Just a cursor

[Bill909]

Working on a T5048. All I get is a blinking cursor after the POST. Used a system restore disk, and selected the option to backup data. That ran fine in that the disk had activity, and progress on the screen. After removing the CD and rebooting, got the same blinking cursor. I put the hard drive in another computer as "slave" and was able to copy off all the backed up data in the backup folder.
Still, won't boot up. Maybe a problem with the MBR, but how to fix with the emach restore disk allows nothing but a factory restore using the DOS partition on the hard drive?

 

[Outlander_04]

I dont think you will be able to do anything except a factory restore with that disk

 

[Bill909]

Yes, that does seem to be the situation, yet the "factory" restore just leaves me with a blinking cursor and nothing else.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Make a note of required drivers and key,
Format, reinstall reactivate
Moto

 

[Bill909]

Yep, trying a "destructive reinstall" now, hoping the formatting of the NTFS partition will restore the MBR and whatever else may be needed to get it to boot.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

That worked on a clients 'wifes' laptop for me , just make sure you have all drivers before formatting,
Things like sysytem restore virus move files, as I recently found out and had to physically ID the net adaptors to deduce the required driver
Moto