Hi Sun!
Question. Your keyboard you are using. Is it USB or PS2?
You NEED a PS 2 board hooked up in the purple colored PS2 port on the computer because the USB keyboard compatibioity does not take effect until windows BOOTS.
To get to the F8 window, windows has not yet booted. You are in CMOS pre-boot.
I run XP as well and use a PS 2 keyboard. It is the same reason you cannot set up a new operating system using a USB keyboard or mouse for that matter.
They won't work.
Trust me, with a PS 2 keyboard if you are tapping that F8 key immediately after you hit the power on button, you will go the boot mode page to select SAFE MODE with NETWORKING..
I need yo to then check the links I provided, especially the LAST ONE to go into your registry and check on that explorer.exe setting.
That is why your desktop is not showing, becuase explorer is not turning on. You also need to run a scan disk in safe mode as well. And malwarebytes deep scan.
ALL should be well afterwards. PLease check the connector for your keyboard.
Thank you Sun! We'll get it working!
micro....