I cannot restart my laptop. It is an HP Pavilion dv9451c and even when I insert my recovery disks, it will not restart. I am at the point that I want to wipe the hard drive and start over, or return the laptop to manufacturer's spec and start over, but I cannot even get onto the system to back up my data before I ask the tech to return it to factory spec. Any ideas how I can get onto my laptop? I have literally let it run for days and it still hasn't restarted. I am getting desperate!

... I need some more info please Click this then enter product name/number in the box under "Search again" then press the arrow key, right of box... perhaps then you can tell me correct "pavillion ". "...I have literally let it run for days and it still hasn't restarted...? ... what happens when you tap "F8" key @ boot-up? ... if you see a repair option "use it. Grrrr "...pentathol makes you sing like a canary" http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/... ... got brain freeze

Woops! Wrong model number. I have an HP Pavilion Entertainment notebook dv9417ca. I can't even get to the start up to hold down the F8 key. Before, it would attempt repairs, restore to an older date, and, after a few tries, restart and start up. Now, after this latest attempt to restore, it won't even get to the start up. I can see the lights go on; I hear the CD drive spin, but then, after a few seconds, it will try again and again and again, well, as I have said, I have let it run for days, trying to recover, but this time, no luck! I just need to get it to start once in Safe mode so I can back my email up, then I will happily wipe the drive or restore it to factory spec and start over. I hate feeling this helpless! I need to access my laptop and I can't. Rock and really hard place!

... leave the cd "OUT" and try this: ... Pressing the F11 key on a computer with an HP factory image will start System Recovery even if the prompt is not displayed. Grrrr "...pentathol makes you sing like a canary" http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/... ... got brain freeze

Don't worry, you're not the only one with this or a similar problem. I'm beginning to think it's a controller chip on the motherboard. Two disks in a dv9620us check out fine from different diagnostic tests, so it must be hardware related to the board or we'll have to reseat the video card. I'll come back to this posting of yours this weekend.