A105-S4364 We apologize for the inconvenience...

Question

That's the beginning of the message I get when I boot up.  It continues..."but Windows did not start successfully.  A recent hardware or software change might have caused this."  (I didn't change anything other than a location...took the laptop to Florida over spring break.)  Black screen with white writing and continues, "If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked." 
It won't allow me to start up in safe mode or last known good configuration, etc.  It continues to go back to this same message.  I'm not terribly computer-savvy, nor can I find the recovery disk.  I desparately need some of the items stored on this computer.  Am I out of luck?  Any advice?

Answer 1

mlredmon wrote:
That's the beginning of the message I get when I boot up.  It continues..."but Windows did not start successfully.  A recent hardware or software change might have caused this."  (I didn't change anything other than a location...took the laptop to Florida over spring break.)  Black screen with white writing and continues, "If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked." 
It won't allow me to start up in safe mode or last known good configuration, etc.  It continues to go back to this same message.  I'm not terribly computer-savvy, nor can I find the recovery disk.  I desparately need some of the items stored on this computer.  Am I out of luck?  Any advice?
Advice?  Why weren't you making backups?  I guess you've just learned something the hard way.
I can't help with the error, but if you need what's on the disc, the quickest solution is to buy an external enclosure, and put the drive into it.  Then just plug the enclosure into another computer and you'll have access.
You're looking for something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817106099
Make sure it has an internal SATA interface, so that the drive will connect (older drives have a PATA or ATA interface).
Instructions for drive removal are here:
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/Toshiba-Satellite-A105/remove-motherboard-1.htm
After you've recovered from this incident, buy another drive for the enclosure and start making regular backups.
Good luck.