Brand new laptop will not start properly

[Western_Exile]

I am trying to set up my daughter's new laptop. When I switch it on, a boot menu comes up with a countdown of ten seconds to an automatic boot. After the ten seconds another page appears with two options:

1 Load FreeDOS including HIMEM XMS-memory driver

2  Load FreeDOS without drivers

I have tried both options but in either case, or if I don’t select either, after a few seconds this screen disappears and is replaced by a blank screen with C :\> and a flashing cursor in the top left of the screen. And that stays there until I switch the laptop off again. 

I have been through the HP virtual troubleshooter but that did not help.

Any advice please?

[Huffer]

The flashing C:\ prompt is DOS. Try entering a command like dir /p after the C:\> prompt and it should bring up a list of what is on the hard drive. 

Did you realize you bought a laptop without a Windows operating system? 

[Western_Exile]

No, I did not realise I had bought a laptop without Windows! I do now though! Thanks for your help.

Happy New Year!

[Huffer]

And to you and yours! Post back if you need help getting Windows on it.