Win7 Starter getting error on initial setup; locked in setup loop

[techieteacher]

I have several Asus Eee netbooks that I'm getting set up to use at my school. I had some parent volunteers helping me get them ready to deploy, and one of the netbooks was plugged in to initially power it up, but then hard-shut-down before Windows could run through its initial setup.

Now when I boot up the netbook, and it attempts to go through the initial windows setup "Setup is starting services", and then throws an error message:

The computer restarted unexpectedly or encountered an unexpected error. Windows installation cannot proceed. To install Windows, click "OK" to restart the computer, and then restart the installation.​

I restart, and the cycle continues. This happens whether I try to boot normally or in safe mode.

I've got no CD-drive attached to it, so I'm not sure what I can do to break this error cycle. Any suggestions/tools/ideas?

Thx,
Jeff

 

[gregrocker]

Not sure how you deployed them, but if Startup Repair doesn't help when run from System Recovery Options then I would redeploy the image or run Factory Recovery from its partition after backing up the disks.

If you don't have one and they are same hardware, simply backup one's image using Win7 backup imaging or free Macrium - Image your system then boot System Recovery options to Recover Using an Image from its external storage location which you have connected.

If they are not same exact hardware or Image hangs at startup, SysPrep the original before deploying to remove all drivers, activation, SID and HID's.

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
System Image Recovery

 

[theog]

Ensure to connect your PC to the AC power adapter before using F9 recovery to avoid recovery failure.
Using recovery partition (F9 Recovery)
1. Press <F9> during bootup.
Ensure to press <F9> only once during bootup.
2. Select the language you use and click to continue.
3. Click Recovery in the Recovery System dialog box to start the system recovery.
4. The system starts system recovery automatically and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the recovery process.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Ensure to connect your PC to the AC power adapter before using F9 recovery to avoid recovery failure.
Using recovery partition (F9 Recovery)
1. Press <F9> during bootup.
Ensure to press <F9> only once during bootup.
2. Select the language you use and click to continue.
3. Click Recovery in the Recovery System dialog box to start the system recovery.
4. The system starts system recovery automatically and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the recovery process.

What consequence if one presses F9 more than once.

I thought I had been told to press F9 repeatedly?

 

[theog]

I thought I had been told to press F9 repeatedly?

For what?

 

[techieteacher]

@gregrocker: System Recovery
Tried F8 for system recovery options. I can get to Advanced Boot Options, but I don't have a Repair choice. I have:
Safe Mode
SMwN
SMwCP

Enable Boot Logging
Enable low-res...
Last Known Good Config (tried - doesn't work)
Directory Services Restore Mode
Debugging Mode
Disable automatic restart...
Disable Driver Signature Enforcement

Start Win Normally

Directory Services Restore Mode indicates that it's for Windows domain controllers only - tried it and it didn't work.
It would seem most of these options still require Windows to be in at least some functional status, which it's not.

@gregrocker: Imaging
I already tried saving a Windows Image of one netbook and trying to copy it to another. The second machine couldn't "see" the image file. Unless there's something I can do to the filename or image save to "trick" another computer into accepting it...

As for 3rd party imaging, I've spent over 50 hours trying to get that to work, with no success. (Using Ubuntu-based software, with Ubuntu installed onto another laptop and trying to run it from an isolated intranet.)

@theog: F9 had no response

 

[gregrocker]

Try Macrium - Image your system as it is seems to be the next most popular and is more flexible than Win7 backup imaging. You'll need to make the boot disk.

Run Startup Repair from Installation DVD or System Repair Disc - Create

 

[DrBob81]

I found this post and it worked

1) On the same error screen press SHIFT+F10 and it will open up a black Window. (a command prompt window)
2) In the black windows type the word "regedit"(without the inverted commas and hit enter. That will open the registry editor.
In the Registry Editor..
Browse to....
HKLocal machine/SYSTEM/SETUP/STATUS/ChildCompletion, and after highliting childcompletion,on the right hand side check for setup.exe. if the value is 1 change it to 3.(by double clicking on setup.exe and changing the value shown in the box).
Then close the registry editor and then also close the black window.
Then click on OK for the error and the computer will restart and the installation may complete. just try it and let me know if it worked.