Unable to start windows

[Solid Snake]

We have tried all this pal, her partition is badly screwed. She can't get access to system repair nevermind system restore. She is going to try a system repair from a bootable disc and get back to us.

 

[Kelly]

hey guys

unfortunately starting windows from the cd didn't work for me either. i let my dad (who is a little more computer savvy) try as well. it seems windows has somehow blocked all access to my system, since i cannot even get into system recovery. i don't really know what to anymore *sigh*

 

[theog]

Are you sure that the CD is booting?

 

[Kelly]

no, i'm not sure, but i've tried every way possible and always end up in the same menu. i left my laptop on for the night (i read another post of a girl with the exact same problem and her laptop recovered itself after leaving it on for about 10 hours) but when i woke up this morning the screen was still black (the windows loading screen was gone and my mouse was working now, though). my dad thinks it's a hard drive problem. even from the beginning i've had problems with the hard drive (like toshiba giving me random errors about not being able to read it etc). my laptop won't start at all anymore, it's unable to find the boot manager (F12, F8--- are not working), and after my dad tried to fix it, my laptop won't recognize the hard drive AT ALL.

 

[theog]

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

Boot Priority - Change - Vista Forums

When you boot the Startup Repair CD, do you see this screen?

 

[Kelly]

nope, i don't. even when i start from boot manager. i sent an email to toshiba and i'm hoping i'll get an answer tomorrow. i think i'll have to send my laptop in for them to replace my hard drive.

 

[Solid Snake]

I wouldnt just assume the hard drive is faulty without testing it. This could still be a corrupt partition from a failed windows update or virus. If you don't see the screen illustrated by theog then your still booting from the corrupt section of the hard drive. I would go into your bios settings and change your boot priorities from Hard Drive 1st Boot to CD-Rom 1st boot. Then try again, and I know you said earlier you was familiar with ISO burning process. but you havnt just copied the actual ISO file to the CD instead of extracting it? If you have then the CD won't work. To check this put the CD into a working machine and view the contents of the CD from My Computer. If the CD only contains 1 file then you havnt extracted the ISO correctly. The problem with your laptop IS quite simple and not hard to rectify. I think you are struggling with the process which is ok. If your unsure of anything just ask.

Lets do this in steps and not keep stabbing at it with random sequencies.
first of all go check that CD.

If you find the CD only contains 1 file then I will talk you through the process of burning the file to CD correctly.

Dan

 

[Kelly]

i didn't. i extracted the iso and put those files on the cd. i tried again just now though and it suddenly gives me an error saying it's 'no bootable device'.

 

[Solid Snake]

I'm still convinced something with the CD isn't right. Okay well I know this is a pain but that CD is the key item we need to move forward. With the working computer, attempt to boot the CD from that machine.

After you have restarted the good computer with the Repair CD in the cd-rom drive, and selected the CD-Rom to boot before the hard drive. You should get the 'press any key to boot from CD or DVD' as theogg illustrated earlier.

This will identify either...

The CD image has not been compiled correctly, by that the good computer won't boot from CD either.

Your laptop is not booting from the CD Rom first.

Let me know what happens when you try this step

 

[Solid Snake]

If you need to make a new CD, use this software to do it for you. This way you can't go wrong.
All you do is download and install Active ISO Burner Click here to download
With Active ISO Burner opened in front of you, select the ISO image file I provided you with this morning.
Insert a new blank CD into your machine, the select Burn to disk.
Let this app extract the files and burn them to CD for you.

 

[Kelly]

i tried from my dad's laptop which is almost identical to mine, but on his it won't start at all. on mine it keeps saying it's no bootable device. my dad changed the usb to a 64bit (not sure what exactly he changed, but it worked). my laptop started from the usb and i got multiple options to recover my laptop. as for the system restore options, it wouldn't work because it couldn't find any backups on my laptop (i'm not sure why, isn't my laptop supposed to make these by itself?), so we tried system recovery which worked and after, it said i had to restart my laptop so it could solve the problems. to no avail though, my laptop still won't start properly and the usb will not work no more either. i do get another screen when i try to startup, it's got the same error (microsoft can't start because of a recent chance in hardware/software---), but different options this time, of which none work.

i tried deleting the files on the usb and putting them on again, and found that windows (i don't know if it's supposed to) places a file on the usb everytime you start it, and when you leave the file on the usb, it won't work on the laptop no more. when you delete it after, though, it'll work the next time you startup.

i also found that when i go into bios settings and it gives you your system specs, it won't specify my hard drive. it's empty.

 

[Solid Snake]

I have had problems with finding restore points before, so thats nothing new to me.
However I am supprised that the Repair Windows option hasnt resolved the problem, and we know you havnt changed any Hardware or Software.
If the repair process hasnt worked, try run the process one more time and restart again. If it continues to fail the second time, then we are looking at a complete new Windows Installation from a Windows 7 Installation CD. Which Im guessing you dont have to hand. Just to verify, you require Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit Edition?

 

[Kelly]

yes indeed^
please read my last post, i edited it.

 

[Solid Snake]

and you do have a Windows 7 Home Premium licence key? The holographic sticker with a long code usually located on the bottom of the laptop?

 

[Kelly]

yes

 

[Solid Snake]

Ah, sorry I didnt see the edited post. So the laptop has lost the hard drive all together now.
Unusual, even damaged hard drives will still show their existance in bios.
Aslong as your not looking at a list of IDE devices instead of SATA devices, which your hard drive will fall into.

So you dont have a Windows 7 installation CD? If not I will see if I can locate a OEM version for you and make it into an ISO image. When you install a complete new copy of Windows you will need the Licence Key from the bottom of your laptop to register the new installation, and most likely once the installation is complete you will need to download the required drivers from Toshiba's website for your Audio and Graphics etc.

Do you want to give this a go?

 

[Kelly]

i'll try anything! it can't get any worse than it is now and i'm already screwed since i need my laptop for school so..

 

[Solid Snake]

Ok, when I'm home later tonight I will find the CD and make it into a ISO, then find a way to get it to you. You will need 1 blank DVD to burn the image to when you receive it.

Forum Administrators, The Image file of a original genuine Windows OEM installation CD I will be providing Kelly with will not be tampered with in any way and will not include any licence keys, key generators or activators. The file link will be sent to Kelly in a private message and not posted on this forum. If I will be breaking any forum rules please make me aware.

I will get back to you later tonight Kelly

Dan

 

[Kelly]

ok! thank you so much!

 

[Solid Snake]

Hey Mr. Biker "pal", if as you suggest her HD is kaput then why would you be suggesting OP clean reinstall with a Windows 7 DVD image you are going to provide? That should be the last resort after helping boot the Repair CD, or testing the HD with the maker's extended CD diagnostics/repair scan if it is in doubt: Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp

I never suggested once her hard drive was 'kaput' and I don't believe it is. I think we are dealing with a corrupt partition. You can ask this girl to do these tests, do this and that but she is no computer expert, and I believe the easiest suggestion is to wipe the existing partition and start with a complete clean install. I'm only here to try help her and make it easy and simple for her to understand. This is no 'whos the smartest' competition, so wind your kneck in 'pal'