Rescue/Recovery DVD fails to boot

[gosssamer]

Hi,
I have an Inspiron 1545 (circa 2008) and have used their recovery software to create a rescue DVD and it fails to boot with the following:

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:
...
File: \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
Status: 0xc0000001
Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because tyhe application is missing or corrupt

Nothing changed, since I immediately tried to test the DVD just after making it. I'm concerned about a hard disk failure making the system inaccessible. I should add that the winload.exe file does not exist on the DVD.

 

[gregrocker]

Work through the steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

What do you mean by a "rescue disk?" Is this the Win7 System Repair Disk or the Dell Recovery disks that reinstall all the crapware that comes with the PC.

Dell is normally willing to provide for shipping cost a clean copy Win7 Reinstallation DVD with only self-activation added so I'd inquire with them about that and consider doing a Clean Reinstall Windows 7

 

[gosssamer]

Work through the steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

What do you mean by a "rescue disk?" Is this the Win7 System Repair Disk or the Dell Recovery disks that reinstall all the crapware that comes with the PC.

Dell is normally willing to provide for shipping cost a clean copy Win7 Reinstallation DVD with only self-activation added so I'd inquire with them about that and consider doing a Clean Reinstall Windows 7

Hi, thanks for your help. I'm talking about the Dell DataSafe Local Backup software that allows you to build a Recovery DVD that can be used to restore Windows to your hard disk should there be a problem with the current installation.

Within this application, there is the ability to "Create Recovery Media" which requires two DVDs. After creating the two DVDs, I booted from the first one to test and make sure it actually works, and I received the above message about winload.exe missing. Perhaps it's talking about the winload.exe located on the recovery partition? (although I would find that dumb since the idea is to restore in case of a complete disk failure).

The System Repair Disc application from within Windows also didn't work. However, I don't recall the error message it produced, as that wasn't the main focus of my post here. I'll test it again and see what happens.

 

[gregrocker]

Are you triggering the DVD to boot using thee Dell F12 key at boot? It sounds like it may be skipping The DVD and attempting to boot the hard drive, or do you know that the hard drive can boot? There may also be a problem with the disc generation, or poor quality DVDs.

Are there problems with your Windows 7? If the hardware is in question run Dell diagnostics from the F 12 key at boot. Will recovery commence from the F12 key menu?

We need more information about the problem with your PC other than that the recovery disk you tried to make will not boot. Recovery disks can often be made to boot by wiping the hard drive but you wouldn't want to do that if there is nothing wrong with your install.

Finally factory Recovery and will restore the original operating system that shipped with the PC, and is an inferior install so if you're unhappy with it now I would strongly recommend doing the clean reinstall.

 

[gosssamer]

Are you triggering the DVD to boot using thee Dell F12 key at boot? It sounds like it may be skipping The DVD and attempting to boot the hard drive, or do you know that the hard drive can boot? There may also be a problem with the disc generation, or poor quality DVDs.

Are there problems with your Windows 7? If the hardware is in question run Dell diagnostics from the F 12 key at boot. Will recovery commence from the F12 key menu?

We need more information about the problem with your PCother than that the recovery disk you tried to make will not boot. Recovery disks can often be made to boot by wiping the hard drive but you wouldn't want to do that if there is nothing wrong with your install.

Finally the factory install is an inferior install so if you're unhappy with it now I would strongly recommend doing the clean reinstall.

The problem is my win7 system won't boot, and using the Dell Recovery DVDs created using the Dell Recovery software produces the error I printed above.

Pressing F8 during boot, to start the "Repair my computer" mode, results in "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause".

My question really relates to know what the point of the Dell Recovery DVD really is? Shouldn't I be able to reinstall using that media?

 

[gregrocker]

I specficially asked you if Dell Diagnostics or System Recovery would boot and run from the F12 Boot key. Yet you ignored the step as though I hadn't even typed it, as well as all the links I've given you to open and read to learn what you need to know. This type of inattention to detail does not bode well for the absolute thoroughness required to do these steps. We can do our part but must rely on you to complete every step, read and understand every link - asking back all the questions needed - to not miss a single step.

