X:\windows\system32\cmd.exe - What is this...???

Hi,

You'll have to excuse any shortcomings I have with my computer literacy. The other day my laptop slowed to a crawl so my wife hard-booted it. When I restarted it, it brings up a screen that says:

Windows Error Recovery
Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.
If Windows files have been damaged or configured incorrectly, Startup Repair can help diagnose and fix the problem. If power was interrupted during startup, choose Start Windows Normally.
(here I have two choices)
Launch Startup Repair
Start Windows Normally

Choosing either selection takes me to the same command prompt screen (see attached pic).

From here I cannot type anything in the command prompt. I've tried pressing F8 at startup and selecting repair computer, but I always end up back at the command prompt after Windows tries to start.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Jay

Thanks for the replay. OK, I created a repair disk. Things seem pretty buggered up. I can't get F10 to work from startup (it just takes me to the black "Window Error Recovery" screen). The only way I could access the disk is to press Esc at startup and F9 to access "boot device options" and select "Internal CD/DVD Rom Drive". I did this with the disk installed and it seemed as if something was happening, but then it brought up the windows 7 screen (blue with the little bird on it) and just froze there (mouse pointer worked but that's it). I left it for 4 hours, but nothing happened. So I tried booting again from the DVD, but nothing happens. It just takes me to the "Windows Error Recovery" screen again.

Hi Essenbe,

When I use the repair disk I get the black screen that says "Windows is loading files...". Then I get the "System Recovery Options" box where you select your language and keyboard. Once I complete this I just get the windows background screen (see pic attached). It doesn't jump to the logon option where you can enter username/password as described in the link you provided. I can use the pointer, but there's nothing else there on screen. I've tried this twice now, the first time I left it for 4 hours, but nothing else happened.

I've also tried accessing the "Advanced Boot Options" and selecting "Repair Computer". Here I just end up at the message window that I attached in my first post.

I created the disk from my desktop which is 64-bit as well.

I can get to that first box (from the link you just posted) where you need to select language and keyboard. But when I click "Next", the box disappears and I'm left with just the background screen and nothing seems to progress any further. As I had mentioned previously I allowed it to sit for 4 hours, but still nothing. Any Ideas?

Occasionally when this error happens when you restart you CPU windows won't detect keyboard inputs not recognizing your key stroke attempting to boot from disk ,so when you restart the CPU with the install disk loaded press delete when loading to go into your bios set up , unplug keyboard and plug it back in then save and leave bios setup then when it restarts it will allow you to reboot from the disk as it will accept the keyboard input