Can't start win7 outside safe mode

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  1. Posts : 30
    Window 7 Home Premium 64-bit
       #11

    Run Startup Repair again.

    When you ran it first time (when you tried to boot with your slaved buddy's HD tow) it made some changes to accommodate the 2nd hard drive which is now causing problem.

    Run Startup Repair without the slaved drive to fix the problem.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 11
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #12

    Britton30~

    Clean install is what I indeed tried;

    "The most confusing part of all is when I broke down and just decided to reformat the drive and start from scratch. Again, I could only boot from the Windows 7 CD in safe mode, and while in there I reformatted the main drive (there are 3 partitions; OEM, Recovery, and the Main). I have done this process multiple times, but the only thing I get even after reformatting the drive is more OS to choose from when starting the comp."

    The main partition is 917.7 MB total, yet even after formatting it, it's says 917.6 MB free. I can get through the first part of the windows install in safe mode, but the second cannot be in safe mode (apparently).


    Tae Song~

    The first thing I did when the errors started happening was unhook the second HD. It seems I can't actually run startup repair; it does the whole "windows is loading files", black screen, then shuts itself off after 10 or so seconds. It's still driving me nuts that I still can't pinpoint where the problem occurred; I defaulted everything in the BIOS and unhooked the second hard drive, and I've gone through and shut off everything in the startup config except microsoft stuff. The whole thing just baffles me, and has been quite humbling.
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  3. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #13

    Kane does the Win7 DVD you have say something like "Operating System Already Installed on your Computer, Reinstallation DVD (or CD) Microsoft Windows 7 xxxxxx Edition"?
    If you followed the clean install tutorial from my post #10 link, it should be fine. If not try it and forego the 3 partitions until you have a working system again.
    One other thing could be your buddy's HDD could have some kind of virus which infected you. Try using Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper Beta | Microsoft Connect and run a scan.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 11
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #14

    The DVD says "Operating System Already Installed On Your Computer. Reinstallation DVD Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit" and it's Dell-based "The software is already installed on your computer. Use this DVD only to reinstall the operating system on a Dell PC."

    As for the clean installation, I can't run it outside of safe mode. I get as far as step 9 of your tutorial in safe mode, but after that its either black screen and shuts-itself-off in normal mode or can't continue in safe mode when it restarts EDIT: Correction; it never turns itself back on even for restart, it has to be turned on manually every time. Don't know the significance of this, but thought I should mention it.

    Also, what do you mean "forego the 3 partitions" ? Formatting the main partition has obviously got me nowhere, but there is an option to delete, but I haven't done it because frankly at this stage of the game I haven't got a clue what I'm doing. Do you mean to delete the partitions, including OEM and Recovery?

    As to the virus thing I've wondered that myself, but good lord that transferred over FAST; I didn't even get to the OS before when I first started, and the first thing I did after first shutdown was disconnect the thing. Going to run the sweeper program you linked, will be back shortly with edit for the results.

    Edit 2: Apparently the prehistoric fossil I'm on now hasn't been updated in awhile, and apparently I need to run this program to create the disc. When this relic manages its way to XP service pack 3, I'll try again.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #15

    OK, that's good, put the Dell DVD in and reboot, it should boot to the DVD which is what we want. You may have to "Press any key" to do so. When you get to where you're asked about where to install, delete all the partitions and let it do a full format. The Dell DVD should re-create 3 partitions, OEM recovery, System Reserved and the C:\ drive. Did I miss something about XP SP3?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 11
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #16

    Deleted all the partitions, let it run, still nada, but at least I don't have 4 OS's anymore. Still can't do jack outside safe mode, and safe mode is too limited. It would seem like this problem is in the BIOS, but I defaulted all of those values.

    In short: *facedesk*

    In regards to the XP service pack 3, I was referring to the computer I am posting and burning .iso 's from, not the computer I'm trying to fix. Apparently the system sweeper you linked requires the computer to be at XP service pack 3 or later.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #17

    Check out this Dell tutorial for a factory restore.

    How To Restore or Reinstall Microsoft Windows on a Dell Computer | Dell
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 11
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #18

    Look I appreciate someone taking the time to try and help here, but it's a waste of both our time when you just post tutorials without reading the rest of this thread; I've already tried the factory restore and it just black screens, then shuts itself like every other solution so far.

    I don't wish to insult anybody, just trying to get some help here.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #19

    Tutorials are quite useful because someone has taken a great deal of time to write it thereby negating the need for us to re-write the same instructions.

    Perhaps you could try the diskpart clean all approach from the cmd prompt which will write 0's to your entire HDD. Then you can do a clean install. This will destroy everything currently on the drive so back up first. tuts are available, but I won't waste your time.

    Your HDD might be defective. There are testing/repair tools for different brands. http://www.carrona.org/hddiag.html
    Last edited by Britton30; 20 Nov 2011 at 17:37.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       #20

    KaneChaos said:
    Look I appreciate someone taking the time to try and help here, but it's a waste of both our time when you just post tutorials without reading the rest of this thread; I've already tried the factory restore and it just black screens, then shuts itself like every other solution so far.

    I don't wish to insult anybody, just trying to get some help here.
    Then I wish you luck in your quest.

    I'm obviously wasting my time so I'll leave you to it.
      My Computer


 
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