After a failed Internet Explorer no boot

[Ecardius]

Hello everyone.  A friend of mine loaned me his Toshiba Satellite Laptop L35-S2161.  He was trying to install a new version of Internet Explorer I suppose it was the most recent version (he didnt know himself).  Anyway somewhere along the line the install went bad and he restarted the computer do to a freeze.  When you try to reboot you get the normal Toshiba Logo with the option to go to BIOS (f2) or choose which boot method (f12)...such as HD,LAN,FDD or DVD.  However there is no way what so ever that I see to get to the option menu most computers have which allows "Last Know Good Config" or "Safe Mode".  Normally it is (f8) from what I understand.  He told me not to format either because he has files on the system he wants to save however I don't see any other alternative.

[patio]

Get one of these to grab the data from the drive:
2.5" Laptop to IDE converter

                               

[Allan]

What is the OS?

[Ecardius]

Get one of these to grab the data from the drive:
2.5" Laptop to IDE converter

                               

I really have no expertise in hardware of laptops...My hardware skills end with Desktops.  I offered me service on my friends laptop because I figured it might be a software problem

The OS is windows xp home edition.

[Allan]

Boot to the XP CD and choose the SECOND repair option. This will install XP on top of itself, preserving all files, programs, and settings.

[Ecardius]

Boot to the XP CD and choose the SECOND repair option. This will install XP on top of itself, preserving all files, programs, and settings.

I have thought about this.  I do have one of the purple Dell CD's.  This would work ok even though the Laptop is Toshiba?  And I must ask and please in no way am I insulting you but you are completely sure that his files will be spared?

Actually my Dell CDS I have hear at my job are XP Pro 1A and another XP Pro Service Pack 2.  XP Home is what is installed on this Laptop.  Will that be an issue on a repair?

[Allan]

I'm not insulted. As long as you don't reformat, the only folder that will be impacted is the system folder. You can borrow a copy of XP Home from someone for the purpose of the repair install (it MUST be HOME & the same Service Pack version that you have installed). If you are still unsure about performing a repair install you can Google it and there are several sites that will walk you through it step by step, though it's a pretty straightforward process.

[patio]

No.
This will not work.
The Toshiba will reject a Dell install CD

[Ecardius]

So pretty much my friend only has the option of contacting Toshiba directly for a recovery disk and then trying to boot off of that and do a repair install?

[Allan]

No. As I said you can borrow a copy of XP Home from someone as long as it is the same Service Pack as what is currently installed.