Virus? Can't boot, goes into continuous loop

[SaveMyLaptopPlease]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone can tell me if they think this is a virus or a hardware malfunction? The laptop is a Toshiba Sattelite Pro 6100 and upon startup I get the black screen that starts off with: "We apologize for the inconvenience"...and gives me options to start up in Safe Mode and about 5 other startup options.
Regardless of the option I choose it appears to go through booting up, I see the Windows XP screen then for a split second I will see a glimpse of a blue screen and then it shuts down and starts up with the black screen and will continue this loop indefinitely untilI shut it off. It will never boot up in any mode and I deperately would like to save my data. Does anyone have any ideas? Do you think it's a virus? Your help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

[Dogsnake]

If you have your XP disc, try a repair install. It will reinstall windows and not require a format or loss of data. You can also create a boot disc like a BartPE (http/www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/) to access the disc and copy out data to a flash drive. Sounds like maybe a bad boot.ini file. read this http/articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6031733.html.

 

[ordcestus]

Hopefully its a software issue so do try to reinstall windows. if that doesn't work download ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) or bartPE as the above user said and back up your files to a flash drive. then format and start over with windows.
I did have a similar problem with a laptop virus that essentially wiped out the bios chip. good luck and i hope its not that thing

 

[SaveMyLaptopPlease]

If you have your XP disc, try a repair install. It will reinstall windows and not require a format or loss of data. You can also create a boot disc like a BartPE (http/www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/) to access the disc and copy out data to a flash drive. Sounds like maybe a bad boot.ini file. read this http/articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6031733.html.

Thank you for your quick reply and advice...I don't have my XP disc, only the original 3 CD's from Toshiba (Recovery and Applications/Drivers but when I attempted to use them it stated that it would erase everything and I guess essentially FDisk it so I cancelled out and thought I would try this route. I will look into the BartPE tomorrow and go from there. Thanks again.

 

[SaveMyLaptopPlease]

Hopefully its a software issue so do try to reinstall windows. if that doesn't work download ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) or bartPE as the above user said and back up your files to a flash drive. then format and start over with windows.
I did have a similar problem with a laptop virus that essentially wiped out the bios chip. good luck and i hope its not that thing

Thank you very much for your reply and advice, I will definitely try your ideas and see what happens.

 

[buwish]

Best answer selected by buwish.