Vista won't start

jack52 · Mar 8, 2015

Hi,
My Toshiba laptop keeps freezing or restarting by itself every time when I start the computer. When it freezes the only way to get it working again is to power off.

While the latest updates it freezing during update process and was unable to start up again.

When I try some repairs:
It restarts during System Restore process so I lost previous restore points.
It freezes during Last known good configuration so I lost that way.
It freezes or restarts every time when I start "cmd", system repair or chkdsk ... (booted by CD)

At this time I can't even Boot the Windows. Only black screen.
I can boot only "Falcon Four's...mini XP" by CD.

I don't want to restore the computer back to factory settings because I have many Give away programs on it, so in that way they will gone forever.

Any suggestions?!

MilesAhead · Mar 9, 2015

With no recovery data to work with it's difficult. Will it boot into Safe Mode?

I would at least try to copy your Registry Hives to an external drive or USB. You may be able to prove to some of the software vendors you installed their program at the time if they give you some bit of Registry data to look for.

But the time to create a backup image is before a problem. You could try a generic WinPE 5.0 if you can get it from someone's bootable USB. The trouble is where an update is involved it could be just about anything triggering a fatal error.

jack52 · Mar 10, 2015

MilesAhead said:
Will it boot into Safe Mode? - No.

I would at least try to copy your Registry Hives to an external drive or USB. You may be able to prove to some of the software vendors you installed their program at the time if they give you some bit of Registry data to look for. - It's not possible to reinstall most of my installed programs.

You could try a generic WinPE 5.0 if you can get it from someone's bootable USB. - I have bootable CD, so I can boot into cmd from time to time for 2 minutes. In most cases it just freezes or restarts immediately.

The trouble is where an update is involved it could be just about anything triggering a fatal error. - I just hope to fix that error.

I tried that :

bootrec /fixmbr - operation completed successfully
bootrec /fixboot - operation completed successfullyafter that:
bdcboot C:\Windows - 'bcdboot' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I have tried also: Bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force, but it gives me the same error message

What else can I try?!

MilesAhead · Mar 10, 2015

I already suggested a boot USB that has an imaging or backup program to save your data. It seems the only thing that works is to boot a disc or USB. You have to pursue that route.

jack52 · Mar 10, 2015

I have a backup image but its made a long time ago.... at least 4 years.
(Folder:"Drive C Images" contains "MRIMG" File 46GB)

I can't remember how to use it. And if it delete installed programs....
Any other suggestions?

I need to boot the windows in first.

MilesAhead · Mar 10, 2015

From what you say the machine will only boot from the optical drive or USB. My only thought would be to try a rescue disk that has ERUNT or another Registry save/restore. Most programs that have a registration put some data in the Registry. If you install Windows then put the Registry hives back using the Registry restore there's a chance you may be able to install many of the programs.

Other than that I don't know what to suggest other than don't fly without a backup from now on.

Perhaps someone else has an idea?

townsbg · Mar 11, 2015

Here is a comprehensive tutorial involving the repair/recovery options but ultimately it might come down to a repair install or clean install. In addition to Mile's suggestion pertaining backup images you can also keep backups of your program installers. Then if you have an issue you can start over. As for Miles' suggestion about backing up and restoring the registry if you do due a repair install keep in mind that if the registry is your problem then your registry's backup might be corrupted. If that's the case restoring it likely would cause stability issues. Even if it is good overwriting one registry with another could cause stability issues.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/101393-repair-vista-options-preferred-sequence.html

ilikefree · Mar 11, 2015

As you say you can boot into CMD sometimes try the following
Start the computer in safe mode with command prompt
Open command prompt and Type C: and press enter
at the C:\ prompt type cd boot
At the C:\Boot prompt type the following and press enter after each
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildBcd
Close command prompt and restart your computer in normal mode
I would then go to the Windows updates, view installed updates and remove the last months updates
I would then reinstall them a couple at a time

jack52 · Mar 11, 2015

ilikefree said:
As you say you can boot into CMD sometimes try the following
Start the computer with command prompt
Open command prompt and Type C: and press enter
at the C:\ prompt type cd boot
At the C:\Boot prompt type the following and press enter after each
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildBcd

I was tried that a couple of times before - It doesn't fix the problem.

