error loading operating system on restart

windhorse · Jul 29, 2008

When my computer is shut down normally, on restart it does not load Windows and I get the message "error loading operating system" on a blank black screen. I have to manually turn the power off with the power button, then restart, and Windows starts normally. If I do a 'hard' shutdown by holding the power button so that the system closes without the usual shutdown procedure, on the next restart the computer starts normally. Something is occuring during the shutdown procedure that crashes the system on startup. I assume that on shutdown there is a startup program loaded that is causing the problem, possibly a run once entry in the registry. I have looked through all of the registry runonce locations and there are no current entries. I am running Vista Ultimate 32 on a Lenovo T61 laptop.
Can anyone help?
Thanks!

johngalt · Jul 29, 2008

Hi, windhorse, and welcome to the forums.

I would first and foremost run a barrage of anti virus, anti malware (and possibly even anti rootkit) software to make sure you're not infected.

Nest I would take a look at your hardware and run some diagnostics....it sounds like it is not booting because the HD is either not spinning up or is spinning up late - and you might be able to achieve the same by entering the BIOS, staying in there for a brief moment in time (say 30 seconds) and then exiting the BIOS and seeing if the system boots properly....Assuming, of course, that there is some sort of BIOS that is viewable / editable on a Lenovo....

error loading operating system on restart

windhorse

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johngalt

Antidisestablishmentarianist

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