Windows won't start up, startup repair can't fix it

[myoffive]

I hate it when this happens and so far, the startup repair has always been able to fix the problem. Today, I'm not so lucky.
I'm using my other built right now coz I have to work. I don't remember what updates I did last night but I do remember the dvd drive firmware was updated.

I popped in the system restore disc, start it up and the same page appears: Start with windows start up or Start windows normally. Tried both and neither one of them would bring up system restore. This built was only a month old and was hardly used so far so no system restore point was created at this point. I have files in it that I would like to keep but I can't get to them right now so a clean fresh install is needed but I can't get it up.

Any suggestions?

 

[Jonmor68]

Try starting with dvd drive disconnected, it may be the firmware caused the problem.
Also see if you can start in safe mode and uninstall the the last updates if the above fails.

 

[myoffive]

Hi Jonmor68!
I started with the dvd drive disconnected and it still showed the same thing and system startup repair couldn't repair the problem. I shut it down, hit F8 and the windows started up to the last configuration when it was good.

Since I can't narrow it down to what it could have been (perhaps the firmware), what would the best next step be?
I'll have to transfer files to my external and my other built and do a clean install perhaps. Just start brand new. :-/ although I hope I didn't have to come to that.

 

[Jonmor68]

If the start up repair won't work, you have little choice. It will be quicker in the long run.

"I shut it down, hit F8 and the windows started up to the last configuration when it was good."
Does that mean you got it going now?

 

[jimmysmitty]

Hi Jonmor68!
I started with the dvd drive disconnected and it still showed the same thing and system startup repair couldn't repair the problem. I shut it down, hit F8 and the windows started up to the last configuration when it was good.

Since I can't narrow it down to what it could have been (perhaps the firmware), what would the best next step be?
I'll have to transfer files to my external and my other built and do a clean install perhaps. Just start brand new. :-/ although I hope I didn't have to come to that.

There is a cool feature of the Windows Vista and 7 installers. If you have a previous install of Windows on the HDD (be it XP, Vista or 7) and start the new install it will actually do whats called a Old Files so long as you do not format the HDD.

What it does is it will install 7 and tak the old Windows install and put it on C:\ in a folder called 'Windows.Old'. This includes the entire old C:\ from the previous install including Program Files, Windows folder and User folder.

What you need to do is get into your BIOS (or if you have a OEM computer such as a Dell, HP or Toshiba press the button to open the boot manager) and tell it to boot to the CD/DVD. Have the Windows 7 install disk in the drive and boot to it. When it starts, tell it to install Windows and when you get to the part with the HDD, do not format it. Just click next. It will tell you it found a previous Windows installation and that it will move it to 'Windows.Old'. Continue with the install and there ya go.

You will have access to all the old files you had before, minus Programs since they wont be registered properly but will still be there.

We use this at work all the time if a customer has a really nasty Windows killing Virus. Makes it so much easier since we do not have to transfer the files to a bench machine, install Windows and then transfer back. All we do is scan it clean, Install Windows and then move the wanted files over.

After you get what you want you can delete the entire folder so it doesn't take up any HDD space.

Here is a bit from Microsoft:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933168

Its more on how to restore the OS but I wouldn't recommend it since it will carry over any junk. The way I described would save your files while allowing you to do a clean install.

 

[myoffive]

Hi Jimmysmitty,

I already did a clean install before I read your post but I have an extra hdd installed so I moved all my important files there and moved them back when the installation is complete. I just mainly didn't want to have to do my bookmarks all over again, my downloaded software..etc. but it's ok, it just takes time to.

So far it's working fine. I like playing fbook games and it was lagging before the clean install. It's back to its former glory now, with flash working lightning fast. For a while there, it loaded soooo slow when it shouldn't.

I ran the Auslogics Disk Doctor and it says errors were found on my C: drive. I've schedule the check for when I shut down here after I post.

I'll also run memtest afterwards. My work requires the computer so I have to wait till I finish before I can leave it for 2 hours while the test runs. sigh.. I'm hoping everything will turn out alright.

 

[myoffive]

If the start up repair won't work, you have little choice. It will be quicker in the long run.

"I shut it down, hit F8 and the windows started up to the last configuration when it was good."
Does that mean you got it going now?

Hi,
Yes, I googled about startup repair and someone mentioned the F8 key so I got it to boot up for me and I re-installed window.

Like Jimmysmitty said, the windows.old folder appeared automatically. I deleted it because I already got all the files I needed.

Thank you guys.

 

[myoffive]

Best answer selected by myoffive.

 

[Jaepayg]

Hey just had this problem, went it bis reset to defaults, then changed all sata to IDE ode an wah lah it worked...

 

[spazztastik69]

i have an xp pro and i have a brand new hard drive i just put into it and in the Bios on start up its not detecting not only that i have tried 3 or 4 other hard drive i know work and its still not detecting the hard drives i've been working on PC for the past 12 years and i have never had this happen is there any thing i can do i have built the PC from scratch and everything is new i have tried factory installation disk of all sorts from win 98 to win 7 and nothing will install nothing is formatted on the HDD at all and it wont let me format the drive please help me some 1 its very frustrating

 

[Vaishak narayanan]

just DELETE any important file and REBOOT. now they will ask to installation disk to repair files. INSTALL the disk and then repair computer.

