Computer crash and Startup Repair did not fix

[lostinthewoods]

Hello All. Apologies for the wordiness of this post, but I'm not exactly a computer expert and I'm not sure what might be important (and what might not be).

Computer is Gateway P-6880FX and is going on 6 1/2 years old. This is the first problem ever with this computer.

Issue began while my son was playing Minecraft with FnD mod. System froze, and Ctrl+Alt+Del did nothing. Held down power button to shut off. On restart, Startup Repair was recommended by computer, so that's what I did. When it finished, it still would not load Windows. Startup Repair was run again, but no change.

Over the ensuing 5 hours of messing around with computer, searching online for answers, etc, here's what I found (which isn't much):

The best I can seem to do is to get the "System Recovery Options" box which gives two options:
1. "Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting windows. Select an operationg system to repair".

Unfortunately, it doesn't list any OS to choose.

"If your OS isn't listed, click load drivers and then install drivers for your hard disks".

That led me on a pretty good goose chase looking for hard drive drivers. Best I can tell, there's no such thing. The driver is actually for the drive controller, not the drive itself. I think. regardless, I tried to download the serial ATA RAID controller from Westen Digital to a portable HD and use it, but an error message comes up and says something like "These are not the drivers needed for your system", or something like that. This is my HD info: WD3200BEVT-22ZCT0-(S1).

2. "Restore your computer using a system image that you created that you created earlier".

I actually have an image on the portable HD. Its a couple of years old, but I figured its better than nothing, but I can't get that to work, either.


My main hope is to fix the startup issue somehow and save everything exactly as it was before the glitch occured. If that's not possible, then getting the previous image loaded would be nice. If all else fails, I'd like to be able to continue using the computer, even if it requires going back to factory defaults (but I have no idea how to do that, either).

Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated!

 

[gregrocker]

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

I would use System Recovery Options from the WIn7 disk (provided) for the repairs which is more stable.

If the OS again fails to show up, try skipping to the step to run the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows. As it states in tutorial, often the commands given will force the OS to appear for repair or start it themselves, especially the final step to back up the BCD and then delete and Rebuilt it.

The tutorial steps lead up to if necessary rescuiing your files to run Gateway Full Factory Recovery
or do the vastly superior Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which assures the very best install possible of Win7 based on what's worked best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here.

 

[lostinthewoods]

Whew! OK. Why is there no "Easy" button like in the commercials?

Thank you very much for the help, BTW!

I will start working through this as time allows. Unfortunately, I'm about to start an extended tour of 12-hour shifts at work. If it takes a while for me to work through these items and you don't see a reply for a while, don't give up on me.

Two other items that developed since the last post:
1. I found 4 "recovery disks" that I had completely forgotten I had made after I bought the computer. That might be awesome.

2. I heard a brief noise that sounded suspiciously like the HD was grinding. Probably less awesome.

If those details should change the course of action, let me know. Otherwise, I am proceeding with your first instructions.

 

[gregrocker]

The grinding noise would lead me to do the Hard Drive tests from the Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start tutorial first.

If it fails maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan followed by Disk Check, then replace the drive and run the Recovery disk set you made or do the vastly superior Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

 

[lostinthewoods]

OK. I will do the hard drive tests first as soon as time allows. Skimming through those directions, it lookslike it may be possible to isolate those bad areas (assuming that turns out to be the problem), and I can continue using the disk. Or is this not possible? Or if possible, is this not recommended?

 

[gregrocker]

If the disk is failing then the maker's diagnostics can also sometimes repair it. However all advice is then to replace it as it could fail completely at any time. If you continue to use it, be sure you have backed up a Win7 system image and your files - preferably in real time similar to the method shown in Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Skydrive - Windows 7 Forums.

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
Backup User and System Files

 

[lostinthewoods]

OK. Here's what the HD diagnostic site lists and it leaves me confused:


Western Digital - I've had issues with running this from a CD/DVD - try the Hitachi DFT (on older/IDE systems) or the Seagate SeaTools (on newer/SATA systems) - WD Support / Downloads / SATA & SAS Download the Diag504fCD.iso file on this page: WD Support / Downloads / Legacy Internal / WD Raptor
I have hosted a zipped copy of the ISO that I use (at work) here: http://www.box.net/shared/gl0fifqgj4
http://cid-5a5378e587a744c3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/W-D%


I downloaded the ISO maker program, but which of these is he recommending to use, since he's "had trouble" running the WD programs from CD/DVD? Should I just download and use the Seagate Seatools (I confirmed mine is SATA)? Or do I need the Diag504fCD.iso file?

