Windows 7: Startup Repair -

I recently connected my desktop to wi-fi in my home after several years of not having the luxury. Once I got it connected, the updates began to come in. The last update I ran was on Saturday night which ran all night. When I got up on Sunday, repair is still running and when I attempt to cancel it says it cannot be cancelled. I have been able to shut it down by turning the power off. What can I do? At one point i was able to get to a screen which gave me an option to go to command prompt. Is there hope? I really do not have the money to get this repaired but must because of work. I just had the admin account unlocked because I could not get in due to a bad spelling of a password. Can someone help me?

Hello Williford62 and welcome to Seven Forums.

Just so I have a better understanding of everything that went on prior to connecting your desktop to wi-fi . . . How was the desktop originally set up for your internet connection? Did you try going back to that configuration and eliminate the wi-fi?

With your computer in its original internet configuration (no wi-fi connections at all) can you access Safe Mode through the Advanced Boot Options menu? If yes, do you have a restore point going back to before you hooked up the wi-fi? If yes, you might be able to undo everything the wi-fi experiment did. If no, you could try running the Startup Repair. It might have to be run 3 separate times, rebooting in between each run.

Manually turning off the power could have damaged or corrupted other system files. You could try running a System File Checker scan from an elevated command prompt or if you can't access that try running it from a command prompt at boot.

You may also find some suggestions in these tutorials prepared by one of our Forum experts. The first is general troubleshooting suggestions and the second is specifically for failure to start problems.

Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Boot

The last time the computer had internet connection was November of 2007. I have not been able to get internet services due to financial problems so I just used the machine to write, store pictures, and such. I had also somehow mispelled the password to the Admin account in 2010 so besides not having internet connection i was also not able to do any kind of changes. The computer does not have wi-fi so I purchased a IOGear drive to give me wi-fi ability on the computer. I installed it last Wednesday and it worked beautifully. As I mentioned, the updates came almost continuously and i remember looking at the last update on Saturday which was for Windows Vista. I also remember looking to see if all of the updates were actually loading and saw that there were a few that the updates had failed, Windows Vista being one of them. The update ran all night and all day Sunday. When I attempted cancellation, it showed me a window that said the process could not be cancelled. I do not have another internet connection and will not be able to have one.
I attempted the Safe mode yesterday and it took me directly to the Startup Repair. On Monday I had a screen which gave me a command prompt opportunity but I have no idea what I am doing so I knew that would not do me any good. I have a restore disk and inserted it hoping it would read it but nothing happend. Just the Startup Repair.

Reboot the computer and tap the F8 key at boot to try to access System Recovery Options to run System Restore to before the updates were interrupted, working back to a point in time when it works OK.

If you don't have the Recovery Options on F8 menu, you'll need to track down a Windows Vista Repair CD or DVD for your licensed version to do the repairs or Clean Reinstall following these same steps for Windows 7.

Dell has official Vista installer files used to create an ISO posted for download here: Dell Community. Note that in Vista when you insert your Product Key during install it will load your licensed version.

I am not able to get to a screen to do any of what you mentioned.

Then you'll need to find a Vista Installation DVD or Repair CD to boot and use it's System Recovery Options.

Do you have a Factory Recovery partition on the HD, or a set of Recovery Disks you made or were provided? You could back up your files and a backup image of your Vista, try running Factory Recovery to set it back to factory condition and start over.

Thanks. I will have to order one from acer.

I visited the Acer sight to order the disc and I am told that it is no longer available due to "terms with Microsoft". Any suggestions? I really need to get this desktop up and going.

I gave you a link in Step 4 to compile a Vista installation ISO to burn to DVD with ImgBurn at 4x speed. This is all you need to get the same perfect reinstall as in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

I do not want to sound like I have lost my mind on this situation. Tonight the computer came on (had a power outage due to storm) and this has been the first time in this whole ordeal that I got to a screen that is giving me a command prompt option. I am not sure what I can do to get this pc up and going but i am hoping someone out there can help me.