windows xp pro will not start up Please! Please! Help!

[hellokitty55]

i have laptop by gateway laptop. it's about 5 years old. i'm not quite sure what model it is. my problem is windows xp pro will not start up on it. it will cant even go to the stat menu. there is just a blank black screen. i dont know what to do and i have important files on it that i dont want to loose. is their anyway to fix it without loosing any of the files? please help im really desperate.

[oddjob]

A few initial thoughts.

1. It could be the video card. Tap the F8 key just prior to the XP Splash screen but after the BIOS screen. This will take you to the boot up options for XP. Select "VGA MODE".

If it comes up in super low resolution then you have a driver problem of some sort which can be fixed from this mode.

2. Can you boot to "safe mode"? This is done by tapping the F8 key (or sometimes F5) during boot up then selecting "safe mode" from the options.

Also look here for these and more detailed experiments to hlep locate what's gone wrong ....

http://ask-leo.com/why_does_my_scree...en_i_boot.html

Post back again to let us know how you get on. If nothing here works other suggestions will no doubt be made.


OJ

[hellokitty55]

thank you very much, but my laptop is still not working. i can get to the screen with the options for safe mode, VGA mode, etc. then the screen just goes to a blank black screen when i press safe mode or VGA mode.

[oddjob]

This looks like it will stump me.

One more thought ... if you press CTRL + ALT + Delete together hopefully it will bring up your Task Manager.

In the Task Manager file clikc "file" then "new task" and type explorer.exe... Does that bring up your desktop?

If not ... what does happen?


OJ

[oddjob]

Ignore post #5. It has been reported.