Windows 7 stuck in reboot loop following windows 10 upgrade

[Norfbech]

Hi all.
I tried to upgrade my daughters Dell Vostro laptop a few months back (free windows 10 upgrade).
Unfortunately it fell short of the full upgrade and rendered the laptop unusable. However, the laptop did return to a working Windows 7 (I presume Home edition - not sure how I can find out at the moment) for a brief period.
It then returned the reboot loop: Error 0xcf000000f - every option including repair, safe mode does not work and it enters another reboot.
I have managed to test it (Dell ePSA Pre boot system) and everything checks out ok (and I'm currently running the last of the memory test activity) but I simply cannot get windows to work.
The Laptop was either pre installed with Windows 7 or the disk has vanished over the past few years (relatively old laptop).

F2, F8, F12 options are not working (pressed whilst rebooting).
My daughter has a lot of her past on there (she never backed up unfortunately) so I'm at a loss as to what I can do? Looked in to Repair CD option, but apparently that won't work if Safe Mode cannot be accessed?

Apologioes if I've missed any info out.

Many thanks.

 

[townsbg]

I suggest that you perform a repair install which will overwrite your programs but should leave everything else intact. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html Since your install is not working you can skip the first 2 steps. Note that though the repair install is designed to leave your data alone there is the chance that it'll be damaged. Therefore I suggest that you use a bootable linux distribution such as knoppix or ubuntu to back up any data to an external hard drive. You will also need to download a windows 7 ISO.

 

[Norfbech]

Many thanks townsbg.
I'm not entirely experienced in the 'bootable linux distribution - knoppix or ubuntu, but I'll do some research.
I'm hoping I can connect the laptop to my other daughters PC (which is new and fully working with Windows 10) and back up there? I myself have a Mac and have managed to save and migrate files from an older machine to a newer one. Actually as I type this, I recall saving pretty much all her files (up to a point) a while back (and she hasn't really added to them since as the laptop wasn't working).
With that in mind, I could probably go ahead and source a Windows 7 ISO (probably don't have the original key - problem?).

Glad I've stumbled on this forum - I actually have my other daughters first laptop (Dell Inspiron running Windows 7) that may possible be fixed - if only to have a spare coimputer knocking around.
BOOTMGR missing message on boot - I'll try and find info on a fix on that one.

In the mood to fix these now - rescutiated an old Android tablet yesterday: it had been hibernating (not working) for around a year! :shock:

Many thanks - I'll take a look at your link and see if I can unravel it!
Cheers.

 

[DavidE]

Glad I've stumbled on this forum - I actually have my other daughters first laptop (Dell Inspiron running Windows 7) that may possible be fixed - if only to have a spare coimputer knocking around.
BOOTMGR missing message on boot - I'll try and find info on a fix on that one.

You could try a Startup Repair, here is a tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

 

[Norfbech]

Glad I've stumbled on this forum - I actually have my other daughters first laptop (Dell Inspiron running Windows 7) that may possible be fixed - if only to have a spare coimputer knocking around.
BOOTMGR missing message on boot - I'll try and find info on a fix on that one.

You could try a Startup Repair, here is a tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

Hi David - I've actually created a seperate thread for this issue but will take a look at you link.
Not sure if this is an issue, but I cannot enter F8 function on boot (unlike F2 and F12) so not option, on this laptop at least, for a repair that way...?

Many thanks.

 

[DavidE]

Some PC's use F8 to display the "one-time" boot options.
Is that what the laptop uses, and it isn't working ?

The tutorial shows how to do a Startup Repair when using a bootable installation disc or system repair disc.
Can you boot up with a bootable DVD/CD disc ?

Here is a quote from the tutorial:

Here's How:

1. Boot to the System Recovery Options screen using your retail Windows 7 installation disk or system repair disc.​

 

[Norfbech]

I'm not sure. I don't have any of the original discs (possibly lost in a house move...or my daughter threw them out!), but wondering if I could create a bootable ISO (as per my other windows 7 query)?

Many thanks.

 

[DavidE]

In the Startup Repair tutorial there is this link for how to create a System Repair disc.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

If you have the same bit version on a bootable Win 7 PC, create a System Repair disc.
See if that disc will boot the other Laptop, so you can do a Startup Repair.

If not, some folks here can help you create a bootable Win 7 installation disc.
I don't know the details, how or where to get the ISO to create an install disc.

MS has made it difficult to get a legit Win 7 ISO, causing problems for some people trying to do a Clean Install, Repair, etc.

