My laptop was acting really funky and wasn't starting properly and I couldn't log on or do anything. So I ran a fsck and now I get this message as soon as I turn the laptop on. I downloaded the ubuntu iso from a different computer and put it on a usb and all I get is
"SYSLINUX 4.01 debian-20100714 EDD...." etc.
then a "_" and it won't let me type anything.
I have blank CD's but the start up disc creator will not recognise them or let me but the iso on it.
The iso I'm using is Ubuntu 10.04.
I need to fix this ASAP because I have schoolwork due.
Please help, and I'm a newbie so explain precisely!

In case you have deployed the iso on the USB as it should be, i assume that your HD is going (or is)
Take a look on the HD Led, if it is not blinking as it should be, but it always on you have to do a backup of your data from your HD.

I recommend that you connect your HD to another computer and copy all the data you need.

It is not the Hard drive. I also tried the USB on a different laptop of mine and it did the exact same thing so it may be the USB, I'm not sure.

So try to put on your USB a diefferent distro, and after you start the OS from the USB, check with :
fdisk -l
And see what your HD dev nodes is your local hd, probably it be /dev/sdbX where X is variable of number that each number is a diefferent partition, see on the output of the above command what the size of the drive is it and then run fsck on the HD again.
After you do that reboot and try to boot from the local hd, in case it didn't work post here your /boot/grub/menu.lst (or grub.conf in case you don't have menu.lst).

I tried using a different start-up disk and it worked fine.
I don't know why the USB wasn't working, but oh well.

Thanks for the help.