[HavingProblems1]

sorry if im in the wrong place to post this but i need some help & im new here. here is my problem:

a friend of mine dropped a older model compaq presario off at my house for me to look at for them. im not new to computers but i have never come across this message before. when you start the computer (its a laptop, i am on my computer)it shows the windows 98 screen but then comes up "windows registry or SYSTEM.INI file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists."

also tells me to press any key to continue but no matter what i have pushed, it shuts its self off. i have even tried F8 to get it to come to the boot screen but it still shuts off.

i REALLY need help please & thank you.