Computer won't boot to Windows 7 pro - have tried everything

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  1. Posts : 62
    varies
       #1

    Computer won't boot to Windows 7 pro - have tried everything


    i've used different windows discs, tried startup repair 10 times, sfc /scannow, chkdsk /r, and all sorts of other things. "system volume is corrupt" and whenever i try system restore it won't find the o/s. same thing when i first go into system recovery options - there's no o/s listed and it wants me to load drivers, which i don't know where to get.

    this was an xp pro dell that was reinstalled with windows 7 pro from a master disk. i don't have the original disk and won't be able to get it, as i bought this used off someone.

    any ideas? i have heard about rebuilding the master boot record, but don't really know how to do that. or maybe you know which drivers to load and where to get them?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 82
    XP
       #2

    First thing what exact type of computer do you have. Need to have more computer specs. Mother Board type, Ram, Hard Drive, Video Card or Adapter. As with any upgrade did you run the Microsoft Upgrade Advisor. Please check the following link. Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 - Help & How-to - Microsoft Windows.

    You may have to re-install Win Xp Pro before you can do anything else. Another suggestion is to download Windows Ultimate Boot cd. UBCD for Windows
    As with any upgrade from Win XP to Win 7 there are usually a multitiude of issues and some of items in Win 7 will not run on a Win Xp machine.

    Again these are all suggestions as someone else may have a better answer than I.

    Still Leaning, Learning Still

    Curtis
      My Computer

  3.    #3

    You'll need a Win7 Installation DVD for your licensed version or a System Repair Disk. You can google the official Win7 ISO download for your version to burn to DVD using ImgBurn, to use for Repairs or Reinstall.

    Boot into the DVD or Repair CD System Recovery Options to mark the Win7 partition Active: Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two)

    Then also from DVD or Repair CD run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts on its own and holds the System Active flags.


    Once you get to Win7 run Belarc Advisor to audit the Product Key for either or both OS's as you will need this for reinstalling or even some repairs. You can lose the value of the OS if you don't have these keys to back them up.
    Last edited by gregrocker; 03 Jan 2012 at 15:32.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 62
    varies
    Thread Starter
       #4

    the partition trick seemed to have worked, but unfortunately i haven't been able to get past the startup repair step. any other methods?
      My Computer

  5.    #5

    Did you run Startup Repair at least 3 times with reboots from DVD or Repair CD as stated, while Win7 partition is marked Active?

    You may need to check for infection. Download, burn to CD or write to flash stick, boot and run a full scan with Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper. Then run the Repairs again.

    Boot free Partition Wizard bootable CD
    to see if Win7 partition is marked Active and what flags it currently holds, then click on Disk number to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR which will sometimes preclude the need to run Repairs.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 62
    varies
    Thread Starter
       #6

    hey i'm playing with partition wizard right now and it says my partition doesn't have a boot.ini file and it always gives an option to "set windows boot partition". do you know if i'm safe to go ahead and "set" it?
      My Computer

  7.    #7

    Yes, should be the same as rightclicking on Win7 or it's 100mb System Reserved partition (if you have it) to Modify>Set to Active, then highlighting Disk number to run Rebuild MBR from Disk tab.

    These are not tricks nor are we playing, as we've used Partition Wizard for thousands of repair and partitioning operations here successfully. I gave you the steps. If it is presenting unusual errors or prompts, please post them back verbatim and tell us exactly what you did.
    Last edited by gregrocker; 03 Jan 2012 at 09:43.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 62
    varies
    Thread Starter
       #8

    it said "failed to find windows directory" when i tried to set it as the windows boot partition. also, it looks like it's already set to active, because that's greyed out and only "set inactive" is an option for the main drive....which is not lettered. it only has a *:

    the boot.ini editor says the selected partition does not contain boot.ini file.
      My Computer

  9.    #9

    Please post back a camera snap of the Partition Wizard drive map with all listings, or type them out.

    What boot.ini editor is on PW CD?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 62
    varies
    Thread Starter
       #10

    i don't seem to see a boot.ini editor. not quite sure what to look for, but nothing jumped out at me. there was a boot folder and then a couple files, then another folder inside that and five or six files.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Computer won't boot to Windows 7 pro - have tried everything-snapshot-ap.jpg  
    Last edited by bags305; 03 Jan 2012 at 13:24. Reason: wrong word
      My Computer


 
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