You should be able to boot the disks to recover to Factory Condition. I even told you why they might not boot but you simply repeated the same thing you'd said before without commenting on the possible failure points I brought up.

These are not used for repairs however so to run Repairs if F8 boot options won't boot after trying it repeatedly to see if you can time pressing the key correctly, then you'd use a System Repair Disk or Win7 installation disk to follow the repairs for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start. Those repairs try everything possible to start the OS leading up to if necessary rescuiing your files to do a superior Clean Reinstall which really is the best install of Win7 you can have - while the Factory Recovery is the worst install possible.

 

[gosssamer]

I specficially asked you if Dell Diagnostics or System Recovery would boot and run from the F12 Boot key. Yet you ignored the step as though I hadn't even typed it, as well as all the links I've given you to open and read to learn what you need to know. This type of inattention to detail does not bode well for the absolute thoroughness required to do these steps. We can do our part but must rely on you to complete every step, read and understand every link - asking back all the questions needed - to not miss a single step.

There is no such System Recovery option when choosing the F12 key. I started with a working system. I never mentioned anything about having a problem booting the system from the hard disk, only from the Recovery DVD created using the Dell software. It was only you guessing. My apologies for the confusion. The Dell Diagnostics passes just fine.

This was a Inspiron given to me by a friend to fix. I should have mentioned I'm more experienced than your average Dell user, but don't suppose that would have mattered. Turns out it had a bunch of viruses, including Rootkit.Boot.Phar.b, which involved the svchost.exe rootkit virus.

I wanted to create a Recovery DVD in case something happened to the system, and in fact, it did. During the process of removing the virus with a combination of Malwarebytes and Software Essentials, now it doesn't boot.

Before it crashed, I created a Repair DVD from within Windows, but it fails with "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. It then prints:

File: \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
Status: 0xc0000001
Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt

Pressing F8 then "Repair my Computer" results in the same error message but no details.

Pressing F8 then "Last Know Good" results in an immediate reboot.

Pressing F8 then "Disable automatic restart" results in a bluescreen with "STOP: 0x0000007B" which I believe is a hard disk driver error.

You should be able to boot the disks to recover to Factory Condition. I even told you why they might not boot but you simply repeated the same thing you'd said before without commenting on the possible failure points I brought up.

Yes, that was my initial question. Why can't I boot with the Recovery DVDs created by the Dell software?

These are not used for repairs however so to run Repairs if F8 boot options won't boot after trying it repeatedly to see if you can time pressing the key correctly, then you'd use a System Repair Disk or Win7 installation disk to follow the repairs for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start. Those repairs try everything possible to start the OS leading up to if necessary rescuiing your files to do a superior Clean Reinstall which really is the best install of Win7 you can have - while the Factory Recovery is the worst install possible.

The System Repair disk didn't work either.

Is it possible to create original Windows disks to try the repair mode from that?

 

[gosssamer]

I should add that I booted a Linux rescue disc and the \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe files exist with a date of Feb 5, 2011.

 

[RolandJS]

If Windows ISOs [specifically "cut" for your specific Windows] are not available, you will have to purchase MS "blue-disk" Windows. I don't know if OEM Windows will work; let's see what others have to say before you spend monies.

 

[gosssamer]

If Windows ISOs [specifically "cut" for your specific Windows] are not available, you will have to purchase MS "blue-disk" Windows.
I don't know if OEM Windows will work; let's see what others have to say before you spend monies.

I'm sure I could find an original Windows disc, but that's problematic because of potential missing driver issues and the amount of time required to do a full install.

I'd really just like to know why the Recovery DVDs, that are supposed to recover your system, just don't boot.

 

[gregrocker]

I also stated earlier that you can often force Recovery disks to run by wiping the hard drive with Diskpart Clean Command to clear boot or partition table code that can interfere with them running.

