Bootmgr is missing, Win 7 DVD not exactly working?

I'm actually none too sure if this is the right place to post this (and excuse my computer illiteracy) but I'm running a Windows 7 Home premium 64 Dell laptop and for the past few days I've been facing a lot of lag and programs hanging. Because that was nothing new I brushed it aside. At first it was just itunes but then the antimalware and firefox (which I deleted in an angry rage but then installed again later) stopped responding. Last night, I was able to get itunes and firefox working again and I ran a few scans with McAfee and my lagging malwarebytes but nothing turned up so I thought I just needed to clean up some files. This morning, I booted up, logged on and was preparing to do my daily computer scans when the whole thing froze. I couldn't open up the task manager, close any programs, nothing, so I forced it to shut down. When I went to restart, after the Dell logo came up, I was graced with a black screen and then the message: Bootmgr is missing, press ctrl+alt+dlt to reRECOVERY (and then there are some random symbols after that).

Like I usually do, I googled for some help and tried to boot from the installation disk but after the windows is loading files bar is filled, the starting microsoft screen comes up and then a black screen with a cursor and nothing else. So now I can't boot up and I've mentally prepared myself to lose all my files. I'm not sure what to do, or if I can do anything at all and I just made it worse, so I figured I'd give posting in a forum a try for help. Sorry for my lack of specifics and probably putting this in the wrong place. Typical newbie confusion. :) ?

To Britton30, I tried that but startup repair is not one of the options listed. I took the disc out and tried but that didn't work either. It said it was the options for Windows Setup if that makes any difference.

And to my knowledge I have not meddled with any security anything. My laptop is reaching its 2 year mark soon, though.

Nope. Tried it earlier and again just now and after the starting windows screen (which sits for a minute or two and I'm not even sure is supposed to happen) the Win 7 prompt thing never comes up. Earlier I let it sit for a while but it didn't change. It always goes to a black screen with a cursor which I assume would be the prompt if only it wasn't covered in black. Suppose I should start scraping up money to send it somewhere.

Try booting into Safe Mode with Networking to install, update and run a full scan with Malwarebytes. If no Safe Mode, download, burn to CD or write to flash stick, boot and run a full scan with Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper

The choice you need on F8 Advanced Boot Options list is Repair My Computer, which will load WinRe, scan for an OS and offer Repair if needed. If not, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair anyway. Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

If no Repair console is on F8, then boot the DVD Repair console on second screen, or System Repair Disc - Create to do the above.

Startup Repair should automate System Restore and SFC, but if not run SysRestore from the Tools list manually, then open a Command Prompt there to run SFC -SCANNOW Run in Command Prompt at Boot.

Next test your HD using maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan, then test your RAM - Test with Memtest86+

Report back results and any questions for more steps, or you can copy out your files using DVD/Repair CD: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console,
then run full Factory Recovery from its partition using hotkey given on first boot screen or Recovery Disks you've made or order from manufacturer Tech Support.

Or find a Win7 installation DVD to clean reinstall with Product Key on COA sticker using the steps in the link below for a Perfect Reinstall.

We solve many problems here by replacing MucAfee which absolutely no one recommends and replacing it with free MS Essentials or Avast 6 which almost all of us do.

To Britton30: No? I was under the impression I needed the disk to do the thing from How to Geek. I can try it without the disk if that's what I'm really supposed to be doing. Sorry, I guess I didn't understand.

And to both of you: But anything else will have to wait until tomorrow.