Need Help Repairing HP Pavilion s3200n, Windows Vista

[jameslieb1]

Ok, let me start of by saying that I'm not very good with computer technology, but I am the best at it in my family. So, there's this computer my family's had for several years now (the s3200n), but ever since we got a laptop, it's been collecting dust. The main reason, of course, is cause we have a laptop now, which is better in terms of software anyway. But the other reason is that it hasn't been starting up correctly. I haven't really bothered trying to fix it, but now we've decided we want to sell it, so it needs to be fixed now. I started it up, and it offered me to do the system repair (says it's recommended) or to start normally. I've tried using the system repair, but it said that the problem can't be fixed automatically. Next time I tried starting it up it went directly to a black screen with the cursor, and nothing I did had any effect, the only think I could do was move the mouse around. Tried restarting again, and it took me to a "Windows didn't shut down correctly" and it offers me to do safe mode, normally, etc., but they all lead to that same black screen. What do I do to get this to work again? I don't are about preserving any files in fact I want it to go back to out-of-the-box mode. Please help.

 

[khajitwarrior]

you said it was a "Black Screen with a mouse that could move" according to my knowledge on start up. From the "Boot Menu" There may be an option that allows you to start it in "Low Resolution" It should then start it properly, if not...
Please respond with extra details if possible
We can then move on to "Boot options" if this is available

 

[Lexluethar]

Does the laptop have a recovery partition or CD? If so boot to the recovery partition and load the OS from there. None of your files will be saved, it will put the laptop back in the exact form it was in when you purchased it.

If it doesn't have a recovery partition or CD try to boot into safemode and then do a system recovery from there. You may just have to reinstall windows - MS did away with the whole repair option in the OS when Vista came around so you have a limited number of options when your OS becomes corrupt. You may just have to reinstall windows.