Frozen laptop won't start

I wanted to do a comprehensive scan on a Compaq laptop (it came new with Norton Anti-Virus, which I bought a subscription to last summer).  It said I had to back up my files, which I tried to do on the Norton website.  It work real slow (slower than anything else I ever did) then just froze.  I turned it off and waited half an hour and turned it back on...it will not restart.

 

It will open in SAFE mode, but clicking on anything doesn't make anything work.  It has a startup check but it freezes on "command response" mode check.

 

I called the Norton 800 #...they told me to hold for tech support...I was on hold for 2 (two) hours (thank goodness for speaker phones and never spoke to anyone...finally gave up...

 

Suggestions...?   (Don't tell me to phone the 800#...)