Vista Laptop Won't Boot and Repair Options Not Working

Flying Potato · Aug 12, 2016

Hi, a few years ago I purchased a Toshiba Laptop with MS Vista. This laptop has been used very little and will no longer boot.

I was doing a bit of gaming when my game froze. Ctrl+Alt+Del wouldn't allow me to end the game, nor would anything else I tried and since the laptop was frozen for more than 5 minutes or so, I decided to hold down the power button to reset it.

Upon restarting, the laptop hung at the Microsoft Windows loading screen for about 10 minutes or so, after which I tried to reset it again. On the next reset, it started CHKDSK automatically, which I allowed to run. It found a handful of errors and said it was discarding the files and repairing Windows.

CHKDSK finished, but said it wasn't able to repair the disk. Afterwards, it restarted and ran Startup Repair, which also failed. It then became stuck in an endless Startup Repair loop.

I found a tutorial online that attempted to fix the endless loop problem by using the REGBACK command and a few other things, but when I typed CD\Windows\system32\config as mentioned in the tutorial, it says not found on the drive (or something to that effect). It says the same for CD\Windows and CD\windows\system32. Having said that, it did show my Windows, Users and Program Files folders when typing DIR on C: and I was later able to recover the data from the drive using Ubuntu.

Both Ubuntu and Windows were able to see my Windows partition, though Windows won't boot.

I was eventually able to fix the Startup Repair Loop by using a Vista install DVD to attempt more startup repairs. The startup repairs didn't fix the booting problems but it did allow me to finally access command prompt from the Vista DVD.

I've ran more than 30 startup repairs at this point (many of them due to being stuck in the loop) and it does no good. I can't boot into Safe Mode and System Restore doesn't work nor does last known good configuration. Windows says there are no restore points to use, though I did have System Restore turned on.

I'm also unable to get into Advanced Restore Options by pressing F8.

After doing a lot of research and asking for advice on other forums, I ran out of options and decided to give Bootrec.exe a shot. I used the /FixMbr, /FixBoot and /RebuildBcd commands. All indicated they were successful but of course this didn't fix my problem and Windows is now no longer seeing my Vista installation. I'm also getting another message upon startup, which is of course caused by the Bootrec attempts I made, but I'd run out of time and had to leave the house before I was able to take note of exactly what the message was.

I also didn't have to check to see if Ubuntu is still able to see my Vista partition but I plan on doing that once I return home.

At this point I'm guessing there's no fixing this laptop without reinstalling everything but if anyone here has any advice that might help me, I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

townsbg · Aug 12, 2016

Here are a list of the different repair options in one tutorial. http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/101393-repair-vista-options-preferred-sequence.html

Flying Potato · Aug 13, 2016

Thanks for the link. I've tried almost everything on it with the exception of reinstalling and doing a repair install.

I haven't done a repair install because my laptop came with an OEM version of Vista and my understanding is that when I were to reactivate Windows I'd be out of luck because MS no longer supports OEM activations. Is this correct? (Based on my reading of this: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html ) Wouldn't I be unable to activate Windows?

I did try using the sfc /scannow command listed in the link. It didn't work at first but after some research I was able to find out how to run it in offline mode. Once I got it working it found some corrupt files but was unable to repair them. It did mention that these files were now stored in the log but I didn't have time to check them before leaving the house. I'll have to check it once I return home. I'll also try running the scan a few more times when I have the time, as the link on this forum says it may need up to 3 scans to fix everything.

I plan to download the System Update Readyness Tool from Microsoft but once I've done that how will I replace the files with me only being able to use command prompt? This link only mentions how to do it from within Windows. http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/261616-extract-files-vista-installation-dvd.html

virtual6 · Aug 13, 2016

I haven't done a repair install because my laptop came with an OEM version of Vista and my understanding is that when I were to reactivate Windows I'd be out of luck because MS no longer supports OEM activations. Is this correct? (Based on my reading of this: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88...all-vista.html ) Wouldn't I be unable to activate Windows?

That's a long thread. To which post(s) are you referring?

If your laptop has a COA sticker you should be able to use the product key from it.
"OEM Activations" might be referring to the automatic activation, using an OEM product key which is built into the system.
The key from the sticker is a different independent key which can be entered manually if the OEM activation does not work.

townsbg · Aug 13, 2016

It sounds like your only other options are a repair install and a clean install. Now a restore from your recovery partition would also do the clean install however you will need a retail disk to perform a repair install. You can request a download link from a another user here. http://www.vistax64.com/general-discussion/296167-vista-iso-download.html You shouldn't have an activation issues of an OEM license on the same computer. It might not activate automatically (depending upon the number of recent reinstalls you have done) but if that's the case you will have the option of calling a number and providing either an operator or an automated system with enough info to allow a manual activation. I have not heard anything about Microsoft discontinuing OEM activation. They shouldn't have. As for the system readiness tool I haven't used it.

