[fataltea]

So I installed updates on Vista. Shortly after, my system locked up, and I was given no choice but to hold down the power button to shut it off.

Unfortunately, now I can't make it start again.

On trying to start up, I am given the error "Windows failed to start, a recent hardware change may be the cause", or something along those lines.

All of the advice I can find tells me to use Safe Mode, or the Vista DVD.

I can't access those.

All any of those things accomplishes is a black screen with a white cursor.

I need to know - is there any way to reach the command prompt to format the disk without the Vista DVD, since I can't access it?

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Please give us some information about your computer.
Make, model, number.
When you are trying to boot in to safe mode do you get any kind of boot menu options?
Do you have the DVD?
Are you sure that you want to format and lose all of your data?

[hfcg]

Please give us some information about your computer.
Make, model, number.
When you are trying to boot in to safe mode do you get any kind of boot menu options?
Do you have the DVD?
Are you sure that you want to format and lose all of your data?

[Broni]

since I can't access it?

Do you mean, you have Vista DVD, but the computer doesn't want to boot to it?