You need the Win7 DVD for repairs as you are finding. When you get back into Win7, compile the install files into ISO and burn to DVD using this: Bootable ISO - Create from Installation Files
For now, you need to download and burn to CD the Repair disk: Download Windows 7 System Recovery Discs — The NeoSmart Files
Boot the Repair CD, cllick through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to start Win7.
Should have installed from a USB flash drive. I bet 90% of installation errors are directly caused by the install dvd. The remaining 10% is resultant of a split between an attempt to install a bootleg* copy of windows, attempts to install on incompatible hardware, and encompassed by terminal stupidity.
* (comparing the theft of 1s and 0s to seaborne acts of rape and murder sounds a bit ridiculous to me)
i tried to boot using the cd. when this problem first started, i got two choices. Start windows normally or repair. When I picked normally it tried to start up and then go back to the same. I then picked repair. I tried all the repair options. The only one that would run is start up repair, but it just runs and runs. When I hit f8 and try anything from that list nothing happens. Any other suggestions?
If you have an older machine and are trying to restore using a system image it could easily take as much as 6 hours, during which there would be almost no visual indication of any progress being made
Run startup repair fully 3 times with reboots.
Usually when a machine gets that badly stuck it's time for a clean install
Here's how I got out of the loop:
1- attempted boot from DigitalRiver iso DVD.
2- the CD started to "Repair."
3- cancelled repair and another widow opened allowing multiple other repair choices .
4- none of those worked and I then chose "restart Windows."
5- restart took me to the F2, F12, etc. menu.
6- hit F8 ==> "hit any key to start from CD."
7- voila! I was allowed to reinstall Win 7.
I cannot adequately explain why the system let me discontinue the endless repair loop. Most times I received a message stating that I couldn't stop the repair. I'm studying to be a computer tech and am tenacious by nature. Don't give up. I hope this helps someone.
PRS
Glad you got your DVD to boot to reinstall Win7 - remember F8 for the future.
You would know whether your WIn7 installation was in fact reparable if you had run from the DVD Recovery Tools list you acessed Startup Repair at least three separate times with reboots.
When you bailed out of it because it took too long then that didn't count as running it even once, so it cannot be said that it wouldn't work. It takes as long as it takes, with timeouts built in so it won't run forever.
Hurm...
This is the exactly the same problem I seem to be having right now, and although Startup Repair hasn't completed it's first run yet, the similarities to the case in the first post of this thread don't fill me with optimism.
I mostly use my PC for gaming, and I noticed a few odd crashes at specific points in a couple of games. First time it happened, I assumed it was a problem with some new DLC and I fixed it with a reinstall of that game. Then I got a very similar problem in an entirely different game, and I started to get a little suspicious. Virus and spy-ware scans turned up nothing, but I noticed my computer was now a little slow for the first five minutes after start-up. I also started getting disk consistency checks turning up corrupted files in odd, unrelated places. I switched on my computer this afternoon and now I'm staring at the Startup Repair screen.
My computer is about six months old, and since I made pretty damn sure all the parts were top-notch when I built the thing I doubt it's a hardware issue.
My concern isn't so much with how to fix this, it's more a question of what on earth caused it and how do I stop it happening again?
First suspect would be display driver. Check optional Windows Update for newer, then your computer/card maker's Support Downloads website. Try all available drivers to see if it stops. Roll back if not.
Check also the Event Viewer>Admin view and Performance-Diagnostics logs for errors logged at exact moment of fail. Google to solution.
Test your memory using memtest86 and HD using maker's diag/repair full CD scan.
Run sfc /scannow to check system file integrity.
Consider a clean reinstall using clean-copy installer for your version with Product Key stickered to box, wiping the HD first to overcome factory bloatware and useless utilities: SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation
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