Windows 7 maybe thinks it's on (E:) and not (C:)

[gregrocker]

I would use Partition Wizard, or the Win7 disk/flash stick installer or System Repair Disk
Command line to confirm Partition Marked Active,
then also use the disk to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

If System files are corrupt then so might be the onboard repair files.

 

[AlexTF]

I would use Partition Wizard, or the Win7 disk/flash stick installer or System Repair Disk
Command line to confirm Partition Marked Active,
then also use the disk to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

If System files are corrupt then so might be the onboard repair files.

Alright I clicked Use recovery tools that can help fix your.... and it says, Attempting repairs...
Repairing disk errors. This might take over an hour to complete.

 

[gregrocker]

Use Partition Wizard boot disk and the Win7 disk to do the steps I just gave you if you have not, then post back a camera snap of PW drive map showing all listings clearly.

Try the bootrec commands you mentioned earlier from the 7 disk Command Line accessed by booting the disk, at first screen press Shift + F10 to open Command Box. This may force it to show an install to repair.

 

[AlexTF]

Use Partition Wizard boot disk and the Win7 disk to do the steps I just gave you if you have not, then post back a camera snap of PW drive map showing all listings clearly.

Try the bootrec commands you mentioned earlier from the 7 disk Command Line accessed by booting the disk, at first screen press Shift + F10 to open Command Box. This may force it to show an install to repair.

It says Windows will search for an Operating System to repair. my doesn't do anything it just stays like the photo i took before and when i put load drivers this pops out, Insert the installation media for the device and click OK to select the driver and this happens

 

[gregrocker]

Waiting for any confirmation that you have marked C Active and run three Startup Repairs.

I'd use Partition Wizard boot disk to mark C Active, so you can post back a camera snap of the drive map showing all listings. It is those listings we need to see.

Otherwise use Diskpart from the Win7 disk Command Line to Mark Active then run the 3 repairs. You can access Startup Repair on the next menu even if Win7 doesn't show up in the windows to repair. It may still work. But if it never appears then to force it use the bootrec commands you referenced earlier, but from the disk Command Line.

ANy questions?

 

[AlexTF]

Waiting for any confirmation that you have marked C Active and run three Startup Repairs.

I'd use Partition Wizard boot disk to mark C Active, so you can post back a camera snap of the drive map showing all listings. It is those listings we need to see.

Otherwise use Diskpart from the Win7 disk Command Line to Mark Active then run the 3 repairs. You can access Startup Repair on the next menu even if Win7 doesn't show up in the windows to repair. It may still work. But if it never appears then to force it use the bootrec commands you referenced earlier, but from the disk Command Line.

ANy questions?

When I run the bootable partition wizard my laptop just restarts it's installed right because i've used the same program before and it gets the the boot menu where i get three options but all three make my computer restart.

 

[AlexTF]

Waiting for any confirmation that you have marked C Active and run three Startup Repairs.

I'd use Partition Wizard boot disk to mark C Active, so you can post back a camera snap of the drive map showing all listings. It is those listings we need to see.

Otherwise use Diskpart from the Win7 disk Command Line to Mark Active then run the 3 repairs. You can access Startup Repair on the next menu even if Win7 doesn't show up in the windows to repair. It may still work. But if it never appears then to force it use the bootrec commands you referenced earlier, but from the disk Command Line.

ANy questions?

When I run the bootable partition wizard my laptop just restarts it's installed right because i've used the same program before and it gets the the boot menu where i get three options but all three make my computer restart.

Alright i used the other option and here are my partitions.

 

[gregrocker]

Confirm you have been attempting these repairs from the booted Win7 disk.

In diskpart from where you are now in screenshot type:

Sel Part 1

Detail Part

Is it marked Active?

If not type:

Active

Then run Startup Repair 3 separate times, with reboots, no matter what it reports..

 

[AlexTF]

Confirm you have been attempting these repairs from the booted Win7 disk.

In diskpart from where you are now in screenshot type:

Sel Part 1

Detail

Is it marked Active?

If not type:

Active

Then run Startup Repair 3 separate times, with reboots, no matter what it reports..Wait this is edited didnt you just say to reset the bios to default or did i see that somewhere else??

Reset to default here is what it looks like

 

[gregrocker]

Elsewhere under storage there should be a SATA controller setting. You may need to highlight it and click Enter to see if you can change it's setting. What are the choices?

 

[AlexTF]

Elsewhere under storage there should be a SATA controller setting. You may need to highlight it and click Enter to see if you can change it's setting. What are the choices?

I guess its SATA operation and it says ATA & AHCI

 

[gregrocker]

If three Startup Repairs don't fix it then I'd cut my losses and rescue files using the booted Win7 disk via Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console or Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free CD.

Then do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 making sure to read over and understand all the steps first, especially the Note to Dell OWners at the end.

 

[AlexTF]

If three Startup Repairs don't fix it then I'd cut my losses and rescue files using the booted Win7 disk via Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console or Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free CD.

Then do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 making sure to read over and understand all the steps first, especially the Note to Dell OWners at the end.

I'm going to try Paragon since my Local Disk says I have no users and it also says in the command prompt I have 0 windows installations

 

[SIW2]

If you try lis vol at diskpart instead of lis par, hopefully you will see which is active and the letters assigned to your windows volume and your active volume.

Then worth exiting diskaprt and running :

bcdboot windowsvolumeletter:\windows /s activevolumeletter:

E.G.

bcdboot E:\windows /s C:

bootsect /nt60 all /mbr

See if that helps.

If not, then do as Greg suggests and clean reinstall.

 

[AlexTF]

So if I do a clean reinstall I will get Windows 7 back but no my files right?

 

[SIW2]

Normally it will save the existing contents into a folder called windows.old if you don't format the install partition.

Try the above 2 commands first .

 

[AlexTF]

Normally it will save the existing contents into a folder called windows.old if you don't format the install partition.

Try the above 2 commands first .

Alright I ran it and it says Volume 3 F OS NTFS Partion 697gb so i guess it's on F: could you give me the exact command line

 

[AlexTF]

Normally it will save the existing contents into a folder called windows.old if you don't format the install partition.

Try the above 2 commands first .

Alright I ran it and it says Volume 3 F OS NTFS Partion 697gb so i guess it's on F: could you give me the exact command line

Here is a photo of what I see

 

[gregrocker]

I would not count on Windows.old saving your files if you don't format the partition before install, too risky.

I would rescue your files first if you value them.

If you can get into Startup Repair as your screenshot shows you can, then you should be able to browse for your files to copy them to external flash as shown in Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console.

But first try SIW2's commands.

 

[SIW2]

Looking at that pic, I would try:

diskpart
(press enter)

sel vol f
(press enter)

act
(press enter)

exi
(press enter)

bcdboot f:\windows /s f:

(press enter)

bootsect /nt60 all /mbr

(press enter)


Worth a go. Sometimes the commands do the job when startup repair can't figure out what to do.