Cannot repair Windows start up problem

[markaz]

Window 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Had a dual boot Win 7/Ubuntu 10.10. Got rid of Ubuntu by deleting the partition it was on and extended the Win 7 volume. All of this done in Disk Management. At the end Disk Management showed that space now part of C drive. I restarted to check that the grub bootloader was no longer running startups and I get the Windows 7 startup screen and then the message "Windows configuring... Do not shut down computer". After running approximately 3 minutes appears a black screen with the following: error: no such partition. grub rescue > blinking cursor. I restart and get the error message immediately.

With some very good help from sevenforums members I was able to create a bootable USB repair disk (no optical drive). In System Recovery Options I attempted "Startup repair" and "System Restore". SysRestore said there were no restore points (??) and Startup repair found absolutely no errors (Target OS test, Boot manager diagnosis, System boot log diagnosis, Event log diagnosis and Boot status test all reported no errors). The details state "Boot status indicates that the OS booted successfully". This is not the case.

Before I use the command prompt in an attempt to repair a boot problem that Windows Recovery says doesn't exist, I thought I would seek the advice of those more knowlegeable about startup problems that me.

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[theog]

To start go to post 4 in
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...ss-recovery-console-without-install-disk.html

 

[gregrocker]

Unfortunately GRUB can render Win7 irreparable until it is wiped from the HD.

How many times did you run Startup Repair? It sometimes takes 3 tries with reboots to repair or rewrite the System boot files. Again GRUB can render this irreparable.

Make sure the 7 partition is marked Active: Partition - Mark as Active, or use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to mark Active, then click on HD to highlight and from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR which may preclude the need to run repairs.

Does the Repair console find an installation to repair, and is it listed correctly? If not try to jumpstart by running from Command Line bootrec /fixboot and bootrec /fixmbr.

Otherwise it may require wiping the HD of GRUB since deleting its partition and resizing over it does not wipe it's code which may have corrupted the boot sector. SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Try writing to USB your Recovery disks first as Theog is urging if you don't have them as the Recovery partition would be wiped out by this.

Then run the Recovery stick, or find a Win7 installer for your version to clean reinstall using the Product Key on COA sticker: Reinstalling Windows 7

 

[markaz]

Regardless of how many times I hit F9 it made absolutely no difference because it always went to the error screen. At startup ONLY ESC (first boot device choice) and F2 (BIOS setup) would function.

Ran Startup repair 5 times and no luck. Ran Command Prompt and bootrec /fixboot and bootrec /fixmbr. Restarted and problem solved...Windows started!

Somewhere in the process the Recovery Partition was wiped out. It's now Unallocated in Disk Management. Checked Microsoft's site and come to find that they suggest the drive letter of the recovery partition be removed so that the OS won't accidentally damage it(?)"Factory Image (D)" - Microsoft Answers. Interesting. Spoke with ASUS and they're kind enough to send a recovery media disk to me in the form of a CD/DVD (still under warranty). I can then transfer it to a USB.

Can't thank you enough...AGAIN! Fully operational with all of your help and I actually learned a few things in the process.Never worked with ISO's before and as soon as I receive that disk from ASUS, theog, I'll never be without Recovery again. Lesson learned.

Take care.

 

[gregrocker]

Good work.

If you'll post up a screenshot of your maximized Disk Mgmt drive map with listings showing all columns, we can look it over to make sure there's no potential problems.

How is performance? Are you inclined to keep this installation and hold the disks until needed later?

 

[theog]

To transfer DVD to a USB you can use this tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html?ltr=U
Make sure USB Pendriveis bigger than the DVD.

Can you post a screen shot of Disk management?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-how-post-screenshot-seven-forums.html
We can sort out the partitions.

 

[markaz]

Here you go. One of the big problems I've had with Win7 is the boot time. I took this opportunity to go into msconfig and disable nearly all startup items. Now startup is twice as fast. Moving around the computer is quick and browsing is good. The one regret I do have is the OS is 64-bit and do wish I had gotten a laptop with 32-bit. Personal preference. But I wanted this machine in particular and it was available in x64 only. I will keep this install for now, but if I have any problems whatsoever, I will blow it out and install Vista 32-bit. I'm one of those that actually prefers Vista over Win7. Enough of the chatter, here's Disk Management. Whatever suggestion you may have, fire away. I'm always good for tinkering and experimenting if you want to go that route.

Again......many thanks!!

 

[theog]

You could make Unalllocated partition, in to a DATA partition.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html?ltr=P

 

[markaz]

Absolutely. Planned on making it a simple volume with the recovery files and folders for starters. Might even migrate my PC's Vista recovery disks there as well. Anything having to do with startup and install recovery will most likely be dedicated to that volume. Like this:

 

[gregrocker]

Looks okay. You dont' really need to recover that 14.65 gb now but if you ever do use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to Resize to the left.