Solved Corrupted Hard drive? Ugh

[shank8]

So I just tried using a Windows 7 recovery disk to reset my computer back to factory settings like I have done numerous times before because I want to "clean" out the computer. I backed up all my personal files and went to reboot the computer using the CD/DVD drive. I initiated the Reset but half way through it gave me some error and said click ok to restart. I did that and now when I restart my laptop i get a BOOTMGR is missing Ctrl-Alt-Del to restart. I cannot use windows and when I try the restore to factory setting again, it does not show up as an option under the Recovery tools. What do I do???? Thanks

 

[Maguscreed]

boot from the cd again and choose the startup repair option.

 

[shank8]

I tried booting it up again and I can get to the Recovery tools but now there is no option to Reset to Factory Settings..Only the system restore and memory diagnosis, etc. My computer cannot locate which OS im using either.

 

[karlsnooks]

boot from the CD again and choose the SYSTEM REPAIR option.

You may need to do this three, yep three, times to get all back in order.

 

[shank8]

Here is my step by step actions:

1) Go to Setup Utility and change CD/DVD drive to the #1 spot on the boot list
2) Save and exit, then boot up to DVD drive
3) After "Press any key to boot from DVD drive" it says Windows Boot Manager: Gives me the options to pick an OS, but my Windows 7 is not there, it just says Windows Setup [EMS Enabled] and says to specify advanced options press F8.
4) Say I press F8, then it lets me pick between these: Safe Mode, SM with Networking, SM with ComPrompt, Enable Boot logging, Enable low res video, Last known good configuration, Directory Services Restore Mode, Debugging Mode, Disable auto restart on system failure, Disable Driver Signature Enforcement, and Start Windows Normally. There is no SYSTEM REPAIR or anything. There was the first time I tried before it gave me an error during the Factory settings formatting.

 

[karlsnooks]

Is that a Microsoft Win 7 DVD?

 

[karlsnooks]

If not a Microsoft Win 7 DVD,
then go to another Win 7 32 bit (must be 32 bit since you have a 32 bit computer), and make a System Repair Disc.

Boot up your computer to the System Repair Disc.

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[FONT=&quot]DISC - CREATE A SYSTEM REPAIR DISC[/FONT]​

START | type System Repair | Enter key | Create Disc button

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[shank8]

This is what I used: Windows 7 Recovery Disc
The 32 bit recovery ISO file from this website. I burned it to a disk and ran it from the boot menu. Now whenever I try to repair and do tests it won't let me because it says there is no OS. I even tried the bootrec.exe functions, they don't work.

 

[karlsnooks]

I don't know what a "recovery" disc is. I only know what a system repair disc is. I only know how to create the disc.

If you use a System Repair Disc and it doesn't find an operating system, then did you choose System Repair from the list of options shown?

 

[karlsnooks]

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SYSTEM REPAIR USING A SYSTEM REPAIR DISC

1) Make a System Repair Disk (WIN key| type Create System Repair Disc | ENTER key)
2) Insert System Repair Disc into optical reader.
3) Shutdown your computer.
4) Boot up your computer from the System Repair Disc (if needed, Power on button, immediately hit F2 key, change boot order to have boot from cd/dvd first).
5) Wait while a mini-version of Windows is loaded and finally the System Recovery Options dialog appears.
6) SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS dialog |
will show Select a keyboard input method |
NEXT button
7) SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS dialog
will search your system for installed versions of Windows.
8) SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS dialog |
select the Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows radio button |
NEXT button
9) SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS |
select System Repair from the list show
10) Click on System Repair and run system repair
11) Repeat running of System Repair 3 times
12) Remove the System Repair Disc CD
13) SHUTDOWN button
14) Power On your computer

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[gregrocker]

Exactly how were you trying to "reset" (an unknown term here) Win7 using a Repair CD which is used to REpair Startup, System Restore, Reimage from a stored Win7 backup image, Run Memory Test, etc?

To restore your computer to factory settings for a factory-preinstalled Win7 computer you need a Factory Recovery disk which came with the machine or you make yourself from the Recovery Partition. In this case you should run Recovery from the partition first since it is more stable, saving the disks as backup.

You described some kind of recovery stalling midway which lost the ability to boot Win7. What exactly were you running from the Repair CD which would do this? Is it possible the CD didn't boot and you ran Factory Recovery from the F8 Advanced Boot Tools menu choice to Repair My Computer which you say is no longer available now as a choice?

 

[shank8]

I will try this and let you know. Thank you very much

 

[gregrocker]

Please answer my questions so we know what you have actually done.

 

[shank8]

Well either way I am pretty sure I had the right disc. I have done this before and it worked. And this time i got all the way through to the Reformatting of the harddrive when all of a sudden, boom, error.

 

[shank8]

And yes, I did the Factory Restore option from the System Recovery options or whatever that is.

 

[shank8]

And btw, under system recovery options there is no System Repair. Only Startup Repair, System Restore, System Image Recovery, Windows Memory Diagnostic, and Command Prompt.

 

[gregrocker]

To clarify: You did not in fact boot the CD, but triggered F8 Advanced Boot Options which had a Repair My Computer option at the top of the menu, and which is no longer there. From there you clicked through to Factory Recovery to run full Factory Recovery. Is this correct?

If so, how far did Factory Recovery run. Describe as many steps as you can remember. Were there any failure or error messages?

When Factory REcovery fails from boot, then the Recovery Disks are used as a backup. Do you have these? You may need to order them from your computer maker tech support.

Boot the WIn7 REpair CD, see if it finds an installation to Repair, accept any offered Repair. If it doesn't start boot back in to run Startup Repair repeatedly. Report back.

Next use Diskpart to determine which is the Recovery Partition (we can help), mark it Active and then reboot to see if it will run again. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html

If you want a picture of your HD partitions, use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to find Recovery Partition and mark Active. Rightclick on the Win7 partition to see if your old files can be Explored.

 

[shank8]

Yes, I used the advance Boot options and did Repair My Computer the first time. Now the Repair My Computer option does not even show up. When I DID use it, I went maybe 3 minutes into the Factory Recover before it gave me an error. I wish I remembered the error number.

 

[gregrocker]

Follow the steps I gave above using Repair CD and free Partition Wizard bootable CD.

 

[shank8]

Ok thanks, I just found the recovery drive using the disklist thing then I will do the Wizard cd