Windows 7 Machine Stuck in Start Up Repair Loop ...

Hello all. I have been tearing my hair out all day on this issue and hope someone can help. System specs are here.

Last night, the machine kept having the audio fade in and out and I would randomly hear the sound effect of a USB device being connected/disconnect when I wasn't do so. So, I ran CCleaner and rebooted. It the dumped me to the Start Up Repair menu and said it could not be repaired. If I hit "Finished," the machine powered down.

So I booted up the DVD for Windows 7, ran the Start Up Repair from there. It said it worked and if I run it again from the DVD, it says no errors are found. I also ran the memory checker (came up fine), ran chkdsk (came up fine), ran the Seagate Harddrive Utility for DOS (came up fine) and finally an AVG virus scan from boot media (came up fine). I attempted System Restore on every available restore point and each one failed with a hex error code.

Still, when I boot up normally, it throws me to the Start Up Repair screen, doesn't fix the issue, and produces the following output:

Problem Event Name: StartUpRepairOffline
Problem Signature 01: 6.1.7600.16385
Problem Signature 02: 6.1.7600.16385
Problem Signature 03: unknown
Problem Signature 04: 21200512
Problem Signature 05: AutoFailover
Problem Signature 06: 21
Problem Signature 07: NotRootCause
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

I live in a remote area and we only have one PC repair place in town and the gentleman who runs it is gone until the 15th. I'm typing this message on an ancient Mac Book, but it won't do for the work I must complete. I'd also like to avoid having to format the HD for the obvious reason. If I absolutely have to, I will, but I'm not convinced its HD related since everything comes up clean on the HD health.

Anyone have any ideas? Thank you so much for your time.

EDIT: I just ran Windows Defender Offline and it did not find any malware.

EDIT #2: I ran sfc (sfc /scannow /offbootdir=d:\ /offwindir=d:\windows) from the install disc > Repair > Command prompt window. The result was simply:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

Hello and welcome Rivet mate you are in the right place now and I know how frustrating it can be but there are lots of real clever folks in here that can help out.

Now can you get Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware onto a stick and run these in the machine with the problem?

http://www.superantispyware.com/

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

both are free and might take a while to run. Also what are you using to install the 7 on the machine as you say you don't want to format and start again which leaves me thinking you have done some stuff on the machine before this problem cropped up? I ask because I would normally say try another install. It would be useful to use the tutorial below first but you need a machine with a running system to attach the drive to.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/113967-ssd-alignment.html

Good evening ICit2lol and thank you for the warm welcome and resources. I will download and use those to anti-virus applications per your recommend and report back. I am not able to boot the OS, but I will try them both.

Regarding any recent changes, I had not made any lately to the best of my recollection. Its been a while since I've installed any software and its been many months since I've installed any hardware. This nightmare started after I heard the audio fade in and out during video play back and restarted the machine. As to what I media I am using to attempt the repair, it is a standard Windows 7 Home Premium DVD-ROM disc.

Thanks again.

EDIT: I forgot to mention one thing; when I press F8, I never see the option for Safe mode. It always says loading files and then it drops to the Start Repair screen.

I tried using both AV tools, but it appears they need to run from within Windows. I cannot get to a desktop (safe mode, etc.).

When I F8, I only see:

Launch Startup Repair (Recommended)
Start windows Normally.

Choosing either throws me to the start up repair screen. Any ideas what I should try next? Thank you.

Is there a way to force Win 7 to boot into safe mode beyond the F8 method? I simply am not seeing this option on power up/F8.

Thanks much.

Hell Rivet sorry ate reply mate - work. Hum this might sound a little pedantic but did you hold the F8 key down continuously or "tap" it on power up cos that is the way to do it - so power on on just start constantly tapping that key.

Another way and well not to be recommended is to just shut down the machine illegally - turn of all power sources then restart that should bring up a black and white screen that gives options to repair / safe mode etc etc. But try the other method first.

Thanks for the reply. I've tried the power on/tab F8 over a dozen times now. It just doesn't come up. I see the black'n'white screen where the safe mode option should be, but it only gives those two options.

I'm not sure what is meant by shutting down illegally. If you mean just turning off the power when its stuck in the Repair cycle, I've tried that more times than I can recall.

Thanks again.

Sorry for the double, post, but another couple thoughts:

Considering the audio was fading in and out and I could hear the USB plugin/remove noise, could this be a flaky driver?

Also, I am able to boot an Ubuntu LiveCD and "see" the C drive fine. In doing this, is there anything I could check (logs, etc.) that would tell us anything?

Thanks again.

Rivet said:

Sorry for the double, post, but another couple thoughts:

Considering the audio was fading in and out and I could hear the USB plugin/remove noise, could this be a flaky driver?

Also, I am able to boot an Ubuntu LiveCD and "see" the C drive fine. In doing this, is there anything I could check (logs, etc.) that would tell us anything?

Thanks again.

Click to expand...

Yes mate the Ubuntu boot is an option I use quite a lot when the drive is playing up - good idea. In there if you click on the third tab down I think it is it will show up the drives connected up from there just go in s normal and pick out what you want to see. My pic shows a very old drive I did once where the login had been forgotten - a neat hack when you need it.

Oh meant to mention if you didn't know you can also access the net via the Firefox - another neat hack when you can't get the machine' own LAN to work.

Rivet another option

Computer Will Not Start in Safe Mode in Windows XP/Vista/7 - Virginia Tech Knowledge Base [answers.vt.edu]

John

Thanks again for the reply. With the Ubuntu disc, I was able to make a complete backup in addition to a less complete one I already had. Is there anything I can tweek on the C drive via Ubuntu that will force Win 7 to boot into Safe mode?

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, I am not even getting to a desktop, so I can't follow those steps.

Thanks again.