Startup Repair

How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista​

   Information

Startup Repair is a Vista recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Vista from starting correctly. When you run Startup Repair, it scans your computer for the problem and then tries to fix it so your computer can start correctly.

For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Startup Repair FAQs

   Note

Startup Repair Process

Startup Repair will try to repair computers that are unbootable because of the following reasons:

• Registry corruption
• Missing or damaged system and driver files
• Disk metadata corruption (MBR, partition table, and boot sector)
• File system metadata corruption
• Installation of problematic or incompatible drivers
• Installation of incompatible Windows service packs and patches
• Corrupt boot configuration data
• Bad memory and hard disk hardware (detection only)

Startup Repair will not repair unbootable systems caused by the following issues:

• Malfunctioning firmware and other hardware components
• Problems with clean Windows installations or Windows upgrades (for example, from Windows XP to Windows Vista)
• Windows logon errors
• Viruses and malicious software

After Startup Repair has run, a text log with diagnostic information and repair results is generated. The log file is located at: C:\Windows\System32\Logfile\Srt\SrtTrail.txt

For more information, see: How Windows RE Works

   Tip

If you only have a OEM Recovery DVD or Recovery Partition, then you can also create a recovery disc that will let you boot into the System Recovery Options screen (see screenshot below step 6 below) to run a Startup repair with the download from here: How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc. It cannot be used to reinstall Vista.

Here's How:

1. Boot into the System Recovery Optionsscreen.​

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2. Click on the Startup Repair option. (See screenshot below)​

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3. The Startup Repair tool will attempt to fix your computer and get it booting up again. (See screeshot below)​

NOTE: Startup Repair might prompt you to make choices as it tries to fix the problem, and if necessary, it might restart your computer as it makes repairs. If repairs are not successful, you'll see a summary of the problem and links to contact information for support. Your computer manufacturer might include additional assistance information.​

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   Note

Sometimes it may take running Startup Repair up to 3 times with a restart after each time to fully repair startup issues.

   Note

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista
• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• How to Start the Memory Diagnostics Tool in Vista
• How to Check and Change the Startup Programs in Vista
• How to Repair and Verify the Integrity of Vista System Files with System File Checker
• How to Reset a User Account Password in Vista
• How to Run Check Disk at Startup in Vista
• How to Boot Up in and Use Advanced Boot Options in Vista
• How to Do a System Restore in Vista
• 1How to Get Out of Reduced Functionality Mode in Vista
• How to Start Vista in Safe Mode
• How to Fix the "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded." Error
• How to Fix the Error "Your user profile was not loaded correctly! You have been logged on with a temporary profile." in Vista
• How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc

 

[qwerty855]

Hi -

For step 5: What if there isn't an operating system listed?

It says check for drivers and i have a cd with all the drivers that came installed on my machine, i just dont know which one to use....

If you have any idea what im talking about please help

Thanks in advance

 

[Brink]

Hi Qwerty,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Go ahead and click Next anyway.

Shawn

 

[qwerty855]

haha yea i eventually figured it out last night.

Thanks shawn

ps. all of the "How to" fourms you run are awesome

thanks again

 

[Brink]

LOL Qwerty, OK. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[motarola2]

2 thumbs up for startup repair, it is super usefull

 

[pngzhengli]

Hi, I do not have the CD. It does not come together with it when I bought my laptop. Can you pls advise me?

 

[Brink]

Hi Pngzhengli,

You can do what is in the Warning box at the top of the tutorial and create your one Recovery disc that you can use to run System Recovery Options from.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/141820-create-recovery-disc.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Joan Archer]

Hi Pngzhengli,

You can do what is in the Warning box at the top of the tutorial and create your one Recovery disc that you can use to run System Recovery Options from.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/141820-create-recovery-disc.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I've only just got my Vista machine, desktop, and that only comes with a recovery partition and the motherboard CD plus one for the monitor that came with the system.

Would this be something that would be useful to do now and keep for the future in case of any problems occurring.

The instructions that came with the machine just give the details to recover the machine back to factory settings, although that does include SP1, but of course that wouldn't help if it was just some file or other that got corrupted.

Thanks I'm going to enjoy looking around this place, and hopefully learning more about my machine

 

[Brink]

Hello Joan,

Yes you have it correct. It can be helpful to have and use the System Recovery Options screen at boot to try and repair your Vista installation instead of reinstalling it if needed.

Shawn

 

[Joan Archer]

Thank you Shawn I'll look into doing it. Just remembered the other disc I got with the machine was for Nero 7 Essentials which would be the cut down version as it say's bundled with hardware only not for resale.
Would I still need the ISO recorder program to burn the CD or would Nero do it ?

 

[Brink]

If Nero has a ISO burning option it will work, otherwise you will need to use the other program.

 

[Joan Archer]

OK thanks I'll look into just what Nero does have, what's listed on the CD is.

Nero Express 7 Essentials
Nero Show Time 3 Essentials
Nero Vision 4 Essentials
Nero Recode 2 Essentials
InCD 5 Essentials

 

[StephanO_NL]

Hello there,

Step 1, 2 and 3 are going well, but i don't have a screen like Step four. Mine pops right into the install screen. So i can't choose for the option: repair your computer

 

[Brink]

Hello StaphanO_NL, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you restart the computer to run the Vista installation DVD from boot and not from within Vista?

Shawn

 

[StephanO_NL]

Hello,

Yes, i did. Start up the computer, click any key to begin with the installation of the dvd. And then it skips the screen of step four.

 

[Brink]

Strange. What type of Vista installation DVD do you have? (Ex: Retail, OEM, Express, Recovery ...)


You could also create another DVD to be able to use to run a Startup Repair from. This tutorial will show you how to.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/141820-create-recovery-disc.html

 

[StephanO_NL]

I've slipstreamed a dvd. Maybe the person I've got the image from had already cutted particular things out of the dvd. Is that possible? If so, I will just get a good image and burn that on dvd.

Thanks for your quick help so far.

 

[Brink]

That could very well be. I would get another copy. That http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/141820-create-recovery-disc.html option will let you do the Startup Repair, but it will not let you reinstall Vista if you ever wanted to later though.

 

[StephanO_NL]

I don't want to reïnstall Vista, I just want to repair my damaged vista.

So i download a new image and then prepare and burn it with Vlite.

I will let you know how that goes.