please don't laugh...

[gregrocker]

Again, question: Will I be asked to "hit any key to load CD/DVD" after each repair/restart? because I feel like I'm going in circles. If it's repairing, I'll keep doing it, but I was assuming the pc would take action on its own (which it doesn't at the beginning)

You want to see if HD will start up before booting back into DVD to run another repair.

The Recovered flag means it should start IF it is marked Active. I highly recommend you use Partition Wizard bootable CD to look at the Disk Management picture which will confirm Active flag, allow you to browse for files and reveal unexpected issues:

Example: Is WIn7 installed on a Logical partition which cannot be marked Active to recover the System MBR into it? Instead it must be recovered into a primary SysReserved partition. In that case look for the 100mb SysReserved partition to mark Active. The PW picture can tell us this.

 

[mypcbroke]

Also, this time after hitting "Repair My Computer" it had (recovered) listed instead of "Windows 7" like before... am I on the right track?

Did it have windows seven and Windows seven recovered listed and you had to make a choice?
If it did chose recovered and see if it loads.

It only has:
(recovered) 10138 MB (C Local Disk

 

[mypcbroke]

Aside from the happy face that I didn't mean in the prev post, I have the boot order as 1. IDE0 and 2. CD/DVD.

Am I correct in assuming that the HD will try to load, then it will go to CD/DVD if it doesn't? Or will I always get a press any key for CD/DVD if I have the windows DVD in there?

 

[gregrocker]

I marked it active via command prompt. And I was under the assumption I couldn't retreive files because Microsoft phone guy told me to do certain command (not sure what they were for, I think he heard the desperation in my voice)
if I remember correctly it was: clean, format fs=ntfs
does that mean anything to anyone?

With Clean command you had your HD wiped and formatted. Did it ever start up during install?

Am I correct in assuming that the HD will try to load, then it will go to CD/DVD if it doesn't? Or will I always get a press any key for CD/DVD if I have the windows DVD in there?

It should not even be offering you to boot DVD if you have HD set first to boot. But if you don't press any key then it should boot to HD and it appears it is trying if you are getting that error. Try again.

There should also be a popup Boot Menu accessed by tapping F2 key at boot to make these choices if you are unsure.

 

[mypcbroke]

I don't know if I'm doing everything wrong. But I tried all steps up to getting the Partition Wizard. I burned it to a CD, but I keep getting "No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key"
and I have selected CD/DVD from my boot menu...

 

[gregrocker]

Did you click on the ISO to use built-in Windows Image Burner to burn PW ISO file to CD? You can't just copy it to DVD. It needs an Image BUrner.

Use ImgBurn at 4x speed to know it is burned bootable. http://www.imgburn.com/

Where did you get Win7 DVD? Did you burn it yourself? Was this a factory install?

 

[DocBrown]

This is a Windows 7 Retail DVD you are using for the repair ?

 

[mypcbroke]

Greg,
Sonic RecordNow! picked the option for me and it is saved as:
pwhe52
ISO Image file

Doc,
It is the Windows 7 upgrade DVD they sent from Acer. My pc originally had Vista but I bought it after a certain date so I received a free (?) update

 

[gregrocker]

I don't know if Sonic burns ISO disks. It is not being seen as a bootable disk anyway.

Best to use the built-in Win7 image burner or ImgBurn.

It would be good to see a picture of your HD using PW CD to know what is there. But if Win7 is on a primary partition and is marked System Active and won't repair after 3 attempts, there isn't much else we can do - Except look to see if you have a Recovery partition to run in case Win7 won't install. That way you can upgrade to 7 from Vista if it becomes necessary. Or do you have the Vista recov disks?

If you're ready to try reinstall we can do that, too. Or wait until tomorrow?

 

[DocBrown]

Greg,
Sonic RecordNow! picked the option for me and it is saved as:
pwhe52
ISO Image file

Doc,
It is the Windows 7 upgrade DVD they sent from Acer. My pc originally had Vista but I bought it after a certain date so I received a free (?) update

In reading all the different posts here, I think the Microsoft helpers may have Cleaned & deleted the main win7 OS. So Fresh Clean install might be the best option


" It only has:
(recovered) 10138 MB (C Local Disk "

That sounds like the size of the recovery partition installed by the manufacture :shock:

 

[karlsnooks]

Mypcborke,
Please follow Greg's advice and use ImgBurn to burn that iso file. This is a 100% solution to burning an iso file.

ImgBurn

 

[mypcbroke]

CD burned via ImgBurn and booted! (it's the small victories)
In regard to Vista recover disk I do no have them (of course I would make it more difficult).
The Windows 7 was sent to me from Acer it says:
Windows 7 Upgrade Media
The disc contains 32-bit software only

 

[gregrocker]

Since you have the Recov Disks, I'd recommend zeroing the whole drive when you choose to reinstall. You can do it from the Disk tab on Partition Wizard.

Can you first post back a clear camera snap of the booted Partition Wizard drive map?

Attach using paper clip in Reply box.

If the listings on each partition are not clear, please type them out for us.

 

[mypcbroke]

I'm hoping that's clear enough

 

[gregrocker]

The middle partition is likely an old OEM factory utility partition as it is too small to install WIn7 into.

I would wipe the HD now from the PW CD Disk tab, writing one set of zeroes.

Then boot the Win7 installer, select Custom install, use Drive options to create an install partition. It will assign the 100mb SysReserved partition for booting, which is good since it adds the DVD Repair console to your F8 Advanced Boot Tools menu. Format both before installing to the larger second partition. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

The installer is mostly driver-complete, with newer arriving quickly via optional Windows Updates. Any drivers then missing in Device Manager can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for your model computer or device.

Install updates and then programs slowly over time to gauge performance after each. Don't let any programs write themselves into msconfig>Startup as they become freeloaders on your RAM/CPU and can spy on you. I only allow AV and gadgets. http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/70248-troubleshooting-msconfig.html

Use a lightweight free AV like MS Security Essentials which works perfectly with Windows 7 Firewall. http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

When it is finished, clean and order the HD perfectly using state-of-the-art free CCleaner then Auslogics Disk and Registry defraggers monthly. http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/
http://download.cnet.com/Auslogics-...67503.html?part=dl-6267754&subj=dl&tag=button
http://download.cnet.com/Auslogics-Registry-Defrag/3000-2094_4-10678033.html?tag=mncol;1

Then save a Win7 Backup image externally so you never have to reinstall again, just reimage the HD or replacement using DVD or Repair CD. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

 

[mypcbroke]

Ok, you guys have been AWESOME and I can't thank you enough, but I may have to bug you tomorrow. I have work in the morning (wompwomp) and I unfortunately have the odd hours where I work till 9pm (hence the late night pc panic).

Thank you so much for all the help! I'll get back tomorrow because this is as close to a possible repair as I have gotten in the past six days

 

[mypcbroke]

stand by

or not... I'll stick around for a lil while then

 

[karlsnooks]

Greg,
It looks like Win 7 is not installed. She has a large unallocated partition where normally Win 7 would be installed. Looks to me like she has the 100mb and the recovery partition from the mfg.

 

[Pusspa]

have you guys noticed the win7 dvd the OP has is an upgrade version?

 

[DocBrown]

Greg,
It looks like Win 7 is not installed. She has a large unallocated partition where normally Win 7 would be installed. Looks to me like she has the 100mb and the recovery partition from the mfg.

I agree with Karl, Clean install on the large unallocated partition should work.