In reply to a post by AEP:

Take it to someone who knows.

This has already been suggested several times, and you have accepted that it is the best solution. Messing about when neither of you really know what you are doing is likely to make any situation worse than it already is.

I'm afraid that if you don't know how to boot Windows into Safe Mode, or even know if it is possible, then you are not competent to advise someone, over the phone, how to repair the computer. Parroting answers given here will make neither of you more competent.

Agreed completely.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

As I stated earlier, <F8> for Windows Boot Menu is a standard Windows procedure and works on all versions, incl. Vista, regardless of PC manufacturer.

Thank you for a clear, explicit and unambiguous answer. Just what I was seeking.

In reply to a post by john2007:

Google it. You are wasting our time.

Google what exactly?

In reply to a post by Titus:

It is when she was unable to boot into safe mode

Pressing <F8> often requires exquisite timing to catch it. If she is unfamiliar with it, she might think it wasn't working when she had just missed it; one needs to persevere.

OTOH it might stop working if the Partition Tables are corrupt but there are ways to fix those with my recommended Recovery CD.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by Titus:

It is when she was unable to boot into safe mode

Pressing <F8> often requires exquisite timing to catch it. If she is unfamiliar with it, she might think it wasn't working when she had just missed it; one needs to persevere.

OTOH it might stop working if the Partition Tables are corrupt but there are ways to fix those with my recommended Recovery CD.

Thank you for a positive suggestion.

I know just what you mean - I find I sometimes need to need to persist, and press F8 repeatedly. That is just what I advised her to do and is what she did.

Thanks for the recommendations regarding a recovery disk. However if that is indeed what is needed, then I think it will be simpler, safer and certainly quicker for her to get that done through a local repairer.

Likewsie suggestions involving the physical dismantling of her computer. But again, thanks at least for some positive advice.

Edited by deleted (Sat 23-Jul-11 09:51:21)