Computer will not boot from recovery disc

leeannchubbuck · 10 Sep 2011

I have a laptop that will not boot up, It comes up with windows error recovery, and gives the option to launch startup repair. When I select startup repair, it shows a screen that says it is loading files, but then it only loads a black screen with the arrow. I tried booting from a recovery disc made on another windows 7 computer, same results. It will not boot past the black screen. What else can I do? It does not give me the option to boot in safe mode, and the laptop did not come with a windows 7 os disc.

theog · 10 Sep 2011

Check your ram.
Memory Diagnostics Tool
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
HD Diagnostic

Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?

For better help with problems, Can you post your specs.
Filling out System Specs
System Info - See Your System Specs

Dont Know What Hardware You Have..??
VistaForums SysInfo Tool - Vista Forums

leeannchubbuck · 10 Sep 2011

Ok I posted the specs, I did make the recovery disc through system backup/restore, just as you have posted and I had no problems making the disc. Toshiba does not allow me to do harddrive diagnostics, either, apparently. I do want to mention, that before shutting the computer down, I was running Itunes. There was an error that came up, I was completely re-doing my playlist. It said it was going to take 8 hours to sync my playlist, but then it went right through it in seconds. Afterwards it came up with error messages saying it was not complete, although my ipod has the new playlist and works just fine. I don't know if this is relevant or not.

karlsnooks · 11 Sep 2011

SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker
How to Repair Windows 7 System Files with System File Checker

Run sfc. Let us know the results.

leeannchubbuck · 11 Sep 2011

I can't even get a windows 7 disc to run on this computer to allow me to reformat. Now what?

karlsnooks · 11 Sep 2011

Use a System Repair Disc.

You will need to go to a Win 7 system with the same "bittiness" as yours. The Win 7 version does not need to be the same.

| type SYSTEM REPAIR | ENTER

you can use either a CD or a DVD.

boot up the system repair disc, go to a command prompt and use diskpart.

GO TO A COMMAND PROMPT USING A SYSTEM REPAIR DISC

1) Insert System Repair Disc into optical reader.
2) Shutdown computer.
3) Boot up computer from the System Repair Disc
If your computer doesn’t boot from the optical drive, then
Immediately after pushing your Power ON button,
start tapping the F2 key to get to the BIOS to change the boot order

On some computers, Immediately after pushing the Power ON button, start tapping the F12 key and choose CD/DVD to change the boot order only for this time.
4) Wait while a mini-version of Windows is loaded and finally the SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS dialog appears.
5) NEXT | SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS dialog
will search your system for installed versions of Windows.
6) select the Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows radio button |
7) NEXT | Choose Command Prompt

Enter following commands, each followed by hitting ENTER:
· DiskPart
· List disk (lists disks in your system)
· Select disk <numeral> (without the < and the >)
· Detail disk (info should let you know if you selected correctly)
· Clean ALL (your entire disk is being overwritten with zeros.
This can take a considerable amount of time. Leave off the ALL for a much shorter clean which only cleans the boot sectors)
· CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY(create a primary partition)
· FORMAT FS=NTFS(format the partition)
· ACTIVE(the partition can contain operating system startup files)
· ASSIGN (the next available letter is assigned to disk)
or
ASSIGN Letter=X (Assign X as drive letter. Use the letter of your choice)
EXIT to exit from DiskPart
EXIT to exit from command prompt

Remove the System Repair Disc. Shutdown computer.
Power on computer.

leeannchubbuck · 11 Sep 2011

I have already tried using a system repair disc. It will not load anything. It runs from the disc then loads a black screen still. I believe the harddrive may be gone.

karlsnooks · 11 Sep 2011

Can you boot up your computer from the System Repair Disc? Yes/No

When you do this, you:
Insert the cd/dvd in the cd/dvd drive.

You then Power OFF your computer.

You then Power On you computer.

Immediately start tapping the F12 key.

The BIOS (not windows, not the CD) will present you with a menu for choosing the boot device. You choose Cd/DVD.

Now if F12 doesn't give you a menu, then try powerdown, powerup and immediately start tapping the F2 key. This will, on most computers but not all, get you into the computer's bios where you can choose the boot device. You choose CD/DVD.

leeannchubbuck · 11 Sep 2011

No I cannot boot from the disc. I did go in and change it to boot from the cd/dvd drive in bios. It will also not boot from the windows 7 disc. I tried that after trying the repair disc. No luck.

karlsnooks · 11 Sep 2011

That would make one think that your cd/dvd drive is defective.

The drive is held in by one screw on the bottom.
Take the drive out.
Take the drive out of another laptop.
Put your drive in the other laptop.
Does the drive work now?
Put the drive from the other laptop into your laptop.
Can you now boot from the cd/dvd.

Incidentally, I will be very surprised if you can't use the F12 key to perform a one-time boot from CD drive. You see I have a Toshiba satellite laptop. different model from yours.

If that drive swap is too much for you, then take it to a compute shop and let them charge you 50-100 dollars to tell you whether your drive is good/bad.

For such test purposes, you can swap almost any optical drive in/out that will physically fit.