Windows Vista forum: BootMgr is missing problems

I have a Compaq Presario Notebook F500 Series. It has Vista home premium. I use Cox Cable's McAfee security suite. It is updated and run regularly.

This morning when I turned the laptop on, the audio, internet and some other applications weren't working (had Xs over the icons at the bottom). I have no idea why. I had run Spybot before shutting it down last night.

I tried running the basic repair fixes to no avail. I had started with the audio icon on the control panel and nothing worked. At one point in trying to fix the problem I got an error msg. but didn't write down the number - didn't think the problem would get worse. I think the error msg was something like 1200 or 1202. I put the laptop into safe mode and tried to run the virus scan and it wouldn't open. The McAfee logo box appeared then disappeared without opening. Same with some other programs. I could move files onto my flash drive however.

I was going to do a system restore and even though I had created a restore point months ago, the program indicated there was no restore point. XP was so much easier being able to just pick a date on the calendar. I have all my personal files on a disk and flash drive so I was going to reformat the computer. It had been running really slowly lately. Even though there was no indication of a virus I thought maybe it was infected. I couldn't run the reformat either. I did a disk check. I walked away from the computer to take a phone call and when I came back the screen was black with the BootMgr is missing message and press ctrl+alt+dlt msg was below.

I did that several times with no change. I pressed F10 on restart and checked out the miscellaneous tabs to see if there was anything helpful in that. The only thing I did that I thought I could do without screwing things up was the Primary Hard Disk Self Test. I ran that and it passed. I didn't want to fool with anything else. I know my limitations.

I did a search for Bootmgr is missing and all kinds of answers came up, all having to do with installation disks. I don't have recovery disks and Compaq didn't include installation disks.

I can do a lot as long as I get a step by step guide. I need my laptop for a trip. Can anyone please help me fix this bugger??? I'm using my old (2002) desktop now and it works better than my two year old laptop did.