Laptop Problem

[cjscouse]

I am having trouble with my laptop it will not load up. when i switch it on it will not load windows it tells me my options but when i click it just ends up at the same screen. Any suggestions as to what to do would be very helpful

[Hypognosis]

When you bought it, there should have been an operating system CD supplied with it, which the retailer will have used to install Microsoft Windows.

If you can still find it, insert it in the CD drive (with the power on) then power off, then power on again. This will allow boot from CD and you may see some extra boot options including Windows Repair tool.

I have heard that the repair task can take quite a bit of time so possibly best to wait until the morning to try this.

DO NOT attempt the 'clean install' option. It will wipe all your user data and you will have to do all the Windows Service Pack and update downloads all over again.

[galeck1947]

You should have created a set of recovery discs after you used it for the first time from the recovery manager in the Start Menu. If you didn't do that then the only way is to use the recovery partition installed on your hard drive which will reinstall your computer to the way it was when you got it. Some computers give you the option of retaining all of your programs and files and only restore the OS.

[chrissa1]

My daughter had sort of the same problem last week. We solved it by pressing F8 as soon as she
switched it on, and holding the button down until it logged on.
This starts the laptop in Safe Mode and then you could go to System Restore in the Control Panel and restore the laptop to how it was at an earlier date and working properly.
It might help.

[dizmouk2009]

I was going to suggest what chrissa1 just said. You don't have to hold F8 down though. Just press it when you see the options to go to 'bios' (sometimes called 'setup'). Usually F12 or DEL to enter bios but you won't need to do that. I wouldn't suggest messing with the bios settings unless you know what you're doing.

Have you installed or downloaded anything recently?

Like methyl said, what are the 'options'?

It has been such a long time since I had to repair a machine with a corrupt operating system so I can't remember what screen is displayed if this were the case. We need more information from you :)

[Hypognosis]

//it will not load windows it tells me my options but when i click it just ends up at the same screen.//

It suddenly occurs to me that, on this bootup screen there should be nothing to 'click' on. (I am surprised that there is even a visible mouse cursor which would make you even try that).

It is either waiting for you to press a number key (to select option 1, 2, 3 etc) or it will actually say to use the up/down arrow key to select an option and press return to select it.

Apologies for suggesting such ultra-basic stuff but it also occurs to me that people below a certain age might never have interacted with a computer outside of the Windows environment before and it's only when sudden reliability problems occur that you are dumped into the unfamiliar DOS-style screens.

Let us know if/when you get this fixed.