If you made a System Repair Disk then you can run the Diskpart Commands in the blue link tutorial from the Command Line on it. But a System Repair disk is not the same as the Recovery disks which do not have those options on them.

Probably best if you don't have Repair Disk is to locate Win7 installation media for your licensed version to boot into the Repair Options first to try wiping the hard drive to see if Recovery disks will run. If not then use the installation media to do the Clean Reinstall Windows 7. Obtaining the media and how to burn it to disk is discussed in Step 1.

 

[gosssamer]

I also stated earlier that you can often force Recovery disks to run by wiping the hard drive with Diskpart Clean Command to clear boot or partition table code that can interfere with them running.

I didn't think I was quite out of options to the point where I'd have to wipe the disk. Especially when at the time I had a working system.

If you made a System Repair Disk then you can run the Diskpart Commands in the blue link tutorial from the Command Line on it. But a System Repair disk is not the same as the Recovery disks which do not have those options on them.

Except as I mentioned, it also doesn't boot. And I know the difference between Repair and Recovery. I feel like you're very used to dealing with idiots, and tend to treat everyone as if they are.

Probably best if you don't have Repair Disk is to locate Win7 installation media for your licensed version to boot into the Repair Options first to try wiping the hard drive to see if Recovery disks will run. If not then use the installation media to do the Clean Reinstall Windows 7. Obtaining the media and how to burn it to disk is discussed in Step 1.

Yeah, I guess I'm now at that point, but I'm still curious why Windows is such a POS and their "Rescue" and "Recovery" DVDs do no such thing.

"Windows told me to update, so I installed Linux"

 

[gosssamer]

I believe there may be a few restore points created. How can I restore one of them from a system that won't boot?

I'm currently trying the Windows7 installation media "Startup Repair" option. It's been "checking your system for problems" for more than ten minutes now without any progress. Will it ever finish?

 

[gosssamer]

Startup Repair just finished with "Startup Repair cannot repair this computer automatically" with a "NoRootCause" problem signature. That's a nice way of saying I'm fu*ked.

I also just used the Restore Point option from the original Windows disc, restored the latest known good restore point, and it still fails with the same problem.

 

[gregrocker]

What about the other steps from http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

 

[gosssamer]

What about the other steps from http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

Thanks Greg, I'm going through those now.

 

[gosssamer]

Greg, I believe the svchost.exe virus is a bootsector virus. Any tips on how to restore any bootsector files that may have been destroyed during the process of removing this virus?

I've tried the whole bootrec routines (/mbr, /fixboot, etc) and none have worked.

Windows starts to boot with the "Starting Windows" and the process of building the spinning window above it, but then just spontaneously reboots.

Would bootrec even fix that, or is it already past that point?

Can I run something like "sfc /scannow" from the Windows 7 install disc command prompt perhaps find broken files?

 

[gregrocker]

It's in the tutorial along with everything else that can be done to start Windows 7.

 

[gosssamer]

It's in the tutorial along with everything else that can be done to start Windows 7.

In the Troubleshooting Win7 Failure to Boot doc? Nothing in there that I can try succeeded.

It also looks like I don't have the activation number to reinstall and doubt my friend would have it either.

So the only remaining step is to wipe out the MBR and partition table and hope the Recovery DVD will reinstall the system, correct?

 

[gregrocker]

What was the OS that shipped with the PC? That would be what the recovery disks would reinstall. If this is a retail copy of Windows 7 that was installed later, do you know for sure if it was legally activated?

Since you have a boot disk now, what were the results of the Disk Check, SFC, earlier System Restore points, Rebuild BCD?

Which partition was marked Active? Did you run three Start up Repairs after confirming Active partition? Then did you move the Active flag to letter C partition and run the repairs again?

Where is the partition Wizard screenshot so we can see if the boot configuration is correct?

Finally since you suspect boot file corruption, did you followed be last resort step to delete and re-create the System reserved partition?

You said you completed all the steps in the tutorial, yet these are the most important ones and we heard nothing from you about them at all.