Laptop will not boot?

[Spud5437]

I have a laptop running vista here that when I turn on it shows up the boot screen (not sure what its called) that says press F2 for setup and F12 for boot menu. After that the screen goes black with just a blinking _ in the top right.
I have checked in the setup, it sees the hard drive and its first to boot so I don't really know what else to do.

Anyone able to help me on this?

I have found a vista DVD and have restored the computer to a restore point I know was fine - the restore completed successfully but still the same problem?

 

[squallBK]

I understand that you have the hard drive listed first on the boot priority, but ensure that no disks are in your disc drive when you start up the laptop. I've found that discs in my DVD drive often conflict with startup even though my first boot priority is the hard drive (I only switch the boot priority to the dvd drive when necessary)

If that does not work, then restart the computer and wait for the black screen with the blinking ' _ ' to appear again. Give it about 30 seconds to see if any type of message appears.

Whatever happens, let us know, and we will go from there. If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know and I will do the best I can to help you.

 

[Spud5437]

Thanks for the reply.
There is nothing in the CD drive (I have taken the vista disk out again).
When in the vista restore console – booting from CD, it says it cannot find any start up problems.

I had to go away for awhile there and left the laptop on, it is still at the black screen with the blinking _ and that's about 2 hours now.

Anyone have any idea's on this?

 

[KSoD]

You have to run the Vista Startup Repair command several times in order for it to find and fix things properly. Welcome to the world of Vista. Have you hit F8 and try the Advanced Boot Menu and selected Last Known Good Configuration?

 

[Spud5437]

There is no option for f8? Or at least not that i can find - Just f2 for setup and f12 for boot menu.

I have tried the startup repair 12 times now with still no joy.
If I could get to my documents I would format it and start again but need my files

Thanks for the help people

 

[KSoD]

There isnt an option for it. After the BIOS Screen you hit F8. It has been this way since Windows was first developed. That is something Windows Specific and isnt built into the BIOS by the manufacturers.

Those options are specific for your system. For me i have to hit Del to enter my BIOS and F12 to select my Boot Priority. So it is different for every machine but the F8 option is built in by Windows to work no matter what machine you are on.

 

[Spud5437]

I get you now.
When I turn on the laptop I get the Toshiba leading innovation welcome screen which has F2 and F12 at the bottom. After that I get the black screen with the blinking _ - I don't get past the BIOS , it does not list anything or do anything else I just get those 2 screens

 

[KSoD]

To get that blinking _ you have to get past the BIOS. If not you would only see the Toshiba logo and nothing else as that is the BIOS itself. Once that goes off screen your past it.

Well either way your not going to get that screen. You will have to reinstall Windows. As there is no available answer found even via Microsoft to fix this issue. As there is no way to narrow down how or why it happens.

 

[Spud5437]

Ok Mak213 thanks for the help. I was able to boot ‘mini xp' from a bootable cd I have and I was able to access the hard drive from that. I wouldn't get at mu documents as they were restricted. Is there any way around that or do I just have to format the drive and start again?

 

[KSoD]

Well i dont know what XP Mini is. That is not a verified distribution of Windows in anyway. So i cant assist you there. But i can suggest you get a Linux LiveCD like Ubuntu and get your stuff that way.