Windows 7 boot problems (possible registry issue?)

[toast]

Okay, I realize I shouldn't have messed with the registry, but I did ("I'm curious as a cat, that's why my friends call me whiskers!" sorry, SNL reference...). Now, I am not really sure how to fix my problem.

My problem:
Windows 7 (64 bit) reboots itself before it gets to the login screen.

Here are the steps of action I have taken and how they have failed:
Startup repair will not fix problem automatically.
System restore says system protection is not enabled for the C:/ (System) drive.
Safe mode will not boot at all (blue-screens really fast and reboots before I get the chance to see it).
In command prompt, "sfc /scannow" (system file checker) says that it cannot run because a system restore is pending and restart and run again, but it continues to say the same thing after reboot (because it cannot correctly start up).
Cannot do an in-place upgrade of Windows 7 since I cannot boot correctly.

My hypothesis:
Registry error.

Is there any more information you need? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
I am a computer user with intermediate knowledge, so you don't need to baby me and say "take it to best buy" xD (hopefully I won't have to LOL)

 

[zigzag3143]

Okay, I realize I shouldn't have messed with the registry, but I did ("I'm curious as a cat, that's why my friends call me whiskers!" sorry, SNL reference...). Now, I am not really sure how to fix my problem.

My problem:
Windows 7 (64 bit) reboots itself before it gets to the login screen.

Here are the steps of action I have taken and how they have failed:
Startup repair will not fix problem automatically.
System restore says system protection is not enabled for the C:/ (System) drive.
Safe mode will not boot at all (blue-screens really fast and reboots before I get the chance to see it).
In command prompt, "sfc /scannow" (system file checker) says that it cannot run because a system restore is pending and restart and run again, but it continues to say the same thing after reboot (because it cannot correctly start up).
Cannot do an in-place upgrade of Windows 7 since I cannot boot correctly.

My hypothesis:
Registry error.

Is there any more information you need? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
I am a computer user with intermediate knowledge, so you don't need to baby me and say "take it to best buy" xD (hopefully I won't have to LOL)

Hi toast and welcome

I have to say great screen name<g> Is there anything you cant live without on the current OS? do you have access to a boot disk from another OS (vista, xp, linux)?

Join the club I have hosed countless systems because of my curiousity (see avitar)

Waiting for info

Kenn J++

 

[toast]

Okay, I realize I shouldn't have messed with the registry, but I did ("I'm curious as a cat, that's why my friends call me whiskers!" sorry, SNL reference...). Now, I am not really sure how to fix my problem.

My problem:
Windows 7 (64 bit) reboots itself before it gets to the login screen.

Here are the steps of action I have taken and how they have failed:
Startup repair will not fix problem automatically.
System restore says system protection is not enabled for the C:/ (System) drive.
Safe mode will not boot at all (blue-screens really fast and reboots before I get the chance to see it).
In command prompt, "sfc /scannow" (system file checker) says that it cannot run because a system restore is pending and restart and run again, but it continues to say the same thing after reboot (because it cannot correctly start up).
Cannot do an in-place upgrade of Windows 7 since I cannot boot correctly.

My hypothesis:
Registry error.

Is there any more information you need? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
I am a computer user with intermediate knowledge, so you don't need to baby me and say "take it to best buy" xD (hopefully I won't have to LOL)

Hi toast and welcome

I have to say great screen name<g> Is there anything you cant live without on the current OS? do you have access to a boot disk from another OS (vista, xp, linux)?

Join the club I have hosed countless systems because of my curiousity (see avitar)

Waiting for info

Kenn J++

First, thanks for the welcome and compliment!

I have access to my Windows 7 and multiple Linux install discs. I am currently running on a Linux Mint 7 Live CD, actually xD

I have plenty of programs and files I would wish to keep in my past Windows 7 installation, and would prefer not to lose them if possible. Looking to restore the registry (if that's the actual problem) and getting back to normal use.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Try booting from the Installation/Repair disc and restoring to your latest restore point.

 

[toast]

Try booting from the Installation/Repair disc and restoring to your latest restore point.

