Hello. I am having problems with my laptop. It was working fine this morning. I ran disk cleanup on my laptop(Windows XP, Toshiba Satelite A15) and as it was deleting the files, the laptop just shut down. Later, when I tried to turn it on, I get this message:

"We aplogize for the inconvience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this. If you computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked. If a previous startup attempt was interrutped due to a power failure or becasue the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows Normally.
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Last Known Good Configuration (our most recent settings that worked)
Start Windows Normally
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice."

Now, no matter what I choose (normal, safe, last known), The windows XP icon shows up as if it was going to load and then I get this next message on a blue screen:

"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:
Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.
Technicla information:
*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF9CD8528, 0xCOOOOO34, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)"

I have not installed any new hard drives, or controllers to this computer. I do not know how to check for viruses if I cannot get my desktop and choose my antivirus program. I do not know how to run CHKDSK /F if I cannot get my desktop and be able to click on run from the start menu.

I would appreciate any ideas that anyone may have. Thanks in advance.

Hi safaddict, welcome to SAF

You should read this:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;324103

Hope it will help.

Chris

Do you have an actual copy of XP? I think you will need it to fix the problem.

Insert the cd, reboot the pc. Make sure the optical drive is th efirst boot device. Choose repair install. Windows will install over itself replacing missing or damaged files.

If you do not have the XP cd, you may be forced to do a recovery. Post back.

Just to add a thought to Efabes advice, the first option will be to repair Windows with the "Recovery Consol"; do not choose this option. Continue on, and another "repair Windows" option will be given. Choose this one. Do not choose Fresh or new install, you will lose all your data.

If you have corrupted system files or problems, this will ovewrite the damaged system files and you will not lose your data. If you have a boot sector virus, this will not help. We will have to try an different approach. Post back with what happens.

Hey guys, thanks alot for your input. I called Toshiba and they said that my windows xp had crashed. They told me to use my recovery disk and I told them that when I put in my disk, nothing happened. What I did not know is that I had to hold "c" when I put the disk in. This made the disk run and everything was reinstalled in my computer(but I lost all of my information on my HD). Thanks again for all your help.

When I had an OEM machine with a "recovery" cd, I formatted and reinstalled from an actual windows cd. That solves a lot of problems.

If you do not want to spend that kind of money, I would at least recommend a flash drive or external drive or something for very frequent backups.

I'm really sorry you lost your data, safeaddict!

Sorry, but you really "lit my fuse" (a little 4th of July pun, there) with your situation. By jing, if you pay for Windows XP, you are supposed to GET Windows XP!! On a disk!! Separate!!

Another American consumer legally ripped off by Bill Gates and The Dirty Dozen manufacturers.