Can't boot Windows 7 after printer uninstallation

[kimouette]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a new printer so I decided to go ahead and uninstall my previous printer,s drivers (using uninstall from the control panel menu). The printer was uninstalled successfully but then I was asked to reboot my computer to complete the uninstallation process. So I did that, but now I'm stuck on the main black screen and Windows 7 wont boot!

The black screen I am talking about is the screen where you can see your harddrive's information, RAM, mouse initialized ect... This is also where I can choose to go to the setup menu. But normally, Windows 7 automatically boots after that screen disappears. Now it doesn't!

So I read many threads on this forum and tried to use the setup repair cd method AND the Windows 7 installation cd method, none of them works since my computer wont boot from any of them!

I went into the setup menu and made sure the DVD drive was in first position... it is! And I can clearly hear the sound of the cd spinning when I turn on my computer, but nothing seems to work!

Anyone here understands what's happening? Or knows what else I could try??

Thanks for your help!
Kim

 

[TVeblen]

When you get stuck on the BIOS boot process before W7 loads, as you have, it indicates a hardware issue. But you would normally get a message if the hard drive was not found.

Are all printers and other USB connected devices unplugged from the back of the computer? Do so, especially either of the printers.

If you are comfortable working inside your case you should also check to be sure the cables attached to your hard drive are connected correctly.

Try this also: repeatedly press the F8 key as the computer boots - those BIOS screens - and see if you can get to the Windows startup menu.
Choose "Normal Startup" first, then "Last known good configuration" next if you can get there.

 

[kimouette]

Are all printers and other USB connected devices unplugged from the back of the computer? Do so, especially either of the printers.

Yes they are. I have unplugged everything right after the first failure

If you are comfortable working inside your case you should also check to be sure the cables attached to your hard drive are connected correctly.

I wouldn,t mind doing that, but I'm pretty sure my hard drive is ok. When the BIOS screen appears, it reads my HDD information (Pentiuam dual T2370 1.74Ghz or something like that). It also checks the RAM (4000MB ram passed) ect...

repeatedly press the F8 key as the computer boots - those BIOS screens - and see if you can get to the Windows startup menu.

I tried to do that, but F8 doesn,t seem like a fonction on my computer. Is it possible that europeen computers use another key? Each time I press F8 on the BIOS screen I get a sound (a beep), which doesn,t sound right! And when all the information are shown (mouse initialized is the last thing written) F8 doesnt make any beep but it doesnt bring me anywhere

 

[TVeblen]

F8 is a Windows function - it bypasses the normal startup to give you additional options. I don't know why it would be different anywhere in the world.
So what you want to be doing is pressing the F8 key at the moment between when the BIOS boot finishes and Windows begins to load.

 

[kimouette]

That,s exactly what I did, but it doesn't do anything!

The only 2 options I have from there is either F1 (to enter setup menu) and F12 to enter the boot device selection menu.
F1 works, but F12 doesnt work. It gives me "Entering the boot device selection menu... " and nothing happens!

Anything I could try maybe from the setup menu? which seems to be the only thing working right now!

 

[TVeblen]

Yours is an uncommon problem, as I am sure you already know.

I have asked others on the forum to take a look. I'm sure someone who has seen this behavior before will take a look.

 

[Hopalong X]

That,s exactly what I did, but it doesn't do anything!

The only 2 options I have from there is either F1 (to enter setup menu) and F12 to enter the boot device selection menu.
F1 works, but F12 doesnt work. It gives me "Entering the boot device selection menu... " and nothing happens!

Anything I could try maybe from the setup menu? which seems to be the only thing working right now!

If I understand right your F1 takes you to set up menu- for Bios?
So I'm not sure what you refer to as set up menu.

Bios is "Delete" key on mine.

Anyway if you can get into Bios check to make sure your hard drive is recognized.
If it is check the boot order and make sure hard drive is listed.
CD/DVD is usually first then hard drive second.
That way you can boot a CD if necessary.
If no CD is detected it goes to the hard drive to boot so hard drive should be at least second in the list.

Worth a check if you can get into Bios.

 

[kimouette]

Ok maybe I was calling "bios screen" something that is not called that way!
I have to apologize, I'm french so I'm not completely used to these terms.

Instead I'll show you guys what I am talking about (sorry for the bad image quality I'm using a super cheap cell phone!)

