I have been having trouble with with windows xp upon booting. Sometimes it would hang but mostly I'd have to boot in safe mode to do anything with the laptop. I had removed all of the info I wanted from the machine and was just going to use the recovery disc and re-load windows.
I had the disc in and it came to an error (I don't remember what it said, something about a ghost). It then went through a shut-down screen and turned it self off.
I have attempted to use the disc again. It makes noise like it was coming on, goes through the windows boot-up screen (It will not allow me to start in safe mode) then it would go to a black screen with a blinking white dot (like a command prompt) but would not allow me to type anything.
Now~ I push the power button and it makes noise but the screen is completely black. No more blinking dot. The power light is on and all of the other lights come on.
I have wiped the recovery disc with a soft cloth and cleaned the laser with alcohol with no change. It will not re-boot from the toshiba disc or a legal copy of windows 98 I have from another system I own. It just sits there like a big paper weight. Any ideas??
I have also run several virus utilities prior to attempting a recovery and cleaned some infection. After cleaning it still had all of the same problems.
