Windows 7: Boot problem

Hi, I have a pc that has been running windows 7 pro fine for a couple of years.
Today it wont boot stopping with the message:

Windows failed to start.A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.
To fix the problem:
1.Insert windows installation disc and restart your computer
2.Choose your language settings and then click "next"
3.Click "repair your computer"

If you do not have this disc contact your system admininistartor or computer manufaturer for assistance.

Status: 0xc000000e

Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible.

This machine has only one dvd drive and one hdd.
I have checked the boot list in the bios settings and the cd drive is first then the hdd second.
If I insert the windows 7 cd and press any key to boot from cd when prompted I still end up at the "windows failed to start " screen.
At this point I have the option to select "Laucnh startup repair" or "start windows normally" but I cant select them, the machine just counts down and continues to try to launch startup repair and fails with the 0xc000000e error.



I would really appreciate any guidance at all.

Does it try to boot from the DVD drive or is it ignoring the DVD drive and trying to boot Windows from the hard drive?

If you press F8 BEFORE Windows starts you should get a menu and one item should be recovery console and another last known good configuration. Try one of those.

Doing a google search for that .....e error suggests a potential failing hard drive, too.

Hi, Thanks for your reply.
I dont think it is trying to boot from the dvd drive.
While it is starting up I see the message saying "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD" but pressing any key seems to have no effect and it just goes straight to the boot manager failure screen.
Also the dvd drive light doesnt flicker at all during boot so I assume its not looking there.

F8 wont do anything for me at all I'm afraid, its like the keyboard is disconnected but I know is is OK as I can press "Delete" and access the bios menus.

Well, if you get the press any message then it`s trying to boot from the dvd. You say hitting the keyboard does nothing ? That`s the problem then.

If I press delete during startup I can get to the bios setup menu and the keyboard works fine there so I'm sure the keyboard is working OK.

Well it could be the disc then.

Does the HD show up in BIOS setup? If not it's gone bad or needs reinstalling.

Work through these steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Boot - Windows 7 Forums

Download the latest Windows 7 installer ISO for your licensed version to burn to DVD or write to flash stick with tool given here, so you can boot to do repairs or reinstall after copying out your data, if it comes to that: Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Perfomring a startup repair
OR
I suggest you to Rebuild the BCD store manually by using the Bcdedit.exe tool.

To do this, follow these steps:
1. Put the Windows Vista installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, and a keyboard or another input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type Bootrec /RebuildBcd , and then press ENTER.

• If the Bootrec.exe tool runs successfully, it presents you with an installation path of a Windows directory. To add the entry to the BCD store, type Yes . A confirmation message appears that indicates the entry was added successfully.
• If the Bootrec.exe tool cannot locate any missing Windows installations, you must remove the BCD store, and then you must re-create it. To do this, type the following commands in the order in which they are presented. Press ENTER after each command.

Bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old
Bootrec /rebuildbcd

8. Restart the computer.

Hi Thud. Have you tried to set BIOS to the default setting?

Is good to fill in your machine spec on your left-lower-corner post. So that we can see it

Kevin