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Windows 7 - System Recovery Options



System Recovery Options

How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7
Published by Brink
11-23-2008
Default System Recovery Options

How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7

information   Information
This will show you how to boot to the System Recovery Options screen to select the Startup Repair, System Restore, Complete PC Restore, Memory Diagnostic Tool, or Command Prompt option to use on Windows 7.
Note   Note
The System Recovery Options menu is on the Windows 7 installation disc. If your computer manufacturer (OEM) has preinstalled recovery options, the menu might also be installed on your hard disk as a recovery partition. If your computer does not include the System Recovery Options menu, your computer manufacturer (OEM) might have customized or replaced the tool. Check the information that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.





METHOD ONE

Using a OEM Recovery Partition

NOTE: This is if your computer did not come with a Windows 7 installation DVD, and has pre-installed recovery options (recovery partition) instead.
1. Start or Restart the computer.

2. Boot into the Advanced Boot Options screen.
A) Select Repair your computer and press Enter.
3. Select your keyboard language preferences and click on Next. (See screeshot below).
System Recovery Options-step6.jpg
4. Select your user name and type in the password, and then click on OK.
System Recovery Options-step6a.jpg
5. Go to step 6 in METHOD TWO below.





METHOD TWO

Using a Windows 7 Installation Disc
1. Insert the Windows 7 installation disc or System Repair Disc into the CD/DVD drive and restart the computer.
WARNING: Check to make sure that you set the BIOS to have the CD or DVD drive listed first in the boot order.

2. If prompted, press any key to boot from the Windows 7 installation DVD. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will only have about 8 seconds to press this key.
System Recovery Options-boot-cd-prompt.jpg
3. Select your language preferences and click on Next. (See screeshot below).
System Recovery Options-language.jpg
4. Click on Repair your computer. (See screenshot below)
System Recovery Options-repair_option.jpg
5. Select which operating system you want to restore and the click on Next. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If Windows 7 is not listed here, or it is blank, then it is ok. Click on Next anyway.
System Recovery Options-select_os.jpgSystem Recovery Options-xp-w7_3.jpg
6. Select the system recovery option you want to do. (See screenshot below)
System Recovery Options-system_recovery_options.jpg
That's it,
Shawn



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11-24-2008   #1
darkassain


Windows 7 Ult x64(x2), HomePrem x32(x4), Server 08 (+VM), 08 R2 (VM) , SuSe 11.2 (VM), XP 32 (VM)
In a ∞ Portal
 
 


lol shawn
nice +1

" This is if your computer did not come with a Windows 7 installation DVD, and has pre-installed recovery options (recovery partition) instead."

My System SpecsSystem Spec
11-24-2008   #2
Brink


Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 beta
Texas
 
 


LOL, now they just have to release Windows 7 for a OEM recovery partition.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
06-08-2009   #3
Demono


Windows 7
 
 


Windows 7 recovery is definitely improved over previous versions, its saved me from reformatting at least twice now. Is there a way to add recovery options directly to the boot menu like you could in XP?
My System SpecsSystem Spec
.
06-08-2009   #4
Brink


Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 beta
Texas
 
 


Hello Demono,

I do not know, but it wouldn't be very helpful if your computer doesn't boot though.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
06-08-2009   #5
karlsnooks


MS Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
Austin, Texas
 
 


Brink, Another option, which I use, is to put WinRE.Wim on a bootable PE memory stick. The procedure is highly similar to making a minimum PE USB stick. If it willl be of interest, I'll send a couple of .docx files giving a detailed, step-by-step. I've not read up on how to attach a file for upload to this forum and whether such is even permitted. Karl

Brink, Here goes an attempt at including two .docx attachments.

Brink,
Looks like that didn't work. Have saved as .doc files and will try to attach them.
Karl
Attached Files
File Type: doc BOOTABLE MINIMUM WIN 7 PE ON A USB STICK.doc (42.0 KB, 5865 views)
File Type: doc WINDOWS 7 RECOVERY ENVIRONMENT ON A USB STICK.doc (38.5 KB, 8032 views)

Last edited by Brink; 06-08-2009 at 11:45 PM.. Reason: Merged multiple posts
My System SpecsSystem Spec
06-08-2009   #6
Brink


Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 beta
Texas
 
 


Hello Karl,

Thank you. I'll take a look at it.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
11-01-2009   #7
cplindsay


Windows 7
 
 

Boot into Windows 7 to retrieve docs before reinstall

Okay, here's my issue, my install went south about 4 days after install, don't know why. Spent all day yesterday going through the various system recovery options described in this site and available via booting up using my windows 7 install disk. No luck. Fairly convinced the boot mgr became corrupt and no matter what I do none of the fixes work. So, I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I will have to reinstall. But before I do that I'd like to pull some data off the HD that I had not yet had a chance to back up before the computer crashed. What method would best allow me to simply boot into Windows 7 just to recover the information (documents, file folders, etc.)? Help!
My System SpecsSystem Spec
11-01-2009   #8
Brink


Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 beta
Texas
 
 


Hello Lindsay, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You should be able to do a repair install to fix Windows 7 without losing anything.

Hope this helps,
Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
11-01-2009   #9
karlsnooks


MS Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
Austin, Texas
 
 


Brink's answers are always excellent. Here are a couple of other things which I have tried and which worked. 1. Get hold of a Windows 7 system that works and via the Backup and Restore option of control panel, Create a Recovery CD, boot from the recovery CD, choose applicable option. 2. Boot from a Knoppix CD and copy off your important files before doing a normal Win 7 restore. Knoppix is a Linux-variant which will allow you to access your NTFS Windows 7 partition and files. Just google Knoppix to find latest version. You will find Knoppix easy to use if you have a Linux user with you when you use Knoppix. I strongly advise (I learned the hard way.) that after you're back to a stable system, then do a full and complete backup t9 an external USB drive using the Control Panel Backup and Restore applet. This will create a VHD-format file on the external USB. Using DiskMgmt.msc you can even mount and copy off whatever you want if you only need cetain files. Good luck, Karl
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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