This is (a portion of) the main black screen I was talking about. This is where I can choose from F1 (setup menu) or F12. Windows normally boots right after that page is shown


F8 nor DELETE keys work for me

If I press F1, here is the HDD info I can see:


If I choose the "boot section", this is what I see :


So "normally" if I insert my Windows CD installation, it should be the first thing launched... but like I said, it doesn't work!

 

[Golden]

This is bizarre....from your BIOS I can see that your DVD drive is 1st boot order, yet it doesn't boot from a Windows 7 DVD? Is this DVD a retail version or OEM Rescue Disk?

What options do you see on the F1 Setup menu you mentioned?

Regards,
Golden

 

[Hopalong X]

Yes DVD is listed first in your picture.
SATA HDD is showing second in your last picture.

Also if you are on a wireless keyboard many times they will not give all the functions when running on the Bios firmware as you are now.
The Windows driver is not recognized properly.
Several times I have had to use my wired/plug-in keyboard when there is a problem with Windows for all "F" keys to work.
If you are using a wireless keyboard try a wired/plug-in keyboard and see if all the keys work.

If it works you can then enter F8 Step 3 here > http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/666-advanced-boot-options.html

 

[Hopalong X]

This is bizarre....from your BIOS I can see that your DVD drive is 1st boot order, yet it doesn't boot from a Windows 7 DVD? Is this DVD a retail version or OEM Rescue Disk?

What options do you see on the F1 Setup menu you mentioned?

Regards,
Golden

I'm not sure the disk will work.

If disk is pre SP1 and he has SP1 installed now?

Brink told me you needed to make a post SP1 Repair/recovery disk.
That is what I understood so I did for mine.

Post #73-74
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create-8.html


Golden
I'm not an expert on this type problem.
Finding what I can to help.

Where is Brink when you need him.

 

[Hopalong X]

kimouette

We are trying to help.
We will see if we can get more experienced people to assist.

Mike

 

[kimouette]

This is bizarre....from your BIOS I can see that your DVD drive is 1st boot order, yet it doesn't boot from a Windows 7 DVD? Is this DVD a retail version or OEM Rescue Disk?

What options do you see on the F1 Setup menu you mentioned?

Here are the other options I have:


To answer your question, my computer does NOT boot my orginal Windows 7 DVD. The other disk I have been trying to boot with is called "system repair disk": a disk I've been creating following that tutorial : Créer un disque de réparation système

Also if you are on a wireless keyboard many times they will not give all the functions when running on the Bios firmware as you are now.

I'm using a laptop here. So the keyboard is integrated, not wireless

Hopalong X, what does pre SP1 mean?

Maybe some parts of my hardware are broken, but that would be a weird coincidence. What really initiated the problem is the uninstallation of my printer. Since I was asked to reboot my computer to complete the uninstallation, I guess something is trying to be ran and prevents my computer from launching anything else (dvd drive, windows 7, just anything else than that damn printer,s driver)

 

[Hopalong X]

SP1 is reference to- Windows 7 Service Pack1
So "Pre" is before SP1 was installed.

I didn't know it was a laptop.

 

[kimouette]

Tonight I'll take out the hdd and back up all my personal files on another computer using my hdd adaptor kit (I'll keep my fingers crossed until then... if my hdd is dead... that would be a nightmare!!!). But then I dont know what I'll do. Let,s say I have copied my files and now I want to do complete reinstall of Windows 7, how will I boot the dvd anyway?

What a terrible situation!! All I wanted was to uninstall my printer,s drivers!!

 

[essenbe]

Just as a suggestion. If you have access to another computer, follow this tutorial and see if you can boot from a USB drive. You will need your installation disk and a 4GB USB drive.

 

[theog]

Try ENABLED for SATA HDD AHCI Mode.

 

[kimouette]

Just as a suggestion. If you have access to another computer, follow this tutorial and see if you can boot from a USB drive. You will need your installation disk and a 4GB USB drive.

I'll try that, after backing up my data of course

Try ENABLED for SATA HDD AHCI Mode.

I enabled it but it doesn't change anything. Still cant boot from dvd.

 

[essenbe]

If it were me, I would boot into bios, load Optimized Defaults (usually F9), set the boot order to CD/DVD first and HD second and try it again.

 

[Britton30]

Hello, in any of the screens you see is there an option for System recovery or something to that effect? try entering that, but be aware that will revert your system to out of the box condition erasing all of your data and programs.