Problem with Windows Vista, please help

[pcuser]

Hi, today when i turned on my HP Desktop, it showed the blue screen that says "HP, and then F10 F11 F9 and ESC" after that screen goes away, it goes to a black screen and has a blinking underscore on the top left corner and stays there.
I've tried running it in safe mode pressing F8 alot on the startup blue screen, but it just wont work.
Ive also tried doing what ive seen what other people do, which is pressing F10 getting it to the setup screen, and then putting the hard drive as the first boot device. STILL DOESN'T WORK.
And I've seen people talk about some DISK, but my computer didn't come with any disk, BUT the display one.
Can someone please help me.

 

[Yard Dog]

Hello and wow. sounds like your hard drive may have failed totally, can you make this : Use Ubuntu Live CD to Backup Files from Your Dead Windows Computer - How-To Geek
If you can get in using this , there may be hope. Use a computer that can make this cd/dvd for you. Then try the instructions and post back .

 

[pcuser]

thank you, but if i do that, wouldn't it change my operating system to ubuntu?
i have never used ubuntu, so i have like no idea of that OS.
so lets say i actually do that whole process, would i be able to put it back to Windows vista?

 

[Yard Dog]

You may want to read that whole article and see what it does, it is simply a way, if your hard drive is not totally shot, to get any or all files off of that hard drive. If you want to go ahead and just test the hard drive without seeing if you can boot the Live CD from Ubuntu, then we could just go to Hard Drive Diagnostics . HD Diagnostic
My hard drive is a Seagate, so i ran the Seatools on mine. Do the long test. If you pass the test, then we can try to see what the software issue is.
I am not sure what HP uses for hard drives, but, instructions tell you how to find out. Good luck on this , post back what you end up doing, as we would like to see you up and running.

 

[pcuser]

ok, so i did the CD and it is running.
i currently see my computer running ubuntu and everything.
i am running it from the cd, but can i just install ubuntu into to harddrive?
i like the look of it and everything, but if i decide that i want to switch to windows, and i buy windows 7 from best buy, can i just simply install it?
i really appreciate your help.

 

[Yard Dog]

Well, that particular article is mainly instructions of how to back up your data , we still have issues to resolve , there are versions of Linux Ubuntu that you could install , and you would then be able to choose to boot into Ubuntu or Windows.
So, it appears your hard drive is not a total wreck, use the Hard Drive Diagnostic for your type hard drive and do the long test and lets see what shape the hard drive is in first.

 

[pcuser]

okay, the HD test finally finished and it says "short dst passed, and Long test PASSED"
what now?

 

[Yard Dog]

Whew !!! That is good news. http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88009-advanced-boot-options.html
Please read this and confirm that you are unable to get to that window and choose any of those options .

 

[pcuser]

i can not enter that black screen with those options.
no matter how quick i am at pressing F8, it wont go.

 

[Yard Dog]

What model number is your HP computer ?

 

[pcuser]

p6110y

 

[Yard Dog]

Check out page 64 here : http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01671449.pdf
System recovery options
You should attempt a system recovery in the following order:
1 Through the hard disk drive, from the Windows Vista Start menu.
2 Through the hard disk drive, by pressing the F11 key on the keyboard during system
startup.
3 Through recovery discs that you create.
4 Through recovery discs purchased from HP Support. To purchase recovery discs, go to
Hewlett Packard Technical Support - select a country or region and visit the Software & Driver downloads page for
your computer model.

 

[pcuser]

#1- i cant do because it doesnt go past the black screen.
#2- ive tried like 3 times, and it just wont go through
#3- i never created recovery discs
#4- i havent bought those

i know those recovery discs run at around $30 from HP, but now that i ran the tests on the HD, can i just install ubuntu on my computer, have it working for now, and then buy Windows 7 next week and just install it?

 

[Yard Dog]

Wow. F11 does not get you in ? Yeah, i have another computer with Ubuntu 10.4 on it, it is my emergency computer , if this one here totally breaks . Check out latest free Ubuntu. a version 11 or so . i have not got it , but, it is free.

 

[pcuser]

no, F11 doesnt get me in
so i can install ubuntu, and later install windows 7? with no problems?

 

[Yard Dog]

Yeah, or just use the cd version, but, you can install it if you want. Get the latest free version tho.

 

[pcuser]

do i install it, alongside my current operating system? or instead of my current operating system?

 

[Yard Dog]

I would install alongside

 

[pcuser]

thank you so much.
one more thing, i went to the best buy website, and there is a windows 7 upgrade for 119, and a windows 7 for 199, both home premiums.
which one would i need?

 

[pcuser]

another thing, its asking me where to install:
/dev/sda
/dev/sda1
/dev/sda3

which one do i put it on?