Your patience is very much appreciated.

I have no idea why bold type won't stay turned off.

 

[gregrocker]

Use the WD ISO file as it is available now. You can burn to CD using Windows Image Burner.

 

[lostinthewoods]

I downloaded ISO and burned to CD, but it would not run..."Unable to locate license agreement file DLGLICE.TXT"

So I searched Western Digital's site and was able to make a bootable USB drive with software from their site. This allowed me to run a "Quick Test" that found no problems, and an "Extended Test" that found "Too many errors. Please contact tech support. Error status code:0225".

Uh oh.

Based on that, my assumption is I'm pretty much dead in the water when it comes to salvaging this HD and retreiving anything from it and/or fixing Windows to utilize it again.

Over the next several days during the down times at work I'm going to go over the links you provided previously to see if anything jumps out that might help. Thanks for the assist. Anything else you'd recommend?

 

[gregrocker]

Have you tried yet to rescue files from the HD with a boot disk which may still see them?

It's Step 10 in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start:

10. If these all fail you can copy out your data using your Windows 7 DVD or System Repair Disk using this method: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console,

or Paragon rescue disk to recover data.

 

[lostinthewoods]

OK. I'm back to work on the issue. Nothing has worked so far. I thought I might be making progress in step #7:

7. If no installation shows up to repair when booting into DVD System Recovery Options or Repair CD, or Startup Repair won't work after several tries, click through to System Recovery Options, open a Command Line to use the Bootrec.exe tool running each one of the commands shown. If ScanOS or RebuildBCD does not find an OS, be sure to do the final steps to export and delete the BCD store which often will find and correct it.

I worked all the way through the Bootrec.exe including the final steps, after which it finally said it had "identified a Windows installation".

It asked "Add installation to boot list? Yes(Y)/No(N)/All(A):

I chose Yes, and then rebooted to safe mode, but it just takes me to a black screen with a mouse cursor and nothing else ever comes up.

When I read this:
Failure to boot disk is almost always user error. Set disk drive first to boot in BIOS setup, look for prompt to "Press any key to boot disk." Its absence likely means the ISO or disk is bad. Alternatively tap the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key to trigger disk drive.
... I interpereted it as "Select hard drive to be the first thing to load in Bios settings"...which is what I did, but is this correct? Since I never saw "Press any key to boot disk", I'm guessing I missed something.

 

[gregrocker]

You'll only get the prompt to Press Any Key to Boot Disk if you set Optical Drive to boot first in BIOS, or trigger it to boot using the BIOS Boot Menu key at boot.

Did you try running a few more Startup Repairs after the OS showed up to Repair. That would only count as one, if any, repairs once it was forced to appear. But in these cases it may need to be run up to 3 separate times to test, attempt repairs, or ever rewrite the boot files and bootsect.

In addition the Repairs will not work if the correct System Reserved (preferred if you have it ) or C is not Partition Marked Active.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html

 

[lostinthewoods]

For some reason, "Repair your computer" is no longer appearing as an option when I go into Advanced Boot Options, so I can't get to the Startup Repairs.

I do not have access to another Windows 7 computer to create a system repair disk.

 

[gregrocker]

Try Last Known Good Configuration and Safe Mode from Advanced Boot Options.

You'll need to use another PC to download the Win7 installation media ISO here if Home Premium is your version, otherwise I gave you the link to find the others in Troubleshooting tutorial before: Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download.

Then burn it to DVD or flash stick using Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool, boot it to do the Repairs given you thusfar.

 

[lostinthewoods]

OK. Thank you for your patience. I have already tried Last known Good Config. and Safe Mode several times each. They always lead me back to the black screen with the mouse cursor.

I am downloading the ISO...seems like it will take quite some time (5hr, 44min remaining). I'll put it on a flash stick and attempt repairs as soon as possible.

 

[gregrocker]

If this Gateway has never had a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 then now might be the perfect time to rescue your files, boot the installer to delete all partititions, create and format new to do a perfect install. This takes you from the worst possible install one can have of Win7 (even if it starts) to the best possible install so you can finally enjoy real Win7 on that PC for the first time.

 

[lostinthewoods]

Yes, that sounds awesome!

Do you think this stands a reasonable chance of success, despite the error message after the hard drive test?

 

[gregrocker]

I assumed you'd replaced that HD if it had that many errors after running the Extended test again, followed by a full Disk Check using Option Two if necessary from Win7 disk.

If you choose to proceed with it due to mixed test results then be prepared for it it to fail, keep data and image backed up at all times.