MilesAhead said:
Most programs that have a registration put some data in the Registry.

Most of my programs have a 1 day license. GAOTD use a special program (also known as GOTD wrapper) to protect installation package from usage after the giveaway day is over. It contains .GCD file included in every download archive. So they can't be reinstalled even if I have an installer.

I must repair the system boot.

MilesAhead · Mar 11, 2015

I would try to get a bootable hardware diagnostic. It could be you have a hardware fault that does not happen when booting from CD. Most of the time when the system hard locked on me it was hardware. A software fatal error usually causes a reboot, not a lockup.

Other than that I can't think of anything productive.

townsbg · Mar 11, 2015

It isn't always possible to repair Windows. If it's badly corrupted enough the only thing that you would be able to do is a reinstall. Did you go through the tutorial I posted? It is very comprehensive. I'm not going to try and understand what you are talking about pertaining your applications but if nothing else you can use this as a lesson learned to perform image backups regularly and keep them on a separate hard drive.

MilesAhead · Mar 11, 2015

townsbg said:
I'm not going to try and understand what you are talking about pertaining your applications

He's not trying to bypass any copy protection. I'm familiar with give away of the day. They give you a free registration code for the featured software, but you have to do the product registration before the time runs out. So he can't use the reg codes now to reinstall.

Still if all else failed I would send an email to the publishers of the programs that were most important to me. A few of them may help out. They must have something in the database to show they were properly registered. It's probably a matter if they will take the time to look it up for him.

I agree sometimes the hard way is the only way. I'm still kicking myself I forgot to back up some source code files a couple of years ago. But I have to move on and just do without them.

ilikefree · Mar 11, 2015

I can send you a copy of Vista home premium 32bit if you need it
The commands you listed in your post are a little different than the commands I listed I noticed

jack52 · Mar 12, 2015

ilikefree said:
The commands you listed in your post are a little different than the commands I listed I noticed

I tried yours - with no effect. When I done these commands from C: ; cd boot ... instead X: the result was blue screen ; STOP: C0000221 and message: "BootMGR image is corrupt". It was impossible to boot even from cd. I have done the same commands from X: and now I am in the previous start position.

townsbg said:
It isn't always possible to repair Windows. If it's badly corrupted enough the only thing that you would be able to do is a reinstall.

Everybody knows the easy way - reinstall. I want to try repair in first.
Why the computer always restarts? Its not exactly restart - its totally power off and then restart by itself after.

Is there some iso or portable program that can scan and fix the problem?!

townsbg · Mar 12, 2015

Again the different repair options are in the tutorial I posted a link to. Did you even look at it?

jack52 · Mar 12, 2015

townsbg said:
Again the different repair options are in the tutorial I posted a link to. Did you even look at it?

Yes, ... most of them are not accessible because my system problem. For the rest I need some time to check....

ilikefree said:
I can send you a copy of Vista home premium 32bit if you need it

How that disk will help in my case? Can I repair the system without lost programs?!

MilesAhead · Mar 12, 2015

You know what, I'm pretty sure there's a freeware around that is made to move installed programs to another drive. I changes the driver letter references in the Registry from C: or whatever it is currently, to the target drive. I think it also moves the programs. It might be worth a search. If you have a USB 3.0 port a USB 3.0 dock and bare HD can run even faster than the main HD if the main is only Sata II.

If you could find a migration program that can run on WinPE then you might be able to move your stuff over without losing the product registrations.

Edit: I have heard of these type utilities but I have never used one. So I can't provide step by step guidance. But perhaps another reader here knows what they can and cannot do etc..

ilikefree · Mar 12, 2015

The Vista disc I offered. You can boot from and instead of installing click the option repair your computer

jack52 · Mar 13, 2015

I have that option only in other disk. It give me access to cmd. Other options are unusable...

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I am afraid reinstall is often suggested when it is not necessary.

I always look for other solutions first.

jack52 · Mar 14, 2015

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildBcd - "Total identified Windows installations: 0"

Vista won't start

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