Computer Troubleshooting

[NT]

I started a post under the recovery section but no one has replied.

My PC one day just didn't boot correctly. I attempted safe mode and nothing. I attempted to repair and nothing. I attempted to recover from a previous date, nothing. In fact now, I can not get to any of those options. I can enter BIOS from F2 but F8 only gives me two choices. I can either start windows or repair windows. Either selection brings the windows logos up and then eventually a blank screen with a larger than normal cursor error right in the middle of the screen.

Alright, so I order the Toshiba Recovery and Driver Media disks. Nothing. Same results and yes I am booting up from the cd/dvd drive. I am at a loss. I'm not sure if there is another cd or disc I can use. I am fine wiping everything to nothing and starting over but I can't even get to that point. Any suggestions? Am I needing to take this in and have someone re-install the Windows that came on the hard drive when I bought it because it doesn't look like I am getting the option for this. Any help is greatly appreciated so we can save our money for Christmas presents for the kids.

[NT]

Maybe I should add this is a Satellite L505 Model and Toshiba sent me three discs for the Recovery

[Peter]

When you try to use the recovery discs, what exactly happens?

[NT]

I have a bar loading information at the bottom of the screen telling me loading windows files. I have determined the partition part of the hard drive "must" be damaged and I am just going to replace the hard drive. Since I've already ordered the disks, I should be able to re-load windows on the new hard drive. Thanks for responding though. BTW, the hard drive is not one that is made anymore and I found prices ranging from $60 (personal sales) to $ 140 (Toshiba). If your hard drive goes out, good luck because a lot of websites indicate they have sold out of the item.

[Peter]

I agree; it does sound like that hard drive is the likely troublemaker. Let us know how everything works out!

[GordOfTheJungle]

Ok, sounds like the operating system is damaged and you need to reload. But the Recovery disk aren't working either. Consider trying some other bootable disks. Could be the Recovery disks are bad or the DVD drive is not working correctly. If the other bootable disks boot, it's the Recovery disks are defective or at least the first disk. If none of the bootable disks function, you probably have a bad DVD drive. If the Recovery disks are bad, you could always use a retail copy of the operating system. Or even a different operating system. You won't find Linux drivers on Toshiba's website, but it will work. 

I'm not convinced that the hard drive is bad, just that the operating system isn't working. You can use other hard drives in your computer, even with greater capacity, provided that they are physically the same size and use the same interface. The ultimate thing that determines if this will work is the Bios. If the Bios doesn't see the hard drive, than the computer won't see the hard drive either.