hi there:
if the Recovery Disc you created doesn't work, and you are waiting to buy an XP cd on the Internet, keep in mind that neither of these will work if you have a faulty hard drive or Motherboard. :frown:
Keep in mind that on laptops older than 3 yrs. old, hard drives begin to crap out; 5 yrs. old, and it's almost a given they will fail. If your laptop is 5-11 yrs. old or older *you didn't mention what Windows came installed on the IBM laptop*, it's most likely your hard drive is toast. Since you don't have installation media *the Windows XP disc from IBM*, you might be able to buy that CD online from eBay, if it's available for your specific model. Most likely not.
You have also the problem of your data, running any of the fixes mentioned above has the potential to destroy any and all data on your laptop hard drive. If you have irreplaceable data on that laptop such as family photos, a huge music library, or personal tax information, I have a suggestion for you. Take your laptop into a reputable local computer store or find an independent A+ Certified Technican in your community who does laptop repairs. Tell him you suspect a faulty hard drive, and ask him how much he charges for data recovery? If that's reasonable, you can go to the next step and ask him to diagnose the laptop, and ask how much that is. Most computer stores like Best Buy charge for that service. Independents like me do not. :angel:
The Technician will usually have on hand a version of XP that will contain the Recovery Console mentioned above and can troulbeshoot and see if your Windows is recoverable, or you have a faulty component such as a bad hard drive or Motherboard. If your internal electronics in the laptop are ok, and your data backed up, the Technician can do a Windows reload and format the hard drive in the process and rectify the black screen and and any other bootup problems you may have. This is the best way to make sure you keep your data and get the computer fixed.
opcorn:
Depending on where you live a repair of the laptop might be $30 - $100 for the labor, and if faulty parts are found it may be another $40 - $200 or more. At that point if the repair is over $200 you may wish to simply have the Technician backup your data and spend your money on a new laptop--they now go for as little as $249 (Google Chromebook laptop). :banghead:
If the laptop has XP on it, it certainly is out of warranty, and it probably makes sense to replace it, if it has 1 or more faulty parts in it.
Hope that helps. :thumb:
BIGBEARJEDI