startup repair failure

[james dunford]

Hello,

I've recently been having problems with my lap-top, the thing started to shut down on its own accord. It usually resumed ok, and the programs I was using before the crash, opened up again afterwards.

Today something different happened, I was updating my ipod (i've recently installed itunes), it crashed - shutting down automatically. When I tried to reboot, it did a start-up repair, and told me it couldn't locate the problem.

You only get the option to click finish, after which the pc shuts down. Trying to start it up again repats the cycle. I'm running windows 7 Ultimate x64, which was an upgrade from windows Vista. I've still got the install disk and i've tried the repair utilities, with no joy.

I've tried to boot to the last known good config. and also in safe mode but this just repeats the cycle.

I've been looking around the house for any sort of documentation on my product key but can't find that anywhere, and can't get it from the computer because I can't get in. I've seen online I might be able to do reinstall withought wiping all my files etc, but will i need the product key for this?

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance

JD

 

[seavixen32]

Hello James, welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

This may help: How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows

 

[theog]

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.

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

For better help with problems, Can you post your specs.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/22550-filling-out-system-specs.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/180324-system-info-see-your-system-specs.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/6936-dont-know-what-hardware-you-have.html
VistaForums SysInfo Tool - Vista Forums

 

[james dunford]

Thanks for your swift responses! I will look into those suggestions this evening.

Does anyone know hoe to obtain the licensing details from the laptop? I was thinking about doing a repair reinstall, but need the product code to do so. Will Microsoft divulge the info?

I haven't created the recovery discs (I know, idiot)

Cheers

JD

Oh, the laptop is a HP Pavillion

 

[Bill2]

Theres a rainbow sticker at the back of the laptop with a key on it. Use that key to activate online, failing that via phone activation.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3408-activate-windows-7-online.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html

You can still create the recovery disks.

 

[james dunford]

Thanks Bill2

The computer came with Vista installed, which I upgraded to windows 7 so I don't think the product key on the back is relevant.

The laptops only just over 2 years so i'm wondering if its still under warranty (I bought it from pc world??)

 

[Bill2]

Sorry, my bad, you did mention in the first post you upgraded from vista. Then whats the problem? the product key would be on the package if you bought full retail or upgrade or oem.

 

[james dunford]

Well there's the problem...

I've been turning the house upside down and can't find it - I seem to remember it came with hardly any packaging just the disc, its a student copy so was thinking they may have sent it to my old uni email acc.

It's unlikely that i've thrown it out (i'm pretty stupid, but not that stupid...) but have an over exuberantly houseproud girlfriend, so who knows?

If there's a way of getting it off a pc that won't boot up, or Microsoft (they must retain a copy of the licensing/product key??)then i'll be back in business. I've emailed microsoft and explained my dilema so i'll wait and see what they say.

JD

 

[Bill2]

Well one way would be to boot from a flash drive and launch Produkey from the command line (that you have copied to the flash drive).

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html (Just follow the first 16 steps).

ProduKey - Recover lost product key (CD-Key) of Windows/MS-Office/SQL Server (make sure you download the 64 bit version at the bottom of the page. Use the commands explained on the page).

You can also run the popular magical jelly bean key finder from the command line.

http://www.fir3net.com/Windows/3rd-Party-Applications/magical-jelly-bean-keyfinder.html

Also, one of our members SIW2 has created pe's that you can use. IIRC it includes produkey. You'll need to download SIW2's 64 bit PE, then make an iso, dump the contents to a bootable flash drive and boot from it.

http://cid-b0a22789320e3247.office.live.com/browse.aspx/FU11

(admins, this link is from SIW2's posts in the VIP area which would be inaccessible to the OP, hence posted. Please delete if inappropriate).

 

[theog]

Have a look at the email you recieved from your Retailer.

 

[james dunford]

Hello,

Yeah, I've had an email from the vendor - they say they can't trace the product key - Microsoft on the other hand said they would issue me a new one, so i've sent them the details they require.