 

[Norfbech]

Thanks DavidE - three PC's: the two faulty laptops (both Windows 7) and the new PC tower (Windows 10) so cannot, unfortunately, boot from another PC.
Pretty sure the response from my other thread details how to create a windows7 ISO (I'm not fully up on PC stuff however):

If you do not have a Windows 7 without SP1 installation DVD/USB, then you can download the latest official Windows 7 Professional or Home Premium without SP1 ISO file here: Microsoft: Windows 7 Direct Download Links, and use Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive with the ISO to do the repair install from within Windows 7 using this step.

It is preferred to have SP1 installed on your PC and to use step 4 or step 5 above to do a repair install with instead though.

Many thanks.

Just to add: I haven't tried this yet - will run it over the weekend.

 

[DavidE]

Good luck and let us know how it goes !
I saw some interesting new info (to me) on the link for downloads !

If I'm understanding this correctly, it could help many people.



Source for screen print: https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-iso-download-tool

 

[DavidE]

I downloaded the installer, and i'm running it now.
I'm downloading the W7 Ult x64 ISO, and it's working so far.
No prompts for license, OEM, etc.



EDIT:
The download worked perfectly for me.

 

[Norfbech]

^^ Excellent - so that should, fingers crossed, work for both my Windows 7 laptop issues?
Potentially using the same download for both laptops?
BTW - struggling to determine which version of Windows 7 they both have: 32 bit or 64 bit - anyway of finding out given both laptops have failed?

Many thanks!

 

[DavidE]

If you can boot with a bootable disc where you can see the folders on the Win 7 drive,
- If there is a Program Files (x86) folder and a Program Files folder, then the OS is 64 bit.
- If there is only a Program Files folder, then the OS is 32 bit.

Personally i've had a x64 boot disc do a successful startup repair on a 32 bit OS.
This is not documented, supported, etc. I just know it has worked for me.

The problem could be the download time, and bandwidth used.
If you don't have a ISP download limit, try the 64 Bit download first and see if that works.
If that doesn't work, you can download the 32 Bit ISO.

imho, it's best to have both ISO bit versions downloaded/saved if you are working on multiple PC's.

Also, you could look up the laptop info on the manufacturers website for the make/model.
Maybe they only shipped the "default" PC with 32 bit, and 64 bit isn't even supported.

 

[torchwood]

Just look to see how much RAM 2GB = 32bit -- 3GB or more 64bit.

Roy

 

[DavidE]

I've seen some systems with 2 GB RAM (or less) and the OS is 64 Bit.
Personally i would use 32 Bit with less than 4 GB RAM, but that is just my opinion.
With 4GB (or more) RAM, i would use 64 Bit.
Prebuilt OEM PC's may do things differently than what i would do.

 

[Norfbech]

(Apologies for the late response - I've been away from this thread over the weekend.)

Will I need to physically open up the RAM slots to find this out? I suspect, given their age, they're probably both around 2gb RAM, but I'm not certain. I'll attempt to find out and report back.

Many thanks folks.

 

[DavidE]

Speccy can show you RAM info (and much more).
It's free and they have a portable version available here:
Speccy - Builds

 

[Norfbech]

^^ Would that only be of use on a working (bootable) PC? Just looked at the installer, unless I connected a working PC (with that installed) to the faulty one?

I've a feeling at least one of the laptops is 64 bit (at least the slightly younger laptop).
Spec. I know for certain it's a Dell Vostro 3550. Most spec reports back with 64 bit:
Dell Vostro 3550 - 15.6" - Core i3 2350M - 2 GB RAM - 320 GB HDD, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition



I'll try and dig out info on the older Dell laptop.
I guess I could try the 32 bit for both machines and bear in mind (have a copy) of the 64 bit just in case.

Many thanks!

EDIT: The other machine is a Dell Inspiron N5030 - most spec resports (going off something like CNET) reports it as 64 bit (same as the other laptop above).
I'll try that first - upload bandwidth should be good to go...

 

[Norfbech]

BTW - I've opened the downloader tool and prepared for downloading Windows 7, but presented with a fair few options.
I chose the Home Premium Edition - presume this was the original OS??

 

[DavidE]

Home Premium is the most likely version that was installed by the manufacturer.
I don't think the version matters for a startup repair, but it would be best to get the same version.
There should be a COA sticker on each laptop showing the version that was installed by the manufacturer.
It's usually on the bottom, or inside the battery compartment, and here is an COA sticker example.
Don't ever post a screen print of the COA sticker, it has the Product Key on it.