Do I need the HP Recovery disks? Or can I use a regular Windows 7 DVD

[Randleplexed]

Hey everyone,

So I was installing the latest updates on my laptop, forgot to plug it in, the battery died, and now I can't start windows at all.

I tried booting it up on my recovery partition, but that doesn't work. It always goes to the screen for choosing between Startup repair and starting it normally, and when I go to Start-up repair, it just loads up a blue desktop wallpaper and a prompt window appears for a split second, dissapears and then nothing happens.

Now I don't have the recovery discs I made when I first booted up my laptop, and to order them from HP, it would cost $40 and even then I'm not sure it would even help. I've tried booting it with a Windows 7 disc that I borrowed from a friend, but all that happens is that it tries to read it for a bit, and then goes to the Start-up repair screen again.

I'm at a loss for what to do. Because I figure, even though its not the recovery disks made by HP, I should be able to re-install Windows with a new disc. So I have no idea if I should order the HP recovery discs, because 40 bucks is quite alot for something that may not help at all.

Thanks, sorry if my post seems all over the place. I can clarify if it doesn't make any sense.

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

Providing you have a Windows 7 disc that is the same version as that provided by HP you can use it to carry out a clean install and activate it with the product key that came with your computer.

You get the added benefit of not having to put up with HP's bloatware too.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174907-clean-install-factory-coa-activation-key.html

 

[ImagerRst]

If you have Windows already installed have you tried going into SAFE MODE? By pressing f8 in boot up? That should always work!

YOu said you were installing updates so you must have windows installed. So safe mode should work. Give it a go and reply if it went well!

All the best in your recovery!

Oh if you can press F8 choose the last know good configuration option so windows will boot properly..

You can use your windows installtion CD to go back in time if you have already created a restored point in windows.. But this is the longer way...

 

[alphanumeric]

Your borrowed Windows 7 DVD doesn't necessarily have to match your edition. Any windows 7 DVD can be used to make a universal install disk that will install any edition. You just have to find the correct version, 32 bit or 64 bit.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/85813-windows-7-universal-installation-disc-create.html?filter
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174907-clean-install-factory-coa-activation-key.html?filter

EDIT: You may be able to creat one of these on another PC and use it to fix that PC
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html?filter

 

[Randleplexed]

Alright,

I've tried booting with the Windows 7 dvd, but my laptop spends a good amount of time reading it and then just boots from the hard drive. I also created a USB boot for the Windows 7 DVD, and it actually goes to the initial setup screen but then just hangs either at the "Setup is starting..." screen or just a blank desktop wallpaper after clicking "Repair windows".

I then tried booting with the System recovery disc created from another computer (both are home premium 64-bit), but the same thing with trying to boot the Windows 7 DVD happens. I then created a bootable USB drive for the system recovery disc. And again better results than the DVD, but after the initial screen when selecting the keyboard input and clicking next, nothing happens and I'm faced with the windows 7 wallpaper.

So I just feel at a loss here. I'm sure if I get the recovery discs from HP, it'll just be the same thing with the DVD drive not booting properly and if I make a USB bootable drive, it can't get past the first screen.

So frustrating, with such a little thing as my laptop dying during an update. Do you guys have any other ideas??

Thanks for the help so far!

Edit: Maybe I'm being too hasty in thinking that nothing is happening when I'm only shown the windows 7 default wallpaper? I've left it on for up to an hour, and nothings happened, and my laptop isn't slow by any means, but should I just leave on for longer and hopefully the system repair menu comes up?

 

[gregrocker]

What happens if you tap the F8 key at boot to access Advanced Boot Options ? Can you enter Repair console to run Startup Repair, enter Safe Mode or choose Last Known Good Config?

Did you burn the Win7 DVD yourself? If so Confirm the ISO integrity and burn another at 4x speed using ImgBurn if so.

Write flash stick using Universal USB Installer with Win7 in dropdown menu. Boot with HD set first to boot in BIOS, use HP ESC key to trigger stick listed under USB, REmovable or HD's.

