Windows has failed to start......

[TonguePunch]

I have an old eMachines W 3609. It came with Vista Home basic pre in-stalled. It's been sitting in my closet over three years now. I got it out a few weeks ago to update it for my sister (Her laptop was stolen) to use for school. Everything worked fine except for the cd/dvd drive. I tried to do an un-install and re-install but before I could re-install my cat stepped on the surge protector and shut the power to the pc off. Now when I start the pc up I get "windows has failed to start" error.
I have tried to start in safe mode, last known good config....nothing. I have disabled the auto restart and got the blue screen with error code 0x7B. I also, tried to do a clean install of vista but cd/dvd drive is not working. I have to unplug the optic drive for pc to even try to boot. If the drive is plugged up the pc won't do anything.
Can any one help? I would just throw the thing away but she really needs to use it.

 

[liquidsnaske]

Hi Tongue,

I'm sorry to hear about your daughters laptop, I guess some people are desperate to get back to chasing. I think the way to go here is a clean install but it sounds like the dvd/cd drive is broken so you will have to use a different method to install. It's possible to create a USB memory stick as a windows installer, then if the laptop can boot from the USB you should be able to install windows using that. There's plenty of guides around the internet that will walk you through the process http://digiex.net/guides-reviews/guides-tutorials/windows-guides/1319-how-install-windows-7-windows-vista-usb-stick-memory-card.html looks good if you're happy using command prompt. If you aren't you could look at http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/181538-usb-bootable-vista-installation-flash-thumb-drive.html instead. Please let me know how you get on.

Hope that helps

 

[TonguePunch]

Thanks for your help liquid! I used a program called WintoFlash to transfer my Vista files to flash drive. Set bio's to boot from "removable disk". Booted from flash drive Vista installed over the existing partition,which as you know erased the partition. After the "Expanding Files" finished and pc rebooted the install process started all over again! Since the "clean" install erased my partition, I could now install my new cd/dvd drive. I rebooted the went back to bio's and changed to "boot from cd" WORKS FINE NOW!
I still don't know what caused the error but, Its been fixed!