 

[Advised]

There is a cool feature of the Windows Vista and 7 installers. If you have a previous install of Windows on the HDD (be it XP, Vista or 7) and start the new install it will actually do whats called a Old Files so long as you do not format the HDD.

What it does is it will install 7 and tak the old Windows install and put it on C:\ in a folder called 'Windows.Old'. This includes the entire old C:\ from the previous install including Program Files, Windows folder and User folder.

What you need to do is get into your BIOS (or if you have a OEM computer such as a Dell, HP or Toshiba press the button to open the boot manager) and tell it to boot to the CD/DVD. Have the Windows 7 install disk in the drive and boot to it. When it starts, tell it to install Windows and when you get to the part with the HDD, do not format it. Just click next. It will tell you it found a previous Windows installation and that it will move it to 'Windows.Old'. Continue with the install and there ya go.

You will have access to all the old files you had before, minus Programs since they wont be registered properly but will still be there.

We use this at work all the time if a customer has a really nasty Windows killing Virus. Makes it so much easier since we do not have to transfer the files to a bench machine, install Windows and then transfer back. All we do is scan it clean, Install Windows and then move the wanted files over.

After you get what you want you can delete the entire folder so it doesn't take up any HDD space.

Here is a bit from Microsoft:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933168

Its more on how to restore the OS but I wouldn't recommend it since it will carry over any junk. The way I described would save your files while allowing you to do a clean install.[/quotemsg]

I know this post is a few year old, but I just wanted to say that this fixed my problem.
I've looked for hours on how to solve my situation w/o deleting any important data and I had no luck whatsoever. Until I saw this post the other day.

So I would just like to thank you, jimmysmitty.

 

[junade]

I hate it when this happens and so far, the startup repair has always been able to fix the problem. Today, I'm not so lucky.
I'm using my other built right now coz I have to work. I don't remember what updates I did last night but I do remember the dvd drive firmware was updated.

I popped in the system restore disc, start it up and the same page appears: Start with windows start up or Start windows normally. Tried both and neither one of them would bring up system restore. This built was only a month old and was hardly used so far so no system restore point was created at this point. I have files in it that I would like to keep but I can't get to them right now so a clean fresh install is needed but I can't get it up.

Any suggestions?

 

[Thesola10]

What I'm gonna say is not a solution!! I've got exactly the same issue, but in the install, so without "last good configuration" or "recovery point". I want to install it in D:\ drive with my Win 8.1 on C:\ preinstalled.

ASUS S56C
Intel Core i7 3537U
EFI included
nVidia GeForce GT740M
1 TB HDD; 24 GB SSD

Hi Jonmor68!
I started with the dvd drive disconnected and it still showed the same thing and system startup repair couldn't repair the problem. I shut it down, hit F8 and the windows started up to the last configuration when it was good.

Since I can't narrow it down to what it could have been (perhaps the firmware), what would the best next step be?
I'll have to transfer files to my external and my other built and do a clean install perhaps. Just start brand new. :-/ although I hope I didn't have to come to that.

 

[mindymac]

Hi Jonmor68!
I started with the dvd drive disconnected and it still showed the same thing and system startup repair couldn't repair the problem. I shut it down, hit F8 and the windows started up to the last configuration when it was good.

Since I can't narrow it down to what it could have been (perhaps the firmware), what would the best next step be?
I'll have to transfer files to my external and my other built and do a clean install perhaps. Just start brand new. :-/ although I hope I didn't have to come to that.

There is a cool feature of the Windows Vista and 7 installers. If you have a previous install of Windows on the HDD (be it XP, Vista or 7) and start the new install it will actually do whats called a Old Files so long as you do not format the HDD.

What it does is it will install 7 and tak the old Windows install and put it on C:\ in a folder called 'Windows.Old'. This includes the entire old C:\ from the previous install including Program Files, Windows folder and User folder.

What you need to do is get into your BIOS (or if you have a OEM computer such as a Dell, HP or Toshiba press the button to open the boot manager) and tell it to boot to the CD/DVD. Have the Windows 7 install disk in the drive and boot to it. When it starts, tell it to install Windows and when you get to the part with the HDD, do not format it. Just click next. It will tell you it found a previous Windows installation and that it will move it to 'Windows.Old'. Continue with the install and there ya go.
=============================***==

You canNOT do a repair install if Windows is not working.

=====================================
Here is a bit from Microsoft:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933168

Its more on how to restore the OS but I wouldn't recommend it since it will carry over any junk. The way I described would save your files while allowing you to do a clean install.

 

[RedneckJPT]

My start up repair won't even load can anyone help I don't have a recovery disk. I think i may have a serious problem

 

[Gehad Khan]

If the start up repair won't work, you have little choice. It will be quicker in the long run.

"I shut it down, hit F8 and the windows started up to the last configuration when it was good."
Does that mean you got it going now?

 

[Gehad Khan]

Thank you so much I pressed f8 bad it works ,,, now I need to know what gotta do after open ? Need to fix or instill or remove any thing or not it's working properly. ?

 

[Adyar Computers]

You can restart the system and press 8 to go safe mode for troubleshooting , its a easy step to follow anyone can do

http://www.adyarcomputers.com/it-support-hardware-issues-installation/windows-not-starting/