Friends Boot Menu problem

[NEED WOW NOW]

A friend's computer is having a little problem with boot up. Its a laptop which when it starts up, goes straight to the boot selection screen with the options everyone knows(Safe Mode, Start Normally).

When they chose any option it loads for a bit, then restarts and goes back to the same screen again.

Just asking if this is going to require a reformat. That was my first assumption, but I just want to check if that's what some other people would think.

Thanks,
Need WoW Now

 

[Teny]

i think you will need to reformat. i dont know if repairing windows will help.
you could try that, and if it doesnt work, then a guess the only way to go is reformat.

 

[NEED WOW NOW]

Yea, that's what I thought. Now the only problem is no one ever keeps the Operating system CD/DVD. T-T

Thanks for confirming.

 

[A True Folder]

Can you try FIXMBR and FIXBOOT?


(you'll need an os cd though and boot into recovery console)

 

[NEED WOW NOW]

Would another OS CD work? If they can't find theirs, could I use a old WinXP OS CD to boot into it?

If I could how would I go about fixing the boot file. I'm not quite familiar with the Recovery Console.

 

[Teny]

i think you will need an Vista OS disc assuming that the OS is Vista.

 

[NEED WOW NOW]

Well, they "think" its XP. Don't you love it when your the only sensible computer user in the whole family?

 

[Teny]

out of all the people i know in life, only 1 other person and me know something about computers and know how to fix common, and some non common problems.
gets annoying sometimes, especially when you are out with your friends and your mom calls you home because she or other people in the house cant fix the pc problem.

You can try the XP disc to see, and if it works, then it works, if not, then either reformat or get your hands on a vista disc.

 

[A True Folder]

Yep, just try the XP disk, either it will work or it won't.

If you need info on how to run FIXBOOT and FIXMBR search Microsoft, there's tutorials on how to use the Recovery Console there.