Gateway laptop not starting.

[Static_11]

Ok, my friends sister just dropped this laptop off.

It's 8 months old and when you power it on, the gateway screen shows and then it goes black and says:

Press F11 to start recovery.

(I press F11)


Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair


So I pop in the windows disk and no matter what I choose, this is what comes up:

Setup did not find anyt hard disk drives installed in yoru computer.

Make sure any hard disk drives are powered on and properly connected to your computer, and that any disk-related hardcore configuration is correct. This may involve running a manufacturur-supplied diagnostic or setup program.

Setup cannot continue. To quit Setup, press F3.

Fried hard drive?

 

[baronvongogo]

is the hard drive detected on boot up and in the BIOS?

 

[Static_11]

yup..

 

[SYL\X/3K]

pop in xp cd in and put it as the first priority to boot , once xp cd load click on repair and a console will pop up , type in: chkdsk , once its done type in: exit

 

[Static_11]

So I pop in the windows disk and no matter what I choose, this is what comes up:

Setup did not find anyt hard disk drives installed in yoru computer.

Make sure any hard disk drives are powered on and properly connected to your computer, and that any disk-related hardcore configuration is correct. This may involve running a manufacturur-supplied diagnostic or setup program.

Setup cannot continue. To quit Setup, press F3.

......

 

[QuaziBee]

This usually is a case of RAID arrays and SCSI drives. If the laptop is using raid or scsi, i dont know why it would, then you need to download the drivers for that device and use them when it askes for them. You can make a Linux boot thumb drive (i use Slax for this) and startup using that.

 

[Static_11]

its not using raid or SCSI.

and i don't have a thumb drive.

=/