Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might have caused the issue

[madinsane]

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might have caused the issue after you install Windows Updates

My brother recently tried to download windows 8 on his laptop (bad idea I know) and now he can't get past this error message when he starts his laptop I tried to press F8 and go into advanced to "repair the computer" but it still goes to an error page. The thing his laptop was given to him by a friend and he only gave him the laptop and the charger (hp) so we dont have a windows 7 CD :s
Any ideas how I can fix this problem

 

[kboy]

Buy Windows 7 dude, Sorry...

 

[adouza]

whats the error message. is this genuine software?

 

[SHAWN]

Did he try to just download the Windows 8 iso or did he indeed install Windows 8? Please clarify.

On a side note, do you have a product key for Windows 7? You can just download the media on another computer and burn it to a CD to reload the OS.