As I said in my original post, it says "system protection is not enabled for the C:/ (System) drive." I know this isn't true, but somehow it doesn't think that it is enabled. I tried this from the Installed (on HDD) startup repair, Windows 7 repair disc, and the Windows 7 installation disc.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Tell you what: I will not try to hijack Ken's help. If all else fails, you can always do a clean install on top of your current partition, and manually retrieve you files from Windows.old. Hopefully it won't come to that.

 

[toast]

Tell you what: I will not try to hijack Ken's help. If all else fails, you can always do a clean install on top of your current partition, and manually retrieve you files from Windows.old. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Thanks for the idea. I think that would mean that a lot of my programs would not be able to run, due to their old entries being in the old registry. I am trying to restore those old registry files so I don't have to go through that pain. Thanks

 

[belikexp]

I agree just clean install. And make sure system restore is on and working.

Sometimes it takes less time performing a clean install then spending days trying to fix something.

 

[toast]

I agree just clean install. And make sure system restore is on and working.

Sometimes it takes less time performing a clean install then spending days trying to fix something.

Yes, but I would prefer to keep my settings/programs intact. It's worth a few days.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Go ahead and contact Ken. I regret hijacking his help now.

 

[toast]

Go ahead and contact Ken. I regret hijacking his help now.

Like send him a PM? Doesn't this forum notify him of replies anyways?

 

[Jonathan_King]

Go ahead and contact Ken. I regret hijacking his help now.

Like send him a PM? Doesn't this forum notify him of replies anyways?

I will take care of it.

 

[zigzag3143]

Go ahead and contact Ken. I regret hijacking his help now.

Like send him a PM? Doesn't this forum notify him of replies anyways?

Morning

The forum can notify if it is enabled. I post about 150 a day so I am forced to turn off notification.

I have an idea that may allow you to keep your data etc. What we need to do is to do an upgrade install. If you have another HD we can install to it and use the easy transfer wizard to import you files and settings. do you have one?

If you dont, how big is the current one? If it is big enough we can use a 3rd party app to shrink the current Os partition and make a second partition where we can install the New OS.

Your current OS is pretty well hosed, so other than these options the only thing I can think of is the clean install which you dont want to do.

Let us know

Kenn J+

 

[toast]

Go ahead and contact Ken. I regret hijacking his help now.

Like send him a PM? Doesn't this forum notify him of replies anyways?

Morning

The forum can notify if it is enabled. I post about 150 a day so I am forced to turn off notification.

I have an idea that may allow you to keep your data etc. What we need to do is to do an upgrade install. If you have another HD we can install to it and use the easy transfer wizard to import you files and settings. do you have one?

If you dont, how big is the current one? If it is big enough we can use a 3rd party app to shrink the current Os partition and make a second partition where we can install the New OS.

Your current OS is pretty well hosed, so other than these options the only thing I can think of is the clean install which you dont want to do.

Let us know

Kenn J+

Thank you for the advice. I believe I can copy the entire drive's contents to a storage HDD, and do a clean install on my regular HDD, and do a transfer from there. Otherwise, if I delete some unnecessary junk from my old installation (like some images of my PS2 games I ripped in case I lose them), I can repartition the drive to allow your course of action.

Thanks so much for the help. This is probably the most useful advice yet. Acer Technical Support just wanted me to save what I wanted and do a clean install over it, losing any programs I once had. I had some advice to check "Disable Restart on System Failure" on my F8 menu for more information on the problem, so I will probably do that first before I do anything drastic.
Thanks again!

 

[valkyr81]

erm hi im Haven the same prob im more hardware minded then software but erm i only got my pc yesterday it had a couple of registry errors just sys restored them it worked till i put crysis warhead and a couple other things and 30 songs and had to restart thats where and when my troubles began and i have no idea please help

 

[Jonathan_King]

erm hi im Haven the same prob im more hardware minded then software but erm i only got my pc yesterday it had a couple of registry errors just sys restored them it worked till i put crysis warhead and a couple other things and 30 songs and had to restart thats where and when my troubles began and i have no idea please help

Hello,

Can you perform another system restore?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

Could you describe your problem a bit more? What is not working?