DSL-N :: /etc/fstab not working

Hi,
I have an old laptop running DSL-N, and it was working perfectly fine until now when I start it up it starts booting the kernel, then gives me this error message:

'/etc/init.d/checkroot.sh: line 44: /etc/fstab: Input/Output error
WARNING: couldn't open /etc/fstab: Input/Output error

fsck.ext2: Is a directorz while trzing to open /
/:
The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2 filesystem. If the device is valid and it realy contains an ext2 fileszstem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock is corrupt, and zou might trz running e2fsck with an alternative superblock:
e2fsck -b 8193 <device>'

I hope this makes sense to someone as I really want to fix this computer. It is my only source of contact when I am not at work, as I am in a foreign country right now and do not have a phone.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks,

It's corrupted. Can you reinstall?

I don't think I can reinstall. In order to install it I need to boot from the CD, can anyone tell me how to boot from the DSL_N cd to install using GRUB?

I used smart boot manager back when windows was on it, but now grub has replaced it. This laptop doesn't have a bios that supports booting from a CD, so I don't know how I would reinstall. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

I was hoping someone could tell me how to fix the problem.
I can get one of those dsl@box:`$ bash things.
I don't know much of anything about computers, so if someone could tell me what to do I will greatly appreciate your kindness.
Thanks!

Smart boot manager is available for Linux too.. If you could download it and install to a floppy and then boot the cd using that..

For future: you can have both smart boot manager & grub on it, by chaining, then you would preserve the ability to boot cd..

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