While in BIOS setup set SATA controller to AHCI to try install first, then IDE if all else fails.

Next reset the BIOS to defaults: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

Next wipe the HD to clear the boot sector. If you can get to first boot screen of DVD or flash stick installer or Repair CD, press Shift + F10 to open a command line: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

If no Command Line, burn to CD free Partition Wizard bootable CD which will autostart to wipe the HD from Disk tab. This should force the installer to autostart.

Follow these steps to get a perfect reinstall of factory OEM with special notes for HP's: Reinstalling Windows 7

 

[Randleplexed]

Hey thanks for the reply.

Using F8, and starting in the last known config or safe mode results in the same error as starting Windows normally. I did choose the option to prevent a restart when an error occurs, and got the BSOD stating "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME". I'm guessing my boot was corrupted when the update was interrupted.

From what I've been reading, this error can be fixed through system repair but I can't even get to that. Trying to boot-up system repair from my HDD results in the appearance of a blue wallpaper and pointer, but the system restore dialog doesn't appear, I've left it on for 2 hours and nothing still appeared. Same thing happens when booting with a USB flash drive that was created using the Windows 7 USB download tool (though the wallpaper is different, I'm guessing one is the HP default wallpaper and the other is Windows 7's) of both the installation disc and an image of the System Repair disc.

Trying to boot with the CD/DVD of both an original Windows 7 DVD and created System Repair disc results in the laptop trying to read it for a while on a black screen, and then reverting to the startup repair on the HDD.

I couldn't find the SATA options in my BIOS, and I'll try resetting the CMOS. I'm gonna hold off on wiping the HDD for now, because I still feel there might be a way to recover it, but if there's no other choice I'll resort to it.

Thanks

EDIT: I'm able to get to the cmd prompt using Shift+F10 at the startup screen using the Windows 7 Boot USB. Through this I've been able to get to the Startup repair and it's currently running and I don't know how long its going to take. I also want to perform CHKDSK, but when I try it tells me that it can't do it unless I dismount the hard drive, so I choose to do CHKDSK on the next start-up but that's where I run into a problem. The only way to reboot my computer is to do a hard shutdown, and from there I don't think it remembers to do CHKDSK when starting up. Is there a way to get CHKDSK to run properly when my only tool is cmd prompt?

 

[theog]

I would Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
HD Diagnostic

 

[Randleplexed]

Okay after playing around for a bit with the cmd prompt, I've found that the main partition (d:\) can't be read (or it just takes a hell of a long time). If I try to load diskpart, it's either unresponsive or is taking forever, same with if I try to chkdsk the D:\ partition. Now this is what I think the problem is when trying to load up the recovery tools, it just can't read off the partition and detect my OS. The RE boot (X:\), System (C:\) and Recovery (E:\) partitions are fine.

I just don't know what to do now. Maybe it's a hardware failure? But that doesn't make any sense. I'm pretty sure this all has to do with my laptop running out of battery in the middle of the latest update which involved some extensive changes to the registry. Me being unable to access the main partition creates a whole lot of problems from not being able to reinstall windows, to not being able to use the recovery tools properly.

I'll try booting up one of those Harddrive diagnostic tools, and I'll report back.

 

[alphanumeric]

The computer abruptly shutting down (running out of battery) while the OS is doing a read or write to the hard drive can corrupt the file system. It can be any program accessing the hard drive so its not necessarily the reg edit that did it. If the master boot record got hosed that could really mess things up and prevent windows form loading. Just one or two corrupted system files can hose windows pretty bad. It looks like everything I would have suggested trying has already been mentioned so I'll just wait and see what happens next.

 

[gregrocker]

What happens when you reset the CMOS? Can you boot the DVD?

Test your RAM - Test with Memtest86+

You need to check for infection even though it isn't indicated by what happened. Boot Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper to do a full scan, then from DVD try Startup Repair, from the Command Line: SFC -SCANNOW Run in Command Prompt at Boot and Disk Check