Laptop won't boot all teh way to the main menu please help or call me at 701-318-1979

Can you get to safe mode? Remove ALL Media, DVD, CD, USB, unplug, remove battery, plug in, reboot.

Check BIOS boot options and assign local hard drive as first for faster boot. This is also where you set CD\DVD as first to boot from disc. Look for F Key press on start up. It will be shown on screen. These can vary.

Many HP machines also have a boot menu option during boot. Again an F key and may vary.

Restart your computer, press repetedly a key to enter BIOS, normally Del, go to Advanced BIOS Features probably and change to boot primarly from CD/DVD (1st Boot Device CD/DVD , or something like that), save and exit BIOS, and restart your computer with Linux Mint CD inside. Be aware that if you make wrong changes in BIOS, you could damage your computer.

You will need a WinXP CD....
insert the CD and re-boot...
if boot seq is not set to boot from CD change it
restart PC...immediatly press either (F1, F2, Del) key to got to BIOS menu....
look for boot seq,
change the 1st boot dev to CD/DVd rom
save and exit BIOS menu
re-boot....
let the PC boot from CD
follow on screen inst...to reapir the OS or reinstall OS
for more info
got to my site
www.sureshayyar.110mb.com

Reg
Kris

If you are talking about the user password..you have no choice but reinstalling the operation system ...Use the recovery partition if you have one ..or recovery disk ..Or if non of these are a choice ..try with a boot able disk of the operation system ..
the procedure is pretty simple ..with the partition ..if it is present ..just restart he computer and press the F key for boot menu on start ..(its written on the start menu ,,usually is f12 or f11 for hp ) in the boot menu ..choose the recovery partition ..and choose complete reinstall of operation system ..It will bring it to teh factory settings ..
with the disk is a little different ..Insert the disk ..press same boot menu button ..and choose to boot from the disk ..it will ask you to press any key to confirm booting from disk ..and start the procedure..
if you use a operation system boot-able disk ..you proceed like with the recovery disk ..Insert it ..restart ...use the f12 key ..and choose teh cd /dvd as boot device ..and confirm by pressing any key ..and follow instructions ...I suggest to format the C drive before loading the files..(you will have the choice ) ..this way you get rid of any viruses for sure..
You will also need the drivers for it if you use a OS boot-able disk ...so ..download and store them before starting ..
Please ask if you have any questions ..
Your responses are intended to improve the level of service provided. Please show your appreciation by rating your experience.
Thank You.

It sounds like you have lost the boot manager file. The boot manager is a file set up by Windows to stop hackers from getting in to your system and if a problem occurs it is deleted by Windows.
When you try to boot and the desktop gets to POST, teh Dell page, quicklt hit F8
When, and it will take a few goes to get the timing right, you are succesfull a DOS menu will be shown on your screen
Select repair and follow the instructions.
Hope this helps.

If this is a thing happening in windows..it may be a bad operation system ..The system is corrupted and does not work proper..Just reinstall it ..If teh thing is about getting to BIOS settings..than try to see what key you hav to press exactly ..
if is teh boot menu you want to get to ..than pay attention on what key you have t press at start ..usually it is either F12 ..or F8 or just esc ..and it is indicated on the first screen ..or on the logo screen ..It says press f2 for settings ..and .......for boot menu

Go to the BIOS settings and in the main menu and set the first boot device as cd rom. Then reboot ........

Sometimes when you use ram sticks on some older computers they do not handle taking teh ram stick out of the USB port without first closing out teh device OR if you have the RAM stick in while you are booting the machine... it will select the ram stick as the boot device and appear there is no oprerating system present.

In you case when you go to the boot menu.. be sure the boot menu is set to select the hard drive as the primary boot device. If it is not then you can make the change at teh bott up screen.

Just boot into the device confuguration menu and serch for options for functiondal Key operations and change the options on it and boot into teh device OS again and try