Notebook will not boot

[rainebear]

I have a HP Pavilion notebook that runs on win 98. It has been working fine but when I tried to boot it the other day, it is getting stuck on the splash screen. I then went into the F9 and recieved the following:

PhoenixBIOS 4.0 Release 6.0
Copyright 1985-1998 Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
All Rights Reserved

Build Time: 12/25/98 14:51:03
VGA BIOS ver 2.20.64D
Copyright 1997-1998 HP Co.
Serial Number TW93404489
Notebook ID: 63272688

CPU = Celeron 433 MHz
0640K System RAM Passed
0063M Exstended RAM Passed
0128K Cache SRAM Passed
System BIOS shadowed
Video BIOS shadowed
UMB upper limit segment address: EAF6
Mouse initialized
Fixed Disk 0: HITACHI_DK239A-48
ATAPI CD-ROM: CD-224E

Starting Diagnostic ...

It then gets stuck at this. I have also tried to enter BIOS and boot from CD but I can not get into to set-up to change to CD boot. When I do the F1 it says "entering set-up and then never goes anywhere. This is actually my brother-inlaws notebook that they Boy Scouts use to keep there records on so I am trying to save the files, but I did have him back them up recently so if I have to wip it and start over we can do that, I just can't get it to that point. Any help would be appreciated.

[zandiago]

Good day. Sorry to hear about your dilema. Let's just start off with a few basic things so we could assist you better:
1. When you boot so you see the message that says: "Please select the operating system to start?" or do you hear any beep?
2. Which version of windows are you using? Have you contacted the manufacturers?
3. The Boot.ini file may be corrupted.
4. Possible that a boot sector/record may be damaged.
Good luck!

[rainebear]

Good day. Sorry to hear about your dilema. Let's just start off with a few basic things so we could assist you better:
1. When you boot so you see the message that says: "Please select the operating system to start?" or do you hear any beep?
2. Which version of windows are you using? Have you contacted the manufacturers?
3. The Boot.ini file may be corrupted.
4. Possible that a boot sector/record may be damaged.
Good luck!

Thank you zandiago for the response.

1. I never get to the point that it says "Please select the operating system to start?"

2. Win 98

3. Is there anything I can do to check the Boot.ini file?

4. same as 3.

Thanks

[zandiago]

Does you're laptop make a sound from the hard-drive (computer) other than from the motherboard? Have you tried contacting the manufacturer?

[Suspishio]

Dim recollection tells me that when you initiate a boot, holding down the C key forces it to boot from CD.

Once you have booted from CD you can repair or possibly edit the BOOT.INI record on the HDD. There's stacks of stuff if on BOOT.INI via google - especially in Microsoft support knowledgebase.

I'll leave you to do all that research andd help out when otherwise needed.