No safe mode - repair loop

ebuzz · Jun 11, 2012

Hi:
Noob to the forum here! I have a Win 7 64 bit pc that's I'm having an odd issue with.
The system will boot and load windows normally, but I can't get to safe mode. When I hit F8, I get the options for safe mode and repair, etc., but if I try safe mode it loads some stuff, then just stops and a get a black screen with "safe mode" in all 4 corners, a mouse, but nothing else.
When I hit "repair" it gets stuck in a repair loop. I've read the tutorial on how to get out of that loop, but was wondering if that's what I should try or if there's some other problem.
I'll need to ask a question later about why I need to get to "safe mode" but for now, anyone help on this issue?
thanks!

gregrocker · Jun 11, 2012

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map and listings, using the Snipping TOol in Start Menu.

After we confirm the correct flags are shown on the System partitions you can run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to repair the System boot files including the WInRE hotlink to F8 Advanced Boot Options.

ebuzz · Jun 11, 2012

Is this what you mean?

gregrocker · Jun 11, 2012

Your flags are all set correctly. Try running Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to see if it will repair the System boot files which write the Windows Repair link to F8 tools menu.

If not it may require a Repair Install.

There are more advanced methods to repair these links which are known to our colleague SIW2 if you want to message him to help: Link WinRE to F8 Advanced Boot Tools menu

ebuzz · Jun 12, 2012

gregrocker said:
Your flags are all set correctly. Try running Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to see if it will repair the System boot files which write the Windows Repair link to F8 tools menu.

If not it may require a Repair Install.

There are more advanced methods to repair these links which are known to our colleague SIW2 if you want to message him to help: Link WinRE to F8 Advanced Boot Tools menu

Great, I'll give this a try tonight and let you know. Any idea as to why this happens?

gregrocker · Jun 12, 2012

It appears the links are corrupted somehow. Those links can be repaired by Startup Repair, or if necessary can be reinstalled along with the entire OS during an in-place Upgrade known as Repair Install.

As stated you can also try rewriting the links manually which is a specialty of our colleague SIW2.

ebuzz · Jun 12, 2012

Ok, so I started this fix, got to the point where it says "press any key to boot from cd" then it said windows is loading files. Now, after about 40 minutes and still counting, I have the Starting windows screen up with the four colored flag just sitting there! And I don't think any thing is happening. No option to select repair.
Any thoughts? Oops, sorry to panic, after over an hour the repai option showed up. I selected it an now there's a blue screen with flowers.
I'll advise

ebuzz · Jun 12, 2012

Ok I was able to get through the repair. At the end it said if repairs we're successful windows would start normally, it did.
I did a restart and tried to get into safe mode but with no luck, same black screen, mouse and "safe mode" in all 4 corners, but nothing else. Are you saying that I need to do the repair 3 times, even when windows says that it will restart normally if the repairs worked?

gregrocker · Jun 12, 2012

That behavior in boot mode can mean something is wrong with hardware or the BIOS is corrupted.

Start by resetting your BIOS to defaults: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS .

Test your RAM - Test with Memtest86+ for 5-6 passes or overnight. Swap RAM sticks taking care to touch case while touching electronics to avoid static shock, check slots for debris.

Test your HD with maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan, followed by Disk Check on all partitions.

Run SFC -SCANNOW Command

Work through these other Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 .

ebuzz · Jun 13, 2012

OK, so I'm going to give up on the "set up repair" option and go straight to the "BIOS reset" method and see what happens there, right?

gregrocker · Jun 13, 2012

Right, I would check the hardware to see what's hanging Startup Repair so badly. It shouldn't normally hang like that for so long.

Have you made any changes recently to your system or hardware that might have affected it?

ebuzz · Jun 13, 2012

gregrocker said:
Have you made any changes recently to your system or hardware that might have affected it?

Nah, I don't think I've done anything like that. I was going to wait and bring this up after I fixed the start up problem (I wanted to get to safe mode and run virus and maleware tests), but maybe I should do it here b/c it's probably related to the trouble I'm having.
This all started because I had some files (photos etc.,) that were mysteriously deleted from a backup hard drive. First it was a backup, external HD where I had placed photos, ebooks and apps. One day they were there and the next day - gone. I thought it was simply a bad drive. When I ran a test on the drive with a forensic computer (law enforcement!) I found the files there, but corrupted & for some reason deleted. I then got another external HD and used that.
I ran all kinds of virus, etc., tests, but found nothing.
Then, I had some more files go missing from one of the internal drives.
So, that's when I decided to try to detect any potential virus, etc., by going into safe mode - and that's where we are today!
thanks

gregrocker · Jun 13, 2012

You can try to run Startup Repair again to see if it will run three times, however if it hangs as badly then something is likely wrong at the BIOS or hardware level.

ebuzz · Jun 13, 2012

Well, I tried the set up repair again and the same thing happened: it spent a long time on the loading windows screen, then ran the repair, but still no safe mode.I tried to run the repair twice, but the second time found nothing either. The only old thing is that when it found the OS to repair it said windows was on drive: D. But wibrows is on my C drive, not D.
I guess I'll have to work on the hardware method next.

gregrocker · Jun 13, 2012

The drive letters may change in repair mode.

Run a full scan using Malwarebytes

After clearing the hardware, I'd run SFC -SCANNOW Command and then possibly a Repair Install

ebuzz · Jun 14, 2012

gregrocker said:
The drive letters may change in repair mode.

Run a full scan using Malwarebytes

After clearing the hardware, I'd run SFC -SCANNOW Command and then possibly a Repair Install

Well, now I'm really depressed. I ran the malware check: nothing, ran the sfc scan: no issues. Then I did a repair install, all went well, but I still have the black screen in safe mode

gregrocker · Jun 14, 2012

You know that the screen is supposed to be black in Safe Mode, right?

There's also reduced functionality but try navigating in Explorer and the Start menu.

ebuzz · Jun 14, 2012

Well, didn't I always have a black screen but still icons? I know about limited functionality, but always still had some icons on the screen. Color me embarrassed if that was XP and not 7. I'll go recheck...
No, I knew i wasn't crazy, I don't have a start menu. Just a black screen and a mouse pointer.

gregrocker · Jun 14, 2012

I've never heard of this before. Are there any other problems with your install at all?

I don't know if you consider this grounds to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 but I would.

ebuzz · Jun 14, 2012

gregrocker said:
I've never heard of this before. Are there any other problems with your install at all?

I don't know if you consider this grounds to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 but I would.

I know of no other issues, windows runs fine. I may have to do a clean reinstall, but of course would rather not. As I said in earlier post, this all stems from the fact that some files have been deleted from drives without me doing it and as a result I wanted to get into safe mode to run checks because all checks so far have shown nothing.

No safe mode - repair loop

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