Startup repair offline Windows 7

[pottsy 14]

Howdy,

as the title suggests Im having some issues that I hope you guys can help me with, last week Installed a regisrty cleaner to speed up my Dell xps, the registry cleaner did its thing, then restarted my laptop, since then my laptopn has been in constant repair mode. Its unable to fix whatever is wrong with my laptop system restore and image recovery wont lets me access them, ive done all the memory diagnostics, all seem okay, dell datasafe restore and emergency is rubbish.

problem signature looks like this

Problem event name: startuprepairoffline
Problem Signature01: 6.1.7600.16385
Problem Signature02: 6.1.7600.16385
03: unknown
04: 21215625
05: Autofailover
06: 50
07: 0xf4
OS version 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1


ive tried to reinstall using the recovery disk and its asking my to install drivers, I dont know where or what drivers im looking for.

Any help would be really appreciated


thanks

 

[Kari]

Hi Pottsy, welcome to the Seven Forums.

Once again a good example why you should not use any registry cleaners. As you can read in several threads here and other tech sites, the general consensus seems to be that in knowing hands Piriform's CCleaner can be trusted but usually there's no reason to clean your registry. All other so called "cleaners" generally cause more issues than they resolve.

Speaking about myself as an example, I have not used (not a single time) any registry cleaners since I migrated from XP to Vista end of 2006 when it was released to manufacturers. Not with Vista, not with Seven and now not with Eight. Also I never "clean" the registry manually; the only registry editing I have done in the past over 7 years since XP days is an occasional value change in registry, for instance enabling something changing its value from 0 to 1. For this I use the built-in registry editor.

I have had exactly 0 registry issues during this time.

Can you start System Restore from the repair without Windows asking drivers? If so, select a restore point before you "cleaned" the registry. Tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

Kari

 

[pottsy 14]

hi Kari, yeah ive learned a lesson i'll be avoiding regisrty cleaners from now on, i have restore points from before the reisrty cleaner point but it wont let me access them, i get to confirm disk to restore, then it stops me and i get, You must enable system protection on drive,

 

[Kari]

That's odd. You having restore points means you have enabled system protection, they will not be created if system protection is disabled.

I'll ask some boot issue gurus to have a look at this thread.

 

[pottsy 14]

that would be good thanks

 

[Kari]

OK, got an suggestion (which I should have recommended in the first place!): Have you tried if the safe mode works? Tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/69585-safe-mode.html

 

[pottsy 14]

hi kari
non of the recovery modes work, if select safe it takes me straight back to system recovery options, ive done all the hardware and memory tests all of those have passed, ive done a pre assessment boot test all of those have passed.which suggests a software dont you think?

 

[Kari]

To summarize, startup repair does not work, nor does system restore, and you can't boot to safe mode. Just to be sure, have you made a system image recently which you could restore?

 

[pottsy 14]

nothing other than command prompt works in windows safe environment, it wont repair from disk either, when I go to install from disk it asks for drivers and i dont know where to find the drivers or what they are ?

 

[Gandalf]

Hi Pottsy,

Have you created weekly backups as Win7 Action Center urges?

 

[pottsy 14]

hi Gandolf, ive not created weekly backups as far as im aware

 

[Gandalf]

Kari won't tell you this, but without backup files and without usable System Restore points and without the ability to use the Repair function on your Win7 Installation DVD, IMO I do not see any option but to start over with a fresh install. Mark it up to a lesson learned and stay away from Register Cleaners except for CCleaners. Maybe there is another Wizard on board with an option that I do not see. I hope so, but I have gone through this learning curve myself. I assure you, it only hurts when you think about it. :banghead:

Sorry Kari, but that is the best I can do.

 

[pottsy 14]

hi Gandalf, ive sorted prepared myself for that and managed to get some of my files off the harddrive, can you give me any tips on a clean install as ive never had to do one or point me to a tutorial thread that would give me an idea

 

[gregrocker]

You would follow these steps for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 to get and keep a perfect install. Be sure to read the SPecial Note for Dell Owners at the end. It explains to how to test the Dell Bootable Diagnostics (I'd do it now) to see if they run, in which case I would save only the first OEM partition during the reinstall.

But first confirm C is the Partition Marked Active using Option 2 in blue link tutorial, then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times no matter what it reports.

Other steps here to try everything possible for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start. If no OS is discovered for repair be sure to run the bootrec commands including exporting/deleting/rebuilding the BCD. The steps lead up to rescuing your files to do the reinstall.

 

[Kari]

Kari won't tell you this, but without backup files and without usable System Restore points and without the ability to use the Repair function on your Win7 Installation DVD, IMO I do not see any option but to start over with a fresh install. Mark it up to a lesson learned and stay away from Register Cleaners except for CCleaners. Maybe there is another Wizard on board with an option that I do not see. I hope so, but I have gone through this learning curve myself. I assure you, it only hurts when you think about it. :banghead:

Sorry Kari, but that is the best I can do.

I was hesitant to suggest a fresh install although it is IMO the best advice possible in this case.

You would follow these steps for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 to get and keep a perfect install. Be sure to read the SPecial Note for Dell Owners at the end. It explains to how to test the Dell Bootable Diagnostics (I'd do it now) to see if they run, in which case I would save only the first OEM partition during the reinstall.

But first confirm C is the Partition Marked Active using Option 2 in blue link tutorial, then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times no matter what it reports.

Other steps here to try everything possible for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start. Be sure to run the bootrec commands including exporting/deleting/rebuilding the BCD if no OS is discovered for repair. The steps lead up to rescuing your files to do the reinstall.

Once again clear and valid advice from Greg, just start the engines and follow the instructions given, come back with any additional issues.

When done, enable system protection and create a system image.

 

[pottsy 14]

gentleman and ladies thanks for your advice, untill we meet again, stay cool

 

[gregrocker]

Let us know how it goes. If everything is working fine now, you can mark the thread Solved at top.

 

[A Guy]

BTW, if only for posterity. You mentioned that command prompt works in safe mode. You can do system restore from Safe mode with command prompt. Just open the command prompt and type rstrui.exe , then Enter. A Guy