Win7-64 system repair disk does nothing

[DavidOdden]

I created a Windows system repair CD (64 bit pro), created on a Dell Precision M4800 laptop, and checked that it contains stuff. When I boot it on the Dell, it whirs, says that Windows is loading (or reading) files, then after the line of boxes gets full, the screen goes black and everything is quiet. I gave up after 10 minutes; tried again -- the same. I tried to boot from the CD on my Vaio (also Win7-64), and the only difference was that I got a pastel blue+white background with a piece of parsley (or whatever it is, anyhow it's like the W7 welcome screen). Nothing happening for 20 minutes, so again I gave up. I assume it is supposed to give me some options. Anyone have any idea what the problem is?

This is complicated by the fact that I use Box Sync, so in order to run the program that makes the repair disk, I have to uninstall Box (long and annoying story), which makes repeatedly trying to make these disks difficult if I'm going to get work done.

 

[Layback Bear]

Hi David and welcome to the forum.

Take a read through this tutorial by Brink and see if it will help with what you are trying to do.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

 

[DavidOdden]

Thanks; I had read through it, but the main problem is creating the disk, and there does not appear to be any way around that (e.g. no ISOs that one can actually download). I did make a disk on a third Win7-64 machine and was able to boot it, so that should suffice as long as there isn't some product-key encoding buried in the disc which would prevent me from actually doing repairs. I will just have to assume that the earlier copies had some defect, and perhaps see if there is a way to compare the disks to verify that there is a defect on one.

 

[torchwood]

Id actually create an image, using Acronis etc.
If you use a 3rd party recovery set disc then you will have activation problems, you have to use Dells.
Why not use the built-in Dell recovery partition.

Roy

 

[DavidOdden]

If you use a 3rd party recovery set disc then you will have activation problems, you have to use Dells.
Why not use the built-in Dell recovery partition.

I have high hopes that I can. However, I also cannot get the Dell program to create the requisite bootable disk. The Dell came with W7 pre-installed "via downgrade rights" from W8, and the disc they supplied only installs W8. Apparently, you have to already have acquired a "downgraded" bootable disk. I'm not having much luck finding out why I can't make the repair / recovery disk. My hope is that if I have to, I can boot from third disk and access the Windows backup, and restore the system that way.

 

[torchwood]

Thats a bummer, do you know anyone with Dell W7 repair discs??

Roy