Toshiba laptop [error 22]

[Nom]

I was recently given a toshiba laptop and it wont let it boot, the first thing i see is [error 22]..i was thinking if it had to do with past issues with the laptop?..its not so new, yet not so old either..im wondering if anyone knows what can the problem be exacly, i was thinking of reformating it to windows xp or if possible vista..thats another thing im not sure what kind of windows it had. i might have to go to the bios and see if i can have it read the dvd drive first so i can try and format it all over
please help, thanx all.

 

[ckrieger]

All it says is error 22? Not like, GRUB Error 22? Just error 22?

 

[Nom]

Yea i also remember [GRUB] being there, saids a few other things on top..i cant currently say but later on today im gonna go check it out again and be more spacific.

 

[ckrieger]

Okay, well if it's GRUB error 22, then I believe that's where GRUB, the bootloader, can't access the partition on which it's installed. Whoever you got the laptop from most likely had linux installed, and just deleted the partition it was on. If you have Windows on there still, you'll have to repair the MBR, and nothing should be harmed. If you just boot from a Windows install disc, go to the recovery console, and type in fixboot and fixmbr (that's for XP), or for Vista, bootrec /fixboot and bootrec /fixmbr -- that should rectify your problem.

If there's nothing on the hard drive, no Windows installs or anything, then just reformat the thing and install Windows or your favorite flavor of linux.

ckrieger

 

[Nom]

Thanx a bunch ckrieger, ill keep updating you on this..all i gotta do is get my hands on it and see if ill be able to load xp

Cheers