Windows Vista Home Not Booting

lee666 · Mar 12, 2009

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if someone might be able to help me. Basically my fiancee's laptop won't boot up anymore. It was playing up and crashed so she held down the power button and then turned it back on. It asked her if she want to boot normally, in safe mode or use the repair environment. We booted normally and nothing happened, nothing loaded up so restarted again and used the RE, went through everything and it still won't boot.

It comes up with an error message referring to external hardware such as a camera or mp3 player, which she hasn't connected, all she has is a bluetooth dongle which has been working fine (she has removed this and done the repair thing again too to no avail). The only thing she has done is log online and updated itunes.

She's run the repair program again and when it prompts to restart it gets to the green bar, does nothing for a while and then goes back asking to run the repair program or boot normally.

Incedently, when she presses F8, there is no option to select safe mode, only the repair program or boot normally.

We don't really want to do a fresh install, and besides I don't think she was given all the discs when she bought it, although I need to double check. The command prompt can be accessed though.

Does anyone have any ideas about what could be causing this and any remedies?

Thanks

Lee

pooch · Mar 13, 2009

lee666 said:
Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if someone might be able to help me. Basically my fiancee's laptop won't boot up anymore. It was playing up and crashed so she held down the power button and then turned it back on. It asked her if she want to boot normally, in safe mode or use the repair environment. We booted normally and nothing happened, nothing loaded up so restarted again and used the RE, went through everything and it still won't boot.

It comes up with an error message referring to external hardware such as a camera or mp3 player, which she hasn't connected, all she has is a bluetooth dongle which has been working fine (she has removed this and done the repair thing again too to no avail). The only thing she has done is log online and updated itunes.

She's run the repair program again and when it prompts to restart it gets to the green bar, does nothing for a while and then goes back asking to run the repair program or boot normally.

Incedently, when she presses F8, there is no option to select safe mode, only the repair program or boot normally.

We don't really want to do a fresh install, and besides I don't think she was given all the discs when she bought it, although I need to double check. The command prompt can be accessed though.

Does anyone have any ideas about what could be causing this and any remedies?

Thanks

Lee

Hello Lee,

Welcome to the Forum, A system restore may solve your problem;
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

I hope this helps

Pooch

lee666 · Mar 13, 2009

The option to roll back to another restore point doesn't come up though. The only 2 options are to run the RE or boot normally.

If I manage to get hold of the recovery disk, will she lose any files saved? I can access the command prompt, if I plug in a usb stick, will the laptop recognise it even it it can't boot to windows, so that I can copy the files over?

pooch · Mar 13, 2009

lee666 said:
The option to roll back to another restore point doesn't come up though. The only 2 options are to run the RE or boot normally.

If I manage to get hold of the recovery disk, will she lose any files saved? I can access the command prompt, if I plug in a usb stick, will the laptop recognise it even it it can't boot to windows, so that I can copy the files over?

Hi Lee

You can have a look here it might help;
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/194765-system-recovery-options.html?ltr=S

The Idea of the USB stick will not work

Using a recovery disk may work you should not lose any files.

Failing this, as a last resort you should have a recovery partition. This will allow you to reset the computer back to how it was when you bought it. This is normally accessed by pressing one of the f keys at boot up. You will have to ask the laptop manufacturer which key it is as I am unfamiliar with the Advent make.
It could be possible that this key is shown during the bootup screen.
Unfortunately I think that you will loose all saved files when you use this method

Pooch

pooch · Mar 13, 2009

Hey Lee,

In Command prompt try typing rstrui.exe

This may enable you to do a system restore

Pooch

lee666 · Mar 13, 2009

Thanks for your help. I know when she goes into the system repair screen theres options to repair, advanced tools and exit and i'm pretty sure the reinstall windows option is there too. If it is then within the reinstall windows option I should be able to do a restore.

Just out of curiosity, as far as I'm aware my partner hasn't done a restore point but would there be one from when the laptop was first booted up, you know when it runs you through the set up process and you have to enter user names etc etc?

Also, if she doesn't have the recovery disc, has anyone used the download one from neosmart? I'm hoping that there will either be a system restore point, or she has the disc but I'm preparing for the worst.

lee666 · Mar 13, 2009

pooch said:
lee666 said:

The option to roll back to another restore point doesn't come up though. The only 2 options are to run the RE or boot normally.

If I manage to get hold of the recovery disk, will she lose any files saved? I can access the command prompt, if I plug in a usb stick, will the laptop recognise it even it it can't boot to windows, so that I can copy the files over?

Click to expand...

Hi Lee

You can have a look here it might help;
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/194765-system-recovery-options.html?ltr=S

The Idea of the USB stick will not work

Using a recovery disk may work you should not lose any files.

Failing this, as a last resort you should have a recovery partition. This will allow you to reset the computer back to how it was when you bought it. This is normally accessed by pressing one of the f keys at boot up. You will have to ask the laptop manufacturer which key it is as I am unfamiliar with the Advent make.
It could be possible that this key is shown during the bootup screen.
Unfortunately I think that you will loose all saved files when you use this method

Pooch

Just realised you mentioned the partition recovery, as I found out about that on another site. According to the support section of the manufacturer that option should hopefully be in the reinstall windows section of the RE. I've got her to check that she has the files from her old laptop that I moved to a USB stick prior to her getting this laptop. Fingers crossed!

pooch · Mar 13, 2009

lee666 said:
Just out of curiosity, as far as I'm aware my partner hasn't done a restore point but would there be one from when the laptop was first booted up, you know when it runs you through the set up process and you have to enter user names etc etc?

A restore point is created every time the computer is updated

lee666 said:
Also, if she doesn't have the recovery disc, has anyone used the download one from neosmart? I'm hoping that there will either be a system restore point, or she has the disc but I'm preparing for the worst.

If this is out of the tutorial it will work

Pooch

lee666 · Mar 13, 2009

pooch said:
lee666 said:

Just out of curiosity, as far as I'm aware my partner hasn't done a restore point but would there be one from when the laptop was first booted up, you know when it runs you through the set up process and you have to enter user names etc etc?

Click to expand...

A restore point is created every time the computer is updated

Pooch

Is that for any MS update or just major things like service packs? I know there's been some updates in the last few weeks.

pooch · Mar 13, 2009

lee666 said:
Is that for any MS update or just major things like service packs? I know there's been some updates in the last few weeks.

I dont pay that much attention when my compy is updating but i think its everytime

Pooch

Windows Vista Home Not Booting

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