black screen telling me that windows did not start successfully

I have just joined and cannot find an answer to this particular problem. My laptop has opened to a black screen with dialogue telling me that windows did not start successfully and giving me several options ie; safe mode, safe mode networking, starting normally. last known configuration. Whichever I choose it just takes me back to this same screen. I have shut it down and attempted to start in safe mode to do a system restore but it still just takes me back to the same screen, it will not open into the safge mode screen after it has downloaded all the files.
Any ideas anyone.
Thanks

 

Hey sydlance,

I am not a computer expert but I think we need some more information. I take it from this forum you are on XP. Did you make a recovery disc when you first got your laptop? Can you boot to it if you did? You can do a restore that way if you have that disc or reinstall xp and you may not lose all of the info you have in xp now. Just a suggestion. If you like you probably want to wait for an expert. But I hope this helps a little or gets the party started for you with an answer. I am new to this forum so I hope I am not out of line here.

 

Black screen reply to whatever263

Thanks for the advice. We do have a recovery disc but the laptop will not boot to it. Some other advice was to change the start menu but I am not confident enough for that. At the moment it is at the Geek Squad where they say the mother board is fried!
Looks like a new one is needed. But thanks anyway.
Sydlance

 

Geek squad

Thanks, I do agree about a second opinion. I am about to collect it today and see what they say.

 

laptop brand

Thank you. It is a Dell Latitude D600 about 6 years old.
Thank you again
Sydlance

 

thanks

Thanks for this. I have just rebooted and it has worked. I am so appreciative.
Thanks to all who helped.
Syd lance.