Help with hp pavilion dv2500 boot

[Warhead]

My brother has had his hp pavilion dv2500 laptop for just over a year now and he went to turn it on today and it is saying 'windows has failed to start because system registry file is missing or corrupt'. The warranty has just run out, and he has no recovery discs with it, and states your computer includes a new system recovery feature that does not require CDs or DVDs, so he did not make one.
On the leaflet it states 'Press f11 when prompted' so we did and it then tells you to insert recovery disk!!!
Is there any way to recover this laptop or is it doomed??
Please help

Many thanks to all who help

 

[beermonster]

No it doesn't need them to recover, but it will ask to you to make a set should the HD fail, if you go into the bios with F10 you can run a hard drive diagnostics.

Your hard drive may have fail so will need replacing and recovering using disc these can be purchased if you go to the hp site and search for "recovery discs" and follow the links through.