Laptop not starting up

missbeachchick · Aug 30, 2012

Hi Guys,

I have a toshiba satellite laptop and when I try to start it up, it shows the toshiba logo, the options of F2 to set up utility, F12 to boot manager (I think : ) at the bottom of the screen really briefly.

Then a black screen appears with the microsoft corp. logo and a scrolling bar (sorry, I can't think of another way to describe it : ) just keeps on scrolling or trying to load up.

But the thing just won't go any further... I left it on all night and it still wont start, but it looks like it's trying to load.

Any help would be appreciated : )

Love Jodie x

PS... I'm running windows 7

plodr · Aug 30, 2012

Turn it off, press F12 and try safe mode. Does windows 7 load?

Adrynalyne · Aug 30, 2012

If that doesn't work, try F8 for Safe Mode. Turn on computer, start tapping F8, and it should go to a startup options menu where you can choose Safe Mode.

I think F12 will land you in the boot options, as you said it was the boot manager.

missbeachchick · Aug 31, 2012

Thanks so much for your prompt responses : )

F12 does take me to boot options and no real safe mode selections. I have tried F8, yet nothing really happens. The black scrolling screen just kicks in again : (

Love Jodie x

plodr · Aug 31, 2012

Keep tapping F8 because it is tricky on some computers to time it correctly. If it continues to try to load, you have hit F8 at the proper instant to launch safe mode.
If that fails to work, list what choices you have in your F12 boot menu.

James321 · Sep 4, 2012

I just tried this before. Thank you guys for your helpful tips

missbeachchick · Sep 5, 2012

Yay! I finally managed to get into F8... Thanks plodr & adrynalyne ... The only problem is I get heaps of windows/system 32 things loaded and then on the bottom of the screen it says, "Please wait"

I still seem to be waiting and not sure what to do next.

Many thanks again x

plodr · Sep 5, 2012

So Safe Mode never loads.
What choices do you have in F12?

missbeachchick · Sep 6, 2012

Hi again... in F12 I have HDD,CD/DVD,FDD,LAN & USB Memory... then the Enter/Setup and that's about it... F8 did give a list of loaded windows files, yet it then keeps on telling me to wait.

plodr · Sep 6, 2012

I thought you would get options like safe mode, last known good configuration, etc. so F12 isn't much help either.

missbeachchick · Sep 7, 2012

Thanks plodr, when I do get into F8, i get the safe mode option and 'last known good configuration' (which I just went into and it goes back to the original loading screen with the Microsoft corp thing scrolling). So basically nothing seems to be loading.

plodr · Sep 7, 2012

Since nothing seems to load, you might have to do a factory restore. That means you lose EVERYTHING. The computer would revert back to the way it was when it left the factory.
If you have files on the computer that have not been backed up anywhere, you will need access to another computer to copy the laptop files from the hard drive to a working computer.

missbeachchick · Sep 8, 2012

Thanks plodr, forgive me, but if I did have access to another computer (like I do now) to copy the laptop files from the hard drive to a working computer, is it fairly easy to do, or should I seek expert local advice?

Sorry, I'm just confused as to how I can access the files if I can't see them, and also how to do it.

Many thanks again, J x

plodr · Sep 8, 2012

You remove the hard drive from the laptop, attach it to the other computer through a USB port with an adapter like this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002

Before attaching the laptop drive, you make sure the other computer is booted up and running windows. When you attach the laptop drive, you'll get a popup about a new USB device detected. Give the computer time to load the driver and tell you the "new" USB device is now usable.
You open Windows Explorer and find the drive letter of the laptop hard drive. You can then search the contents just as you would if you plugged in a USB stick.
If you find a file you want, copy it to the working computer. Copying is safer than moving because if the computer hiccups during the move you have nothing. If the computer hiccups during a copy operation, the original is still on the laptop hard drive and you start copying again.

You can only copy files. You can't copy programs over.

You need to decide if removing a hard drive from a laptop is something you can do or would prefer to have someone else do it.

Just because windows won't load on the laptop, it does not mean your files are gone. They are probably all there.

missbeachchick · Sep 9, 2012

Thanks so much Plodr, you've been so helpful. I'll see what I can do and report back x

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