Windows 8.1 starting up in XP?

Hello,

I'm hoping someone else out there has had the same issue as I have been experiencing lately.

Lately, when I start Windows 8.1, for some odd reason, I see the Windows 8 logo, and the loading indicator, but then it opens up to Windows XP. The extremely weird thing about this is that when I had this system built originally, it was built with Windows Vista installed - NEVER XP, and I upgraded Vista to 8.1. So I'm at a loss.

I just restarted again, and now it is back to Windows 8, but yesterday, every time I restarted, it would bring up XP. Even the BIOS recognized the OS as XP. XP would open, tell me I needed to activate the OS, ask to install my hardware... And run extremely sluggishly.

Has anyone had/solved this issue? Would you be willing to help me correct it, and get this XP garbage off my PC, please? I can't imagine that having this somewhere in the background is good for my machine's performance.

Thanks in advance!

Well it sounds like perhaps you should clean install windows 8.1 starting from a Clean disk. If XP has never been installed what scans have you run to insure you are not infected? I would think possible a hardware failure maybe a failing hard drive but the XP has to be coming from somewhere and if you have never had XP on your machine. Malware or Virus could explain this though I have never seen nor heard of this issue, where you are booting to XP from a 8.1 machine that has never has XP installed on it. perhaps some one with more experience than my self will have a solution other than a Clean Install to a Clean disk.

XP was used for repair. I am sure that the person who built the unit, most likely used a personalized version of Vista, unless you physically bought the software and handed the sealed package to them.

In order to have 8.1 install as a Clean install. You would need to turn the Upgrade DVD into a Regular install. See the following for how to use the upgrade DVD as a Clean install. How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 8 with an Upgrade Disc