[walker74]

Hi

My daughters toshiba laptop will only start on the windows message screem stating there has been a problem and requesting how to proceed ie safe mode, last good config etc, but whatever option I choose it just goes back to this same screen

Any ideas??

[philthomas]

What Operating System is on the Laptop ? and have you got a Windows Installation Disk or Manufacturer's Recovery disk(s) or partition ?

[walker74]

its windows XP home ed, and Ive no discs at all

[philthomas]

Hmmmm ..... without either a Windows Installation Disk or a Toshiba Recovery Disk, your options are about zero, unless there is a hidden partition for Recovery, accessed by a key sequence at start up.

Check out the documentation that came with the Laptop and see if this details the Recovery procedure.
Alternatively, if you can borrow an XP CD from someone, we can advise you on a few more possibilities

[walker74]

If (worst case senareo) I have to get a new harddrive and op system can I recover whats on the old HD.

[philthomas]

It depends on what is wrong ..... if the drive is not faulty and it's just the master boot record or similar that has become corrupted, then probably yes, but for now .... I would try to get hold of an XP Installation disk, as this will allow you to run a series of routines, such as fix boot, fixmbr, chkdsk etc. These alone may fix your drive, so that it boots ok.