Flying Potato · Aug 13, 2016

For clarification, step 15 of this thread http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html leads to this thread http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/84488-activate-vista-phone.html which explains how to activate Vista after doing a repair install.

Within the second thread (the activation thread) this is posted in the red "Warning" box, by Brink:

"Microsoft no longer provides support for preinstalled OEM (recovery)copies of Vista. If you have one of these, then you must contact the OEM, instead of Microsoft in this tutorial, to activate your OEM Vista."

This leads me to believe that I will not be able to activate Vista unless I go through my OEM?

I do have a COA sticker on my laptop still but my OEM didn't provide any install media, so I'm actually using a retail Vista Disc for this.

I'd really like to fix this laptop without having to do a fresh install if possible, though I realize it might not be. I'm determined to try everything else in the world first though. :D:

cool:

If a repair install would allow me to keep my data I'd be okay with that, but I don't want to wind up with an issue of being unable to reactivate Vista.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that when reinstalling Vista, even with an OEM COA key you would have to still go through reactivation which would require you to get a new key from MS. Am I mis-remembering this? Would I simply be able to re-enter the key from my laptop sticker and have Windows activate normally (permanently)? If so, I'd go this route.

townsbg · Aug 13, 2016

I don't know anything about that statement. I had to repair my VM just today. After the retail boot disk loads there is an option to repair windows located near the bottom left hand corner. That worked for me. I had to reactivate but that was because of an issue on my end that doesn't apply to you. You might want to try that option because it didn't appear to have impacted my install at all, although I suggest that you back your files up first just to be sure. You can use a linux distribution such as Ubuntu. In my case I didn't have to even reinstall my programs. Of course results could vary based upon the degree of corruption.

virtual6 · Aug 13, 2016

...even with an OEM COA key you would have to still go through reactivation which would require you to get a new key from MS.

Reactivation does not require a new key from MS.
That COA key is valid for your OEM Vista. Most likely, it probably has never even been used so it would be considered "ready for activation".

Do you have a recovery partition (factory system image) on your HDD?
If not, and as a last resort you have to do a clean install using your retail disc, you can enter your COA key to activate the retail install. Strictly speaking, according to the EULA terms, this is not "legal"...that is, your COA should only be used for the OEM Vista that came with the machine. But it will work, the intent being that the system is installed and activated only on the original computer.

Flying Potato · Aug 14, 2016

Well, here's an interesting development. It seems the offline scf /scannow check I did previously partially brought my Vista install back. Windows is now seeing Vista on the drive and it now refers to Vista as being recovered, although Windows still won't boot.

When Vista came back up it recommended that I run System Repair again, which I did and it made repairs, then still would not boot. I ran System Repair once more and now it says that it detects no problems, yet still won't boot.

After restarting it now says there is a corrupt Winload.exe file. I've read that if I were to use Ubuntu to copy the Winload.exe file from Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe into \Windows\system32\winload.exe that this may fix my problem. Does this sound right?

Finally, when Windows "recovered" my Vista installation it is now also showing my System Restore points once again. I haven't tried to use them yet, because even the most recent restore point it's showing is fairly old. If I can't fix this any other way, I might try one of the restore points, but for now I'm going to continue to try other methods.

virtual6 · Aug 14, 2016

File and disk corruption can be indicative of a failing hard disk drive.
I have experienced errors such as "invalid load module" when trying to run a program, only to have it work minutes later.
You might be fighting a losing battle.
If you have a factory restore partition, make sure you have a backup of it...Now!

Flying Potato · Aug 14, 2016

Honestly, I believe you're right. I believe the drive is failing and I don't intend to rely on it. I believe I'm just going to purchase a new drive soon and install Win 7 on it. What's the easiest way to copy the restore partition from CMD Prompt? Will the entire partition copy properly if I drag and drop the files onto an external drive from within Ubuntu?

virtual6 · Aug 14, 2016

For copying partitions and drives, I usually rely on my trusty Norton Ghost program.
I can boot the computer with the CD which loads and runs Ghost.
From the command prompt, you can run Robocopy which is included with Vista.
I have some small experience with it, mainly as a more robust program for file copying.
(The "robo" in the name actually does mean "robust").
Robust, in turn, means a boat load of options, but it might do the job you want.
The option in which I was mainly interested preserves the date-time stamps of copied/moved files.
I've never actually used it to copy a partition.

Vista Laptop Won't Boot and Repair Options Not Working

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