Windows 7: Startup Repair Infinite Loop Recovery

If you've ever experienced a Startup RepairClick here to read the entire tutorial

I have been following your guide but have quickly hit a problem.

Firstly the system recovery tool startup screen advises me that Windows 7 is installed on D: (I thought it was C. Anyway, in CMD I can access C: but it contains just two folders called files & recovery and a file called install.wim. No sign of the windows folder.

I cannot access D: as it says "data redundancy error (cyclic redundancy check)". After some quick googling I have tried running chkdsk on this drive but it tells me that it is RAW and chkdsk cannot performed on RAW drives. So this is where I have got.

I am not adverse to completely formatting with a new install but there are some files I would like to copy over first. So any help on how I could access files to copy to an external hdd would be welcomed too.

Hey so here is my deal.
I have a Inspiron dell with with windows 7 and intel core duo (I'm reading the stickers on my comp)
I keep getting a "bootmgr is missing" and to press control alt delete to restart. I've tried many ways to fix it such as going into command prompt and entered the following:
Bootrec /RebuildBcd (enter)
Bootrec /FixMbr (enter)
Bootrec /Fixboot (enter)
Another website had me type this into the command prompt As well:
bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup (enter)
c: (enter)
cd boot (enter)
attrib bcd -s -h -r (enter)
ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old (enter)
bootrec /RebuildBcd (enter)
That still has not fixed my problem. Also the startup Repair does not work. When attempting to repair it stops and says "startup repair cannot repair this computer automatically"
Additional notes: when I pull up my system recovery options after hitting f12 at the dell load screen and loading from the cd drive. It says "operating system: unknown on (unknown) local disk" above my recovery options.
System restore option says "to use system restore, you must specify which windows installation to restore. Restart computer, select operating system, then select system restore." nothing seems to work and when i first start the repair system option before I get to the 5 options of startup repair, system repair etc. the box that comes up finds no operating system.
Please help if any additional info is needed just let me know

Also I am not to knowledged in what I'm doing so explain it like im a noob lol thank you

Sadly I think this tutorial only works if you have not tried any other recovery techniques such as the bootrec options and you use the regback file immediately after the failure.
The last 12 hrs has revealed:
Many people experience this after an update
Many people are very annoyed that the System restore utility just does not work when this happens (0x8000ffff)
Many people are stuck in Startup repair loop and Microsoft have again messed something up
Many people say it happens again even after a full re-install
Some people find a FULL format and re-install works .....?

I got this problem after installing a brand new hybrid drive and I wonder if the OS/HW has trouble with interpreting the new disk although it has worked perfectly for 3 days. Oh well I'll try another 3 evening re-installing after a full format.

My SAM is 65,536 and SECURITY is 45,056 only. My DEFAULT is about 3.3m. Should I continue?

Fresh install, Windows 7 went without hitch then Office 2010 , no problem. Windows Update updated 3 files and rebooted, now I am stuck in Start up repair again.
Reports Registry is corrupt again.

Hybrid Drive....Seagate software was totally pants too. Would not work, did a silly reboot into linux and refused to do anything. Drive detect finds drive ok but links to website to find firmware updates and after tediously filling in serial number, stock number and a couple of other things only to be told the system is not working and to try again later.

Can nobody write a reliable piece of code any more?

I'll go back and try the manual registry back up before doing anything else this time. Feeling a move to linux coming on ....

Man, I have spent hours trying to fix a friends computer that was disabled by a virus. I found this article and followed the instructions perfectly and IT WORKED!! This thread is a lifesaver if you have the same problem. I even registered so I could write this review so I am impressed!! Thank you soooooo much for your assistance!

Saved my bacon!
Thanks!

Thanks for the tutorial sir,

It was the only way I could solve this problem!!

THANK YOU

Thank you! Followed instructions exactly and it got me out of the dreaded loop. Had a couple of power ons/offs right in a row due to T.D. Isaac this afternoon and worried my computer was toast as a result. All seems well now.

Hey! Thanks for the great guide! Unfortunately, My girlfriend dropped my laptop, played it for a while, then it randomly reset and got the infinite loop. I used your awesome guide, and it seemed to work at first. Then I restarted and...back to the loop. I then chose to restore my system using Acer eRecovery, and it's running as we speak. I'll get back to this when it's done. But thanks for the guide!

Well I ran it and it gave me an Error 0x7, but didnt explain what that meant. I believe, from my mediocre tech experience that the drop could've damaged the hard drive? And if so, how would i be able to repair it? I really don't want to buy a new one :P