TEAC/Tascam 2488 Digital Portastudio MkI version (by 3 users)

Please can you help- I've borrowed a 2488 for a while and tried to do the right
thing- read the manual, familiarise myself with the layout- and hit a problem.
> The studio has some projects already stored to disk and I want to ensure I
dont mess with them when I put my own project on. Having powered up and
listened to one of the projects, I thought I'd listen to another and tried as I
thought to load it.
>
> The machine flashed up an error message about Error- run the auto restore
programme (exact words may have been different) but I can't see this in the
manual. Tried to exit or return to menu but buttons had no effect.
>
> I reasoned - I havent changed anything so what if I do power down despite the
manual saying to exit using the Shut Down Key first- surely I can't do any
damage. The 2488 powered off but switching on I now get Error- Cannot Boot.
Power Off and check H/W.
>
> What have I done- what is H/W?
> How do I carry out this command?
> Worse- have I damaged the machine?
> Just as worse- have I lost the projects already on the disc? I don't know if
they were protected.
>
> Please help- this is my first dealing with a portastudio and I'm quite
daunted by it.