literate, so any help will have to be fairly idiot proof.

 

[iLog.Genius]

Forget about Parallels for now. If you just insert the Windows XP disc, does it mount onto your desktop? If not, then the SuperDrive might be faulty and may need to be replaced. Do that first and then we'll go from there.

 

[Highgord]

Windows XP Professional will not start

Yes, when I put the Windows disk in, it shows up on the desk top.

 

[iLog.Genius]

It might be a problem with Parallels. Try to uninstall and then reinstall it and see what happens. I'm not familiar with virtual software so I don't know if there's a command or option to read off the SuperDrive. If there, try to toggle it, if not then reinstall is my recommendation.