Boss2 thanks for your suggestions, but i'm a little confused...

I've got the Windows 7 update disc here so I dont need to make a bootable flash drive as I can do that from the dvd (I think???)

With Produkey - do you need to get into windows 7 to use it?

Sorry for the fundamental questions - i'm a bit new to this...

Many Thanks

 

[Bill2]

You need to launch produkey or jelly bean from the command line because you cant get into the windows GUI- easiest way is to make a bootable flash drive, then add the app to it.

 

[james dunford]

Good news!

Found the product key! Thanks again Bill2.

Now I have two new issues:

1. The first thing is getting some data off it - I've tried using knoppix, but after the penguin screen it just goes black and stays black. Is there's any other software that'll get into it?

2. When I try to reinstall Windows 7, it says:

The computer started using the Windows installation disc. Remove the installation disc and restart your computer so that windows starts normally. Then insert the installation disc and restart the upgrade. (Do not select "Custom (advanced)" to perform an upgrade. "Custom (advanced)" installs a new copy of Windows and deletes your programs and settings)

When I try and start it without the boot disc it goes into the repair loop - If I go against its advice, and do a "Custom install", will that wipe the slate clean? Will I be able to do a full install from this disc, bearing in mind its an upgrade disc from Vista?

I went into the dos prompt and followed some advice from the first reply in this thread (think it was a Bootrec/ last option). Now when I try and boot, it gives me the option to boot to Windows 7 or Vista. I tried Vista - it got very nearly there but failed after it asked for my password (just went into a light blue screen). Is there anyway I can get into Windows explorer etc from here?

 

[theog]

If you have a External HD, you could copy & paste your data.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html
than copy & paste your data to new install or HD.

 

[Bill2]

Your questions are very long.

Just boot from that disk, get into Repair- command prompt, look up your files and copy them off to a flash drive. If you dont like the command line and knoppix stops at penguin, get some bootable CD with a GUI and copy off your files. If you remember, I linked SIW2's excellent PEs earlier in this thread, they have a nice shell and you can use those.

You can do a proper clean install from an upgrade disk.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

Please note that if your data is on a partition other than windows, you dont even need to back it up. Just install win7 to the current windows partition, afterwards your files will be fine on the data partition.

 

[theog]

Bootrec find the OEM Recovery Partition, you now have dual boot with Recovery & Windows 7.

 

[james dunford]

You beauties!

Just copying my files over now, so all going smmothly. Something thats baffled me in the past (surprise surprise!) is the windows Vista install files seem to have remained on my computer eating up a ton of space -i could be wrong, but it seemed like I had very little space left on my hardrive and I hardly had anything on it?

Would I be best off just doing a fresh install and would I have to find all the right drivers?

Thanks everyone for your help - think i'm seeing a bit of light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[james dunford]

On my computer I've got 3 Hard Disk Drives - Local Disk (C, Recovery (D, and Boot (X. I assume I want to install it onto X:

When I go through the install and get to "Which type of installation do you want?" I click on "Custm" as upgrade wont allow me to install from the bootdisk.

I get the following:

Disk 0 Partition 1
Disk 0 Partition 2: Recovery

But I cant see the boot partition?? any ideas?? so close but yet so far...

many thanks

 

[theog]

D: is your old Vista Recovery Partition.
C: is your OS Partition
X: is Windows installer Ram Drive

I would delete D: & c:, than remake partitions to suit yourself.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[james dunford]

Hi

I've done the HDD wipe following the above instructions and created 2 new partitions, and attempted to reinstall windows 7, i've got the product key issued by the retailer, which comes up invalid.

Just got off the phone from microsoft who advised me they cannot help me and to contact the vendor.

I've contacted the vendor who's told me the install disk i've got is an upgrade and will not work unless there's a copy of Vista installed underneath it. I've wiped my HD, so thats a big no.

So whats the way round this? I bought the computer fully licensed with Windows Vista, paid for a genuine upgrade and the things failed on me. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

JD