Unable to Boot Windows 7

Hello,

For the last several days, I have been trying to get my wifes laptop to boot, without luck.

Following the instructions on this site, I downloaded and created a boot/repair CD. When I try to boot from CD, it finds a windows install on drive D, runs some sort of scan, and reports that it has found no errors.

I was beginning to suspect a bad hard drive, since I thought that the D: drive was the DVD. Tonight, I was just rebooting it several times, and after one of these power cycles, the repair function automatically re-booted the laptop. When it came back up, it was very, very slow, but eventually(after 30-40 min) it came to the normal user log-in screen. I was able to enter the password and log in, but then it went to a black screen with a mouse cursor. Here it sat for 2+ hours. I am able to move the mouse around, but no desktop, start menu, etc came up.

I have since shut the laptop down and returned to this forum to ask for help!

Thanks,

James

Thanks...I did try booting to safe mode the other day, but there was really no change. At this point, it will not even fully boot, so being slow is the least of my worries!:)

One point to make..when I boot to Safe Mode, it "hangs" after report disk.sys is loaded for several minutes before progressing on to the "select a language" screen from the repair disk.

JamesF said:

Hello,

For the last several days, I have been trying to get my wifes laptop to boot, without luck.

Following the instructions on this site, I downloaded and created a boot/repair CD. When I try to boot from CD, it finds a windows install on drive D, runs some sort of scan, and reports that it has found no errors.

I was beginning to suspect a bad hard drive, since I thought that the D: drive was the DVD. Tonight, I was just rebooting it several times, and after one of these power cycles, the repair function automatically re-booted the laptop. When it came back up, it was very, very slow, but eventually(after 30-40 min) it came to the normal user log-in screen. I was able to enter the password and log in, but then it went to a black screen with a mouse cursor. Here it sat for 2+ hours. I am able to move the mouse around, but no desktop, start menu, etc came up.

I have since shut the laptop down and returned to this forum to ask for help!

Thanks,

James

Might be a HD, or a configuration issue. Did the problem just wstart happening or grow worse of the previous boots?

Have you tried (when/if you can) to boot into safe mode (F8)?


Ken

I am definitely starting to believe it is a HD issue...it is in Safe Mode now, but the "System Recovery Options" is scanning for Windows installations. I will probably buy a new HD tomorrow to see if it will take that.

This (or something very similar) happened once before, right after a recent WIndows update was automatically applied. I was able to return to a previously good configuration during the repair boot and it was back up and running. This time, it says it cannot find any restore points

JamesF said:

I am definitely starting to believe it is a HD issue...it is in Safe Mode now, but the "System Recovery Options" is scanning for Windows installations. I will probably buy a new HD tomorrow to see if it will take that.

This (or something very similar) happened once before, right after a recent WIndows update was automatically applied. I was able to return to a previously good configuration during the repair boot and it was back up and running. This time, it says it cannot find any restore points

Win updates will to that--best to set them to manual so you have control. You may even be able to transfer the data, but to be honest a clean install is prefered.


Ken

Open your memory compartment and check that chips are seated well by removing them and reinstalling. Run memtest and/or try booting with 1 chip removed, then the other.

If you have access to another computer and an external 2 1/2" USB enclosure, attach your laptop drive and run chkdsk your drive letter: /r.

I would do this before investing in another drive.

The system now seems to reliably boot ( takes about 40 min total) but then runs pretty slowly.. I was able to accomplish the following (most of which were suggestions on other threads on this site)

1.) Memtest - passed no errors

2.) Chkdsk - passed no errors

3.) "sfc /scan now" - reported errors found and repaired, but no change in behavior

4.) CCleaner - found a ton of stuff(1G+) to delete and many registry errors, all corrected but no change in behavior

5.) Remoeved all non-MS start-up services, and all start-up programs - small change in behavior ---> very short delay between text stating "Starting Windows" and appearance of flashing Windows logo appearing.

I am running out of ideas and items that I have found on this site..anyone have any other suggestions?

I have a recovery CD for ASUS, but I am not sure how it is supposed to work, so I am hesitant to do anything like format the drive.

Thanks again,

James