My family computer did just what sounds like yours did--made all sorts of whirly noises...and then it just won't get out of the black screen---Can't identify what is the culprit, but with 11 and 13 year old girls in the house, it could be anything
.... called in a friend who repairs computers for a living---but told us if we opened the back of the computer, the warranty is void.... and then finally called HP....had to order recovery disks....Our friend the techie told us that there is a reason that computers are now cheap---cheap stuff goes into them....and no matter what price you pay for them, they can and do crash.....
So the moral of the story is to BACK UP EVERYTHING
Of course I had not, and will no doubt lose everything....
Oh well, I still have my memories.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey!!! When did I get to be an "Old Timer"??? I don't know if I like being an "old" timer--
Can't I just be a