Operating System Not Found! Help!

[Asparagus]

Hello all - I own a Compaq laptop and just tried booting up Win XP Home Edition. The Compaq splash screen came up, and then it went to a screen that said "Operating System not found". I used the computer just fine last night with no problems...had the computer off all day until this evening when I tried to boot up.

I tried restarting and pressed F8 to get into the safe mode options. I chose "Start Windows Normally" and was successful - I got back into Windows and backed up all my files.

Any ideas about why I got an "Operating System Not Found" error when I tried to boot up tonight? Why would I get that error but then be able to get in by pressing F8 and choosing "Start Windows Normally"? I am afraid to restart the laptop now...I don't know what it's going to do...

Help!

 

[Hough NutZ]

You don't have a floppy in the floppy drive do you?

 

[Asparagus]

Nope...no floppy in the drive...

 

[whistle]

Have you been defragmenting regularly? This could happen if the boot volume is severly fragmented. If you are able to boot into safe mode, run CHKDSK and then defragment.

 

[Stan]

Have you been defragmenting regularly? This could happen if the boot volume is severly fragmented. If you are able to boot into safe mode, run CHKDSK and then defragment.

Please post a MS Support Q#, or any other reference to back that up.

Could be a dying HD? Or maybe it needs to be reseated?