Windows freezes on start up

UPDATE:
After some poking around and help from the people on these forums, thank you all , I have solved my problem. After finally getting it to start in safe mode I did a clean boot and then through the process of elimination I found to conflicting culprit to be nvidia network services and another program called softthinks agent service. I had to go through msconfig and then through services to disable them.



When I start my computer it starts up to pick a user which I do (it does the same thing on all users) it will go to user screen and start to start up but after a few minutes it just freezes. Mouse will move but nothing works. It has been doing this for about a week or two I could just hard power down and it would work again but it started to get more and more needed more hard restarts before it would actually boot up. Now it won't even boot up even after the hard restarts(holding power button down until computer turns off).

I did some research on these forums and one person said start in safe mode by f8 then just restart don't do anything in safe mode. I did that and still nothing now f8 won't even take me to safe mode it does nothing.

I put in the Windows 7 cd and boot from disk go to repair Windows. The system recovery options screen pops up. I choose "use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows. Select an operation system to repair". The problem is there is no operating system listed. Then it says "if your operating system isn't listed click load drivers and install drivers for your hard drive." I do that and another pop up comes up and says "insert the installation media for the drivers and click ok to select driver".
I click ok cause I was thinking the Windows 7 cd should be it.

Am I correct in thunking that? If so when I do it pops up an open screen that says look in desktop and in that screen it has , libraries, system, computer, control panel, and recycle bin.
Libraries has nothing in it.
System has nothing in it.
Computer has hard drive that says boot (x:) 31 .1 mb free of 33.6 mb.
Control panel can't be opened.
Recycle bin can't be opened.

When I open boot(x:) I have folder options of:
$winpedriver$
Program files
Sources
Users
Windows
And then set up application

Which on of those would I use.

I was thinking the $winpedriver$ but not sure which one to use it has these in it
Nusb3hub. Security catalog
Nusb3hub set up info
Nusb3hub.sys system file
Nusb3xhc. Security catalog
Same as above setup info
Nusb3xhc.sys System file


Now when I bypass all that and got to command prompt
I type c: which is my main drive and it says. This system cannot find the drive specified

I have tried bootrec /fixmbr and the system cannot find the path specified.

I have tried all the boot rec stuff with no luck.
I have even tried disk part
Microsoft diskpart version 6.1.7601
Copyright
On computer: minint-rfcrohl
Then list disk and it says:
Microsoft diskpart version same as above
Then definitions for disk
Partition
Volume
Vdisk
But no disk number so everything else doesn't work.

Sorry for such a long post and no pics but I can't get into the computer to take a screen shot or to email

Any help on what I can do from here will be greatly appreciated. I am trying to avoid a clean install but obviously if I have to I will. But want to try all other options first.

Thank you

I have also read about a parallel install. Would this be possible and if so how do I delete the old install so I don't have two and so I can free up the space the old one is taking?

Hi Snaggle and welcome to WSF. What model is the Alien Ware system? I suggest that you download the Ubuntu Live CD and backup you important data. Follow the tutorial in the link. Here's a tutorial for restoring your system back to factory defaults. Do you get the "Repair Your Computer" option on F8? If you still do try the factory recovery ""After Backing Up Your Data"

You have no access to the F8 option. Your main partition "C:\" is not recognized and non-accessible. You boot from the Windows 7 DVD and you can not find or see the OS. Try this. Unplug the AC and pull the battery. Now hold the power button down for a full minute or so. Leave the battery out and plug the AC in and power up the system and try again to access the F8 option. My first suggestion still stands. Back up your data.

When trying to boot, do you ever get to the desktop? If not, it sounds to me that it is a bad hard drive.

Hi,
If you have access to another computer here are our Linux recovery options,
Lucid Puppy way to recover files from a non-bootable computer

Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS