[soccer1001]

I am using a ACER laptop, and I am running Windows Vista, I turn the laptop on and I have two options, Launch Startup Repair or Start Windows Normally, if I choose start windows normally, it tries to load Windows(note: I can press F2 and go to the security and those settings, not sure if that helps but I thought I would let you know I can access that) then it goes back to the two options listed above so I have to click Launch Startup Repair, I click next and it says to load driver, there is a text box for operating system, partition size, and location but nothing is listed to click on or read so I dont know what that load driver means. Do I need to load local disk c or something to find the operating system cause the next screen says unknown operating system on unknown local disk, and everything in that panel like startup repair, system restore, windows complete pc restore, and windows memory diagnostic tool. The only thing that does work is the command prompt. And this is actually my friends laptop and it was working fine according to her but she left it on in her room on her bed on a very hot day and it was on for around 8 hours and she said it was extremely hot, I think she said it was off when she got home and really hot but I will need to verify, could something have overheated or fried? Thank you for your help.

[shreader]

Hopefully she has been doing her backups.

You could try using the "System Restore" if that is not grayed out.
Just choose that last restore point before she left it on all day, on her bed.

[yeshuas]

From what I can determine from your post, it doesn't appear to me that she fried anything.

What I would try is to remove the harddrive and then put it back to make sure it is seated properly, then do the same thing with the Ram memory remove it and then reseat it to see if that will resolve the start up problem

[soccer1001]

Im retarded, she had nothing backed up, and no restore points and nothing would work, I have the CDs to reformat the drive with Windows Vista but they did not work because, I say again I was retarded haha, I had to hit F2 and change the boot options from the harddrive to the cd rom and then the discs worked and everything is working as of now with the exception of the main fan which sometimes works and sometimes does not, I am confused on that because I thought if the fan does not come on the CPU shuts down to not overheat, should I take this problem to another section of the forum cause I figure I might as well fix this for her while I am at it. Thanks guys, sorry for wasting your time on my first question.

[yeshuas]

Check the power management to see if there is anything to do with the fan control, as far as setting it to a higher elevation so it runs more often or is set to come on at a lower temp or something like that

[lauramercier85]

To fix problems with windows vista, you can download Windows Vista repair Tool which will remove all problems from your Windows. You can read the instruction to use this tool on this page: http://www.windowsvistastartup.com/
Also, you can manually restore the Windows to the previous stage but that will not fix your problem permanently. You want to fix your problems manually, follow these steps carefully.

1. Boot to the Windows Recovery Environment and select the Command Prompt
2. At the prompt enter the following commands:
cd windows\system32\config
3. At the prompt cd windows\system32\config> enter the following:
· ren default default.old
· ren sam sam.old
· ren system system.old
· ren security security.old
· ren software software.old
· cd regback

4. At the prompt C:\windows\system32\config\regback> enter the following:
· copy default c:\windows\system32\config
· copy sam c:\windows\system32\config
· copy system c:\windows\system32\config
· copy security c:\windows\system32\config
· copy software c:\windows\system32\config

5. Close the command prompt window and reboot the computer.