Netbook/laptop help please, please, please!

[PTA]

My trusty netbook, veteran of 3 OU course has gone on the blink 2 weeks before my TMA is due.

It won't go past the Windows XP log on page, it goes to a black and white screen explaining that there may have been a power failure etc and Windows can't launch normally. There are four or five options but none work, they all start the Windows XP screen then switch back to this black and white info page.

Does anyone have any ideas how I get access again? I really, really need it on now as I can't do everything I need to do on my phone.

Thanks in advance.

start it up again and keep pressing F8 until it goes into safe mode. Let it boot up, let it do any checking it wants to then close it down properly. Then try again as normal. should sort it out.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I will try that in the morning as DH has come to bed now and I don't want to disturb him by try to start it up again.

Thanks again and fingers crossed!

Ok, been pressing F8 as per post about for the last 10mins and nothing has happened. It's now stuck on the black and white page, even the counter at the bottom that says "Seconds until Windows starts" has hung ans isn't counting down.

It there any hope? What can I try now, if anything?

Please?

Beginning to panic as I have some notes stored for my TMA.

What options is it giving you?

hmmm, did you press it soon enough? The idea is that it prevents windows from trying to load normally so you have to start pressing as soon as you have powered up or windows will just do what it normally does.

If this doesnt work you will need to get a boot disk/cd - do you have one/know someone who has one? If not you could take it into a repair shop and they will use one.

If she puts a boot disk and chooses the wrong option,she is going to lose the files she is trying to save.Is startup repair an option,if so,try that.

Thanks, sorry I haven't got back sooner.

The second I switch it on it goes to the black and white page, offers an apology an says I can try:
Safe mode
Safe mode with networking
Safe mode with command prompt
Last know configuration
And
Start Windows normally which is highlighted. There is a 30second counter and then it launched into the Windows XP screen with the wee bar with three blue lights chasing across it. It's on for about 60secs and then back to the black and white apology.

I left it running for 4hrs and it did this in a loop continually. I've tried selecting each of the options and it makes no difference, I just get stuck in this loop.

Thanks for the suggestions but I am totally out of my depth and will see if the local repair shop is open tomorrow.

TBH the netbook doesn't owe me anything as it was a freebie with a mobile nearly three years ago but there is info I want on it and I get very frustrated when things don't just work!

Have you tried selecting Safe mode, does the machine boot up if you do?

I second the suggestion to try safe mode, even if it takes forever, if it gets there in the end, you may only just need to shut down from there and things could be fine after that.

If a reboot from safemode doesnt work the next thing I would try after that is running an antivirus check from within safe mode. - However if you cant get safe mode to